Even before the launch of 'Windows 10', it was clear that Microsoft was not only bringing a new version of its operating system onto the market, but also wanted to tap into new user groups and win back former users. The message for all planned versions was "One Core - One Platform - One Store". With Universal Windows Platform (UWP) and Universal Windows Driver (UWD), the software manufacturer wanted to address desktop PCs and laptops as well as revitalize lost segments such as the market for tablet PCs and smartphones. The 'Windows IoT' version should focus more on industrial requirements, while 'Windows IoT Core' addresses the clientele previously served by 'Windows CE' - such as manufacturers of printers, washing machines or elevators - under a single name.

Uniform core

The 'Windows 10 IoT' version is divided into three segments for different use cases.

© Phoenix Contact

When developing the industrial version of 'Windows 10', Microsoft focused on the Internet of Things (IoT). This is a fundamental component of Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0 applications can only be implemented if the countless data collected by many small components - such as sensors or measuring devices - is constantly updated, organized and forwarded to a central data center or cloud service via the Internet.

The user can use the new 'Windows 10 IoT' product family to implement the task described. In order to meet the various requirements, the operating system is made up of three versions. This ensures that it can always be optimally adapted to the hardware and therefore the application. In contrast to its predecessors, however, all versions are now based on the same core. This significantly reduces the development effort for the applications because universal apps are supported. These are applications that can run on multiple platforms.

Windows 10 IoT, which can be installed on X86 platforms (32-bit and 64-bit), provides the full range of functions required for industrial applications. Compared to the consumer version, however, the Cortana voice assistant, the new Edge browser and the pre-installed Microsoft Universal Windows Apps - such as Bing News, Skype or XboxApp - are not available.

Extended lockdown function

Microsoft has integrated many security functions that were previously only available for embedded systems into the full version of 'Windows 10 IoT'.

© Phoenix Contact

For industrial use, however, Microsoft has expanded and integrated the lockdown functions known from the previous versions. These include Shell Launcher, Write Filter, USB Filter, Input Filter and App Locker. They protect embedded systems from manipulation, virus attacks or power failures.

The product family of the new operating system opens up further advantages, but also requires changes. One significant benefit, for example, is the support of Universal Apps. This allows users to create applications that work on PCs, tablets and smartphones, as they are based on the same libraries. For machine builders whose applications vary considerably in size, this can lead to significantly less effort in terms of developing the respective application. The innovations in the area of maintenance and system care are also beneficial. 'Windows 10 IoT' devices can be administered even better centrally and integrated into existing company networks. In addition, the management of mobile devices (Mobile Device Management - MDM) has been expanded to include Windows updates and settings for VPN, Wi-Fi and hardware-based device integrity, for example.

No scalability

Industrial PCs and HMI devices from Phoenix Contact benefit from improved touch support. In this environment, 'Windows 10' combines the advantages of 'Windows 7' in terms of mouse support with the new functions of 'Windows 8', such as gesture control for touch displays. Furthermore, 'Windows 10 IoT Enterprise' eliminates the 'Per Device Activation' requirement of the previous version 'Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry Pro'.

Due to this feature, the operating system lacked acceptance, particularly in mechanical engineering. If a device is never online and is not activated, the function has no effect in the new operating system. The operator neither receives a reminder nor are there any restrictions. If activation is required, this can be carried out as easily as with a normal Windows version.

'Windows 10 IoT Enterprise' is therefore no longer customizable and requires 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit) memory as standard. In the past, the device provider or machine manufacturer had the option of scaling their own image and omitting functions. Now they have to accept the higher price for the larger storage cards required in automation or the integrated flash in the 'Industrial Grade' quality level. One advantage of the full version is that software providers can now be sure that all functions of the operating system are available and usable.

Control of the upgrade speed

In terms of security, the current version offers significantly more than its predecessors. This applies not only to new security functions, but also to updating and using the operating system in the company. Until now, Microsoft has provided ten years of support for its Windows systems - five years of mainstream support and five years of extended support.

In future, users will be able to control the upgrade speed individually. With the so-called Long Term Servicing, which is intended in particular for business-critical systems, it can be specified, for example, that only critical and security-relevant updates are implemented, but not functional updates. Compared to all previous versions, companies have considerably more control over the installation of updates with 'Windows 10'. It can be automated and regulated with guidelines. As a result, there are standardized security settings and different interfaces are a thing of the past.

Consistently standardized

Microsoft is striving to standardize its operating systems, even at the expense of the embedded and compact versions.

© Phoenix Contact

With 'Windows 10 IoT Core', the second version of the new product family is proving to be relevant for industry. This is a compact version for small devices - such as simple embedded computers - that are based on an ARM or X86 architecture. However, only four development boards (Raspberry PI 2 and 3, Minnowboard Max and DragonBoard) are currently available for the core version, for which board support packages are offered. The core version does not include a user interface as such, but the user starts directly into an application. The output of the graphics is therefore limited to an application, which must be a universal app. Normal Win32 applications can be started, but the output is only visible via a remote session.

The core version also includes the lockdown functions. It is intended for use in small devices such as HMIs, measurement components, cameras, barcode readers or printers that have low performance requirements and simple user interfaces. With 'Windows IoT Core', Microsoft is also pursuing a consistent standardization of the previous versions (Embedded, Compact) into a consistent development environment.

Compared to the previous 'Windows Embedded Compact' versions, the 'IoT Core' version has one fundamental limitation. Due to the standardization of the kernel, real-time support is no longer available. Furthermore, different technologies are no longer available: applications that use GDI, MVC, WinForms or WPF must now be rewritten in XAML, DirectX and HTML. The porting effort for native Win32 or .NeT applications can be low or, depending on the structure, considerable. For example, if an application has been developed according to the model view controller (MVC) pattern, adapting it to XAML is much easier than with unstructured programming. The effort also depends on the libraries used. For applications that only start a single application, you should wait until 'Windows 10 IoT' Core is available for all platforms.

The Linux operating system plays a key role in the industrial embedded market today. Microsoft is therefore hoping to attract new users with the new embedded version 'Windows 10 IoT'. The chances are not bad, but it will probably take a lot of persuasion. This is particularly true for mechanical engineering, as machine builders also want to save on license costs in the future, especially where there is no networking and stand-alone machines are produced in large numbers. The speed of integration of cloud services into production and system control is of great importance here. Phoenix Contact has been working on this topic for several years and provides cloud systems for Profinet, for example.

Support for previous operating systems

According to a study by Net Applications, 17% of all users are already using the new operating system - and its market share increased significantly by 2.1% in May 2016. By contrast, the combined value of Windows 8 and 8.1 fell by 1.65 points to 11.39%. Most users therefore switched from Windows 8.x to Windows 10 in May.

However, the previous versions of the new operating system will continue to be offered by Microsoft in the future and support is also guaranteed for at least five years (Windows 7) or eight years (Windows 8.1). Industrial users therefore do not have to switch to 'Windows 10 IoT' immediately. This is why Phoenix Contact delivers its Windows 10 IoT Enterprise systems with the Windows 7 and Windows Embedded Standard 7 operating systems.

All in all, this shows that 'Windows 10 IoT' includes numerous improvements for industrial use compared to older versions. It does not want to be a new version of an existing operating system, but a platform for different device classes and act as a central building block for IoT and Industry 4.0.

Whether Microsoft's goal of standardization correlates with the high level of specialization in the industry remains to be seen. However, 'Windows 10' has managed to spread quickly on the market and also in the industry.

Authors:
Michael Ahlbrecht works in product marketing for industrial PCs at Phoenix Contact;
Uwe Harasko works in Product Marketing HMI/Industrial PC at Phoenix Contact.