Dive Brief:

• The United States Department of Defense is working to move its 4 million computers to Windows 10 by Jan. 2017.
• A November memo from the the DOD’s CIO ordered the agency to “rapidly transition” to Windows 10 to help improve their “cybersecurity posture, lower the cost of IT and streamline the IT operating environment.”
• On top of that, Microsoft’s Surface devices were certified, which would allow the agency to potentially deploy them in the future.

Dive Insight:

Of the more than 200 million devices currently running Windows 10, just 22 million of those are in the enterprise or education spaces, according to The Verge. Traditionally, because of the sheer number of devices requiring upgrades, businesses often wait to update software. But Microsoft wants to avoid that with its latest operating system, aggressively pushing users to update their systems.

But what’s the reason for the big push? Microsoft’s Marketing Chief Chris Capossela said it is intended to create a “safer place” for users, according to a BetaNews report. The most up-to-date software allows for machines to run more smoothly and integrate better with other technologies, from computer games to printer connections, Capossela said.

The DOD’s move to quickly upgrade its devices could set a precedent for other organizations that have thus far waited. Considering the information on DOD systems, the agency is clearly showing confidence in the software’s capabilities, especially with its security.

Last November, technology research firm Gartner reported that half of all enterprises will have started rolling out Windows 10 by the end of Jan. 2017. Not only is transitioning to Windows 10 easier than past updates, Gartner said, but Microsoft will declare Window 7’s end of life in 2020.