Windows 8 Consumer Preview & Server 8 Beta - Part #1 of 4: Getting ready

This is Part 1 of 4 posts on Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Server 8 beta. There might be a Part 5 focused on Server 8 only. However, that is a game-time decision.

Windows-Live-Writer-90a413f47a30_122CF-Since the release of Microsoft Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Windows Server 8 beta last February 29th, Logikworx & AbsolutelyWindows have initiated a test-and-review regimen for both products.

The Consumer Preview is the first beta of Windows 8, and despite that, it is very polished, and carries with it the weight of all that Windows is. However, unlike the Logikworx Windows 7 Review Regimen, the compressed nature of the Windows 8 beta process has necessitated some changes:

Windows – in all forms – is extremely strategic to us at Logikworx, and we would be dedicating ever-increasing resources to what in its final summary would be our testing, training, and implementation project for our clients in the Windows 8 Era.

Why are we doing this?
A crucial part of our management requirements with our client companies is participation in Microsoft Licensing. Some of their Software Assurance benefits is access to the Microsoft stack while their contract with Microsoft is in force.

As a result, built into our contractual agreements with our clients, is a proviso whereby we upgrade them to the latest shipping Windows client and server operating system(s) prior to the end of their license contract. That ensures that even if our services are terminated, the client still reaps the benefit of their spent money.

With that in mind, I am breaking the Windows 8 review process into three distinct yet concurrent phases:

  1. The Orbiting O’Odua & MedikLabs: I will be conducting my personal tests with both personal and business systems. The O’Odua systems and those of MedikLabs will be first, followed by that of another guinea pig, a local real estate company. We have several systems which I shall break down as I go along. I will also be deploying (1) ML110 G5, (2) Proliant ML350 G6.
  2. Logikworx SoCal: Luckily, all company-assigned laptops as EliteBooks, equipped with SLAT CPUs and UEFI. That has allowed everyone in LA to go to Windows 8 CP as their primary operating system since February 29, 2012. Their previous Windows 7 desktops were virtualized, and are available as VMs should they run into compatibility issues with Windows 8. We will also be utilizing a series of Proliant ML110 and ML350 servers as the staff demands it.
  3. LogikLabs NoCal: LogikLabs will exclusively focus on conducting Server 8 betas. Moreover, all of our virtualization testing – with Hyper-V 3.0 and VMware – for Windows 8 will be conducted here. For this, we have (5) Proliant ML350 initially. Over the next few weeks, we would be adding (2) Proliant DL380 servers, and (1) Proliant DL385. I am thinking of authorizing the purchase of a unit of the HP X5000 NAS box for storage.

I will speak extensively over the next several months on the local projects as I will manage them directly. However, unless there is a pressing development that requires public disclosure, I shall treat just about all of the results from this test as proprietary, only delivering aggregated information that I feel we have sufficiently scrubbed of company secrets.

The Windows 8 Consumer Preview at The Orbiting O’Odua & MedikLabs

As on 10.00 PM on Sunday March 11th, Windows 8 Consumer Preview has been installed on the following systems here at

At The Orbiting O’Odua:

    • HP EliteBook 2740 Tablet PC
    • HP TouchSmart 600
    • HP TouchSmart IQ518
    • HP TouchSmart tm2 Tablet PC
    • HP TouchSmart tx2 Tablet PC
    • HP z600 Personal Workstation
    • Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z

Windows Server 8 beta is installed on a Proliant ML110 G5 server

At MedikLabs:

    • HP EliteBook 8440w
    • HP TouchSmart 300
    • HP TouchSmart 610
    • HP TouchSmart 9100
    • HP Pavilion tx2000 (2)
    • HP z600 Personal Workstation
    • Toshiba Tecra M7

Windows Server 8 Beta is installed on Proliant (2) ML350 boxes.

The backbone at both the O’Odua and MedikLabs is Windows Server 2008 R2. What I have decided to do is use Server 8 beta exclusively at the O’Odua, and set aside a Proliant running Windows Server 2008 R2 as an additional member server, while all production systems would be running Server 8 beta at MedikLabs. Both networks are each backed up by an HP StorageWorks Data Vault x510 box running Windows Home Server 2011.

Installation
Windows 8 CP: Installation was a snap, as has been customary with Windows since Windows Vista.

I was surprised to see that some Metro apps from the Developer Preview had vanished, and that the [Windows Metro] Store was now open. I installed some desktop apps, and bought some Metro apps. My full preview review is here.

Windows Server 8 beta: Installation of Server 8 beta was a snap as well. As of today, I haven’t promoted any of the Proliants to be the primary DC at either the O’Odua or MedikLabs. However, I intend to do so at the O’Odua this weekend, and at MedikLabs by Easter.

The third entity we shall be testing Windows 8 CP and Windows Server 8 beta at is at a local real estate agency. Due to time constraints, though, we won’t be starting the testing there for several more weeks.

When we radiate this test out to the local realtor’s office, we will be utilizing her eclectic mix of HP and Dell desktop computers as well as HP notebooks. We will not be adding the Proliant ML110 server there to our review systems.

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