Microsoft has introduced a new Windows Client Center focused on Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 via its official portal for IT professionals, TechNet. Through the Windows Client TechCenter, Microsoft is delivering a comprehensive collection of resources centered on the latest versions of its Windows client operating system. Extensive focus is placed on both the SP1 and SP3 releases for Vista and respectively XP, with neither of the operating systems at centerstage, as Microsoft is providing a balanced source of information.

"We recently launched the new Windows Client TechCenter, merging the Windows XP and Windows Vista TechCenters with the Springboard Series lifecycle approach to give IT pros a one-stop source for all of the Windows Client guidance, downloads, and community resources they need to adopt and manage Windows in a desktop environment," explained Nick MacKechnie, Senior Technical Account Manager at Microsoft New Zealand.

However, if there is one aspect of the new Windows Client Center which manages to grab the limelight, that is the Springboard area, offering resources designed specifically to address the needs of for IT Professionals. With Springboard, Microsoft simply aims to streamline the testing, deployment and management of Windows clients. The Redmond company has adapted its resources to fit various scenarios, taking into consideration aspects such as lifecycle stages and the technical level.

In the end, the Windows Client TechCenter provides a portal for IT professionals centralizing information from Microsoft and from the community, providing easy access to common tasks, downloads, support, and even troubleshooting resources. Handling Windows Vista SP1 or Windows XP SP3 will be that much easier for IT professionals taking advantage of Windows Client TechCenter.

"Key features of the new TechCenter [also] include: new 'zones' for top tasks related to application compatibility, User Account Control (UAC), imaging, hardware compatibility and performance, desktop security and encryption, and networking. And availability in 8 languages: French, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Germany, Russian, Portuguese, Korean, and Italian," MacKechnie added.