It was yet another big day for Microsoft and the Windows 8 team on Wednesday as the RTM build was officially made available to download for MSDN and TechNet subscribers. Today, the Windows 8 release news train continues with word that the Windows 8 Enterprise SKU is now available for current members Microsoft"s Software Assurance service.
In a post on the Microsoft Springboard Series blog, Microsoft said it has also released some free tools to help IT workers install and deploy Windows 8 Enterprise. They include the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit, which collects a number of software tools in one place, including the Application Compatibility Toolkit, the Windows Performance Toolkit, the Windows Assessment Toolkit and new versions of Windows PE and the User State Migration Tool.
Microsoft has also released another free software product, the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2012 Update 1 (MDT). The company says, "By leveraging MDT, you can easily create your own custom Windows 8 Enterprise images that can then be deployed throughout your enterprise."
The company has also released the 7.0 version of the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit, which is designed to collect the hardware information and system requirements of each PC that an IT worker wants to upgrade to Windows 8 Enterprise.
Microsoft added:
For customers who will be deploying Windows 8 Enterprise, be assured that the KMS and MAK volume activation methods that were available with Windows 7 Enterprise are still there and work as they did before. But there is also a new Active Directory-based Activation method, offering a way to leverage your existing Active Directory infrastructure to simplify the activation process.
Source: Windows Springboard Series blog