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Is it worth upgrading to Windows 8 for SMBs?

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Abhigna
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How do I get bulk licensing discounts?

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If you are a small business having a maximum of 5 PCs to upgrade, you may be eligible for the Windows 8 upgrade offer. Any larger and you will need to contact your authorized Microsoft reseller for more information.

Who all are Microsoft's authorized licensing partners in India?

Here's naming them randomly: Redington India Ltd, Ingram Micro India Limited and Compuage Infocom Pvt Ltd. Each of these has a broad presence of distributors/resellers.

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What is the Windows 8 upgrade offer mentioned above?

If you had purchased a system with a licensed copy of Windows 7 pre-installed on it after 1 July 2012, you can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for approx. Rs. 699 for an online upgrade, by downloading the required installation files.

On the other hand, if your copy of Windows is older, you will need to shell out approx. Rs. 1,999 for an online upgrade to Windows 8 Pro.

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In each case, purchasing a boxed copy (or even a backup DVD) incurs additional charges and both offers are valid only till 31 January, 2013.

Why should I upgrade to Windows 8 Pro only?

Windows 8 Pro seems to be the ideal choice for SMBs, as it supports features such as group policy, joining domains, serving as a remote desktop host, etc. In fact if your current PCs are running, say, Windows 7 Professional, you can only upgrade to Windows 8 Pro or Windows 8 Enterprise.

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Plus, unlike Windows RT, you can run your legacy desktop applications on Windows 8 Pro (you cannot upgrade to Windows RT anyway since it comes pre-installed on devices) and unlike Windows 8 Enterprise, you can buy Windows 8 Pro from retail stores off the shelves without requiring volume licensing.

As a developer is it worth for me to upgrade to Windows 8?

One of the main selling points of Windows 8 is its modern UI. If you are to build apps for this modern UI, be it Windows 8 PCs/tablets or for Windows Phone 8, you will require an RTM build of Windows 8. In fact, for Windows Phone 8 development, you will require a 64-bit variant of Windows 8.

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So, if you intend to develop modern UI apps, it is definitely worth the upgrade since OEMs are rolling out a variety of PCs, hybrids, tablets and phones based on Windows 8/Windows Phone 8. The potential reach of these devices, for your application, is too big to be ignored.

As an SMB is it worth for me to upgrade to Windows 8?

Windows 8 definitely seems to be a leap into the future as far as support for upcoming technologies are concerned. However, it also brings with itself a definite learning curve when it comes to making efficient use of the modern UI. However, for you as an SMB, device and application compatibility become key issues which determine whether you make the upgrade or not.

You might want to evaluate the 90-day trial of Windows 8 Enterprise available through TechNet to make your decision. If migration of apps and system settings is not important to you, then it is worth the upgrade (especially at the current offer prices) since you will be able to carry over your personal files to Windows 8 regardless of whether your current PC is running Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 and be able to take advantage of all of the features that Windows 8 has in store for you.

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