14 DAY TRIAL // Less than a month after it was released to manufacturing, a smaller footprint, locked down flavor of Windows 7 designed for repurposing computers as thin clients is now available for download.
Windows Thin PC (WinTPC) hit RTM in the first half of June 2011, and general availability on July 1st, just as Microsoft promised.
This particular Windows 7 spin-off is intended to provide customers with a successor for Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs, and the software giant is not exactly offering WinTPC to all customers.
Then again, the Redmond company noted from still early in the development process that WinTPC would be an added benefit to Software Assurance license agreements.
It should then be no surprise that Windows Thin PC RTM is only available for download to Microsoft’s Software Assurance customers. They need to head over to the Microsoft Volume Licensing website in order to grab the WinTPC RTM bits.
As I’ve already said, WinTPC is designed for virtual desktop infrastructure scenarios, a detail confirmed again by Karri Alexion-Tiernan, Director of Product Management for Microsoft Desktop Virtualization.
“As VDI deployments continue to grow, customers told us they needed an easy way to repurpose their existing PCs as thin clients, leading to the evolution of Windows Thin PC,” Alexion-Tiernan added.
“Windows Thin PC helps reduce the cost of VDI at the endpoint, enabling IT with an enterprise ready platform to provide end users with an excellent thin client experience through the many unique features offered on their repurposed PCs.”
In addition to Microsoft’s SA customers, MSDN and TechNet members also get access to Windows Thin PC RTM as part of their subscription, just as it is the case for the company’s silver and gold partners in the MPN program.
Furthermore, Microsoft has also made available for download a free evaluation release of Windows Thin PC RTM. The Free WinTPC trial is good for 90-days and needs to be deployed in testing environments.
Alexion-Tiernan enumerated some of the features of WinTPC:
“•RemoteFX support, which ensures that users have a local-like virtual desktop experience.
•Write Filters that improve security by preventing any writes to the deck.
•BitLocker and AppLocker features that help strengthen the device for enterprises.
•FEP support, which makes it possible to use a common set of malware protection tools for your desktops and thin clients.”
Windows Thin PC (WinTPC) Trial is available for download here.