4 reasons to go with Pro!
One of the things we strongly recommend when looking for a new laptop or desktop for your business is to ensure it has Windows Pro rather than Windows Home.
So why do we make the recommendation?
Home edition will work perfectly well for a business and there is no legal reason why you can’t use home edition in a business.
However, Windows Home, as its name suggests, is designed for the home user. This means a single computer and a printer and data that is not commercially sensitive, and it works fantastically well in that environment.
Windows Pro is what we recommend for businesses. This is because it gives increased security and system management.
Pro is a little more expensive, but there are some important features that you get in Windows Pro that you don’t get in Home. We’ve listed the 4 main reasons we recommend Windows Pro below, and why these features can be beneficial to your business.
4 reasons to upgrade to Microsoft Windows Pro rather than use Windows Home
Reason 1: Microsoft Update for Business
One of the most useful features of Windows Pro is the ability to control updates.
You’ve all experienced the frustration of an ill-timed Windows reboot as an update is installed, but even more serious than an inconvenient reboot is the fact that some Windows updates can cause massive issues, especially if people are using older software.
The ability to delay installation means that thorough testing can be carried out to ensure compatibility before rolling the update out.
With Windows Home you can only delay installation by a few hours. However, with Pro you can delay features updates for up to 365 days, and quality updates for 30 days.
Reason 2: BitLocker
Microsoft’s encryption software, BitLocker will protect your files from being accessed if your PC is lost or stolen.
Locking down your data isn’t 100% fool-proof, but it’s a layer of security that you really should be using in your business, especially for remote workers and those who travel for work.
There are free third-party tools that you can use instead of BitLocker, but these are not as well integrated as Microsoft’s offering. With BitLocker, your decryption key is deployed seamlessly when you enter your Windows laptop.
Reason 3: Domain Join & Group Policy
Our third reason for recommending Windows Pro is that you cannot join a Windows Home PC to your business domain.
A Windows domain is essentially a network of controlled computers used in a business. At least one server, called a domain controller, is in charge of the other devices. This lets the network administrators (usually IT staff or your external IT support) control the computers on the domain.
Unlike a personal machine, a domain-connected PC doesn’t use local account logins. Instead, the domain controller manages the logins. Using Microsoft’s Active Directory, which is user management software, the network administrators can easily create new users and disable old ones.
This is important for businesses, as it means whoever is in control of the systems can delete any users who are a potential security risk. If these users try to log in with their old password, they’ll see a message advising of the denied access. System controllers can also add users to specific groups to allow access to private server folders.
A domain allows the control of several computers at the same time. Without it, IT staff would have to individually manage each computer, which is obviously not scalable, so is only really practical for very small companies. It could also mean an increase in IT support costs because of the amount of work involved in every change.
A domain also allows the use of Group Policy, which allows administrators to configure all sorts of security and use policies for all computers.
Reason 4: Remote Desktop Connection
Both Home and Pro machines can start a Remote Desktop Connection. This allows the primary machine to control the secondary machine and all of its resources. However, a home machine cannot be remotely controlled. That’s only available on Pro machines.
Windows Home machines can be remotely assisted. This means that the Windows primary machine controls the secondary machine, and the secondary-display mirrors the primary-display. Remote Assistance is useful as an educational tool, for example, a remote technician can show someone how to adjust the graphics settings, by moving their mouse.
The upshot is that work machines can be accessed from home. But home machines can be controlled only from work. If you run a small business, Remote Desktop Connection is another reason to consider Windows Pro.
Should your business upgrade from Windows Home to Windows Pro?
As with any business decision, you need to weigh up risk and reward. If you’ve got sensitive data and you spend a lot of time out of the office then BitLocker alone could be worth the upgrade price. Similarly, if you’re looking to grow and get a domain then getting existing machines on the correct operating system now would make sense.
If the price difference between a new laptop with Home and Pro is just a few pounds then it makes sense to get the Pro version.
The tools within Windows Pro will provide greater security, regardless of the size of your business. It will also make you much easier to support for a professional IT support company. The likelihood is that a provider will insist on the upgrade when taking over your IT support.
If you are running Windows Home in your business and you want to upgrade to Windows Pro then you’re looking at a cost of £119.99 from the Microsoft Store or contact First Class Technologies. First Class Technologies cost as of December 2022 is £75 +VAT (£90 including VAT).
For more information about Windows Home vs Windows Pro, please contact our friendly team at First Class.
