Microsoft's workstation edition might come back after 20 years

Last week, Microsoft accidentally delivered a new, but buggy Windows 10 build to its testers, causing problems for 'some' users. Hoping that you've noticed our emphasization on 'some,' many testers were happy to receive the build because it also revealed a secret the company was trying to keep. Microsoft is planning three new versions of Windows 10.

P.S: The company later apologised for the buggy build, and offered some tips for overcoming the issues.

Over two decades back, Microsoft used the Workstation branding in its Windows 4.0 Workstation Edition for power users. If the leaked report is accurate, the company is planning to bring the Workstation tag for Windows 10 back.

="" about="" active.="" alt="CIOL Last week, Microsoft accidentally delivered a new but buggy Windows 10 build to its testers that caused problems for 'some' users. Hoping that you've noticed our emphasization on 'some,' many testers were happy to receive the build because it also revealed a secret the company was trying to keep. Microsoft is planning three new versions of Windows 10. P.S: The company later apologised for the buggy build, and offered some tips for overcoming the issues. Over two decades back, Microsoft used the Workstation branding in its Windows 4.0 Workstation Edition for power users. If the leaked report is accurate, the company is planning to bring the Workstation tag for Windows 10 back. Twitter users @AndItsTito and @GrandMofongo found the three new SKUs in the Build 16212 pkeyconfig: Windows 10 Pro for Advanced PCs Windows 10 Pro N for Advanced PCs Windows Server 2016 ServerRdsh Aimed at Education and Enterprise users, the leak describes the edition as “Windows 10 Pro for Workstation” with four primary skills: Workstation mode: Microsoft plans to optimise the OS by identifying “typical compute and graphics intensive workloads” to provide peak performance and reliability when Workstation mode is enabled. Resilient file system: Microsoft’s file system successor to NTFS, dubbed ReFS, is enabled in this new version, with support for fault-tolerance, optimised for large data volumes, and auto-correcting. Faster file handling: As workstation machines are typically used for large data volumes across networks, Microsoft is including the SMBDirect protocol for file sharing and high throughput, low latency, and low CPU utilisation when accessing network shares. Expanded hardware support: Microsoft is also planning to allow Windows 10 Pro for Workstation on machines with up to 4 CPUs and a memory limit of 6TB. Windows 10 Pro currently only supports 2 CPUs. The slide also mentions that it will offer " an="" and="" announcement"="" anything="" class="wp-image-158447 aligncenter" company="" computer="" confirm="" critical="" demanding="" designed="" ensure="" exciting="" for="" get="" grade="" hardware="" have="" height="281" how="" intensive="" is="" make="" matter="" meet="" microsoft="" mission="" mode="" needs="" no="" of="" official="" peak="" performance="" pro="" reliability="" report="" server="" so="" sounds,="" src="https://www.ciol.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Windows-10-Pro-for-Workstations-1-1024x577.jpg" support="" that="" the="" title="Windows Pro for Workstations" to="" unique="" users="" wait="" we="" when="" width="499" will="" windows="" workloads,="" workstation="" workstation.="" yet=""/>

Twitter users @AndItsTito and @GrandMofongo found the three new SKUs in the Build 16212 pkeyconfig:

Windows 10 Pro for Advanced PCs

Windows 10 Pro N for Advanced PCs

Windows Server 2016 ServerRdsh

Aimed at Education and Enterprise users, the leak describes the edition as “Windows 10 Pro for Workstation” with four primary skills:

Workstation mode: Microsoft plans to optimise the OS by identifying “typical compute and graphics intensive workloads” to provide peak performance and reliability when Workstation mode is enabled.

Resilient file system: Microsoft’s file system successor to NTFS, dubbed ReFS, is enabled in this new version, with support for fault-tolerance, optimised for large data volumes, and auto-correcting.

Faster file handling: As workstation machines are typically used for large data volumes across networks, Microsoft is including the SMBDirect protocol for file sharing and high throughput, low latency, and low CPU utilisation when accessing network shares.

Expanded hardware support: Microsoft is also planning to allow Windows 10 Pro for Workstation on machines with up to 4 CPUs and a memory limit of 6TB. Windows 10 Pro currently only supports 2 CPUs.

The slide also mentions that it will offer "unique support for server grade hardware and designed to meet demanding needs of mission critical and computer intensive workloads, " to ensure that users get peak performance and reliability when Workstation mode is active.

No matter how exciting the report sounds, Microsoft is yet to confirm anything about Windows 10 Pro for Workstation. So we will have to wait for the company to make an official announcement.