Windows Vista SP2 Beta

The beta release for select customers of Vista SP2 happened on October 29th according to the Windows Team Blog. A few items that were listed:

· This is a service pack for both Vista and Server 2008.
· Blue-Ray native support.
· Support for BlueTooth 2.1
· Faster search capability.

No word yet on the general release to the public. SP1 was released in the spring so I’m sure we still have a little bit of a wait. Let’s go over a few best practices when it comes to deploying SP2 in your environment.

· Always test your applications in a test environment.
· Role out SP2 to your trusted test users after your testing.
· Document any issues and their resolutions.
· Deploy in managed groups so any undetected issues can be caught before the issue is widespread.
· Have a roll back plan (This includes user data).

A well tested and planned rollout makes the difference between a nice bonus and a scorching review.

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