Microsoft releases 20H2 versions of Windows 10 and Windows Server — Redmondmag.com

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Microsoft releases 20H2 versions of Windows 10 and Windows Server

Microsoft on Tuesday announced the “Semi-Annual Channel” release of Windows 10 version 20H2, otherwise known as the “October 2020 Update”, and also released Windows Server version 20H2.

Not much has been said about the Windows Server version. The server product got some reliability and performance improvements, but no new features, according to this Microsoft document.

Details for IT professionals on the 20H2 release of Windows 10 can be found in this Windows IT Professional post by Joe Lurie, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Microsoft. End-user features were announced in this Windows article by Aaron Woodman, General Manager of the Windows Consumer Business.

Additionally, Microsoft has provided information on how to get Windows 10 version 20H2. These nuances are outlined in this Windows announcement by John Cable, vice president of program management for Windows Servicing and Delivery.

Availability of Windows 10 version 20H2
For IT pros wanting to get the bits, Windows 10 version 20H2 is available from the usual locations and can be installed using typical Microsoft management tools.

This new Windows 10 feature update is available from the Volume Licensing Service Center. Tools such as Windows Server Update Services, Microsoft Endpoint Manager Configuration Manager, and Windows Update for Business can deploy it. The new operating system is also available for download from the Visual Studio Subscriptions page, as well as the “Software Download Center (via Update Assistant or Media Creation Tool)”, explained Microsoft.

This time, Microsoft has outlined a slightly more cautious version. Cable explained that users won’t necessarily get the 20H2 build of Windows 10 right away, especially if there’s a compatibility issue:

We are limiting availability over the next few weeks to ensure a reliable download experience, so the update may not be offered to you immediately. Also, some devices may have a compatibility issue for which a backup hold is in place, so we won’t offer the update until we’re sure you’ll have a good update experience.

It is possible to immediately obtain the 20H2 version of Windows 10 by searching for it through the Windows Update service. End users use the “Check for updates” command to actively search for them and install the operating system. However, the bits will only arrive if the user has already installed Windows 10 version 1903.

When everything is ready, end users will receive a notice. This will allow them to choose an operating system installation time.

Fall semester outing
Microsoft follows a schedule for delivering Windows 10 feature updates twice a year (spring and fall). A Windows 10 feature update is a new operating system that replaces an older operating system through an “in-place upgrade”.

The 20H2 release of Windows 10 is distinguished by the launch of a 30-month product support schedule for users of Enterprise or Education editions. For everyone else, however, this feature update is only supported for 18 months.

It would seem that users of Enterprise and Education editions get some benefits with the 30-month support lifecycle. However, if they subsequently roll out a future spring release, that version of Windows 10 is only supported for 18 months. Only the fall releases have a potential of 30 months of support.

For organizations with Windows 10 version 2004 already installed, upgrading to version 20H2 will take about the same time as a monthly quality update, according to Lurie. Microsoft makes this possible through “Activation Packages”, which Microsoft started adding with Windows 10 version 1903. With the Activation Package, two consecutive versions of the Windows 10 operating system Semi-Annual Channel share similar functionality, but some features remain inactive in the old version. Essentially, inactive features of Windows 10 version 2004 are enabled with the arrival of Windows 10 version 20H2.

Microsoft recommends that IT professionals test the deployment of the new operating system with a group of users before a broader organizational deployment. In Microsoft jargon, it is recommended to perform “targeted deployments” of Windows 10 version 20H2.

IT professional and other strengths
With the new version of the operating system, Microsoft now combines its latest cumulative updates (LCUs, also called “monthly quality updates”) with its monthly servicing stack updates (SSUs, which are patches for the Windows update service). The two update types are now combined when IT pros access them from the Microsoft Catalog or Windows Server Update Services, Lurie explained. Microsoft did the same with Windows 7 a few years ago.

The Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser is part of Windows 10 version 20H2, Lurie noted. The Chromium-based Edge browser, however, has been described as possibly arriving as early as January for older versions of Windows 10 via the automatic update service. However, there is a big catch with the new Edge browser: it will not be possible to uninstall it. Additionally, Microsoft EdgeHTML “legacy” browser will no longer be supported after March 9, 2021. Internet Explorer 11 will stop working optimally with Microsoft 365 services on August 17, 2021. Microsoft had explained these types of end details browser support. in August.

Build 20H2 also highlighted support for Microsoft Defender Application Guard protections when opening Microsoft 365 documents. Documents are opened in a “virtualized container”, protecting the system from malware. However, this feature is only for Microsoft 365 E5 plan subscribers. Microsoft described this feature as being in preview stage in August. Microsoft Defender Application Guard is the new name for “Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection”. Microsoft had announced a general renaming of the product name in March.

Some features disappear
Microsoft gives features to Windows 10 and also takes them away. A list of removed features can be found in this document. Windows 10 version 20H2 marks the end of Windows To Go, which allows end users to take their corporate desktop with them on USB drives. Windows To Go seemed like a good idea, but Microsoft announced the discontinuation of its product last year.

Cortana, Microsoft’s personal digital assistant, is also taking a hit with Windows 10 version 20H2. Consumers who used Cortana in “connected home” scenarios or to access music lose these capabilities with Windows 10 version 20H2. Microsoft had announced these details in August.