| SPECIAL REPORT: Windows XP Embedded SP2 goes gold |
Dec. 01, 2004
[Updated Dec. 3, 2004] -- Microsoft's Mobile and Embedded Devices Group has released the final version of Windows XP Embedded with Service Pack 2. The latest release of the componentized version of Windows XP -- targeting a wide range of embedded systems and devices -- is now available for free download from Microsoft's website. The free 120-day evaluation software kit comprises the entire product including binaries and tools, and can be used to develop, build, deploy, and test a target OS image in a real device, according to Microsoft product manager John Starkweather.
Windows XP Embedded
According to Microsoft, Windows XP Embedded contains more than 10,000 individual feature components which can be configured to achieve optimal software footprint and functionality to meet the unique hardware requirements of embedded devices. Microsoft claims it leads the embedded industry in terms of support longevity, with its promise of a minimum of 10 years of "mainstream and extended support" for Windows XP Embedded (a.k.a. Windows XPe)
Although Windows XPe can be used in a broad spectrum of embedded and specialized applications, Microsoft says it is aiming Windows XPe at device-makers building "reliable and advanced small-footprint devices" such as point-of-sales/service (POS) terminals, medical systems, and thin clients.
Service Pack 2
Windows XP Embedded with Service Pack 2 (a.k.a. "XPe SP2") includes security and other enhancements from the recent Service Pack 2 (SP2) release for the standard version of Windows XP, along with a number of additional capabilities targeting unique requirements of embedded systems and devices.
In addition to the much ballyhooed security enhancements in standard XP SP2, XPe SP2 adds "advanced" remote device management and system update capabilities, enhanced networking and multimedia features, and introduces a highly welcomed quick boot mechanism capable of booting an XPe SP2 device in as little as 10 seconds, Microsoft says.
What's new?
Microsoft says the following key updates and enhancements are included in the Windows XP Embedded Service Pack 2 update: - Enhanced Windows Firewall -- a redesigned Windows Firewall, activated by default, helps safeguard devices by giving users and administrators more control over inbound connections.
- Remote communications -- SP2 adds support for Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) v5.2.
- Multimedia capabilities -- SP2 includes new "advanced" multimedia capabilities including Windows Media Player 9 Series and Microsoft DirectX 9.0c.
- Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 -- The .NET Framework 1.1 component, included in the Windows Embedded Studio component database for SP2, is said to deliver increased scalability and performance. Other key new .NET Framework features include: native support for mobile Web applications; support for the execution of Windows Forms assemblies from the Internet; code access security for ASP.NET applications; a unified programming model for smart client application development; and support for IPv6.
- Bluetooth -- XPe SP2 includes a new Bluetooth networking protocol stack.
- Software Update Services (SUS) -- SUS enables automatic scanning and deployment of Microsoft-issued security updates on XPe-based devices, and increases the ability to integrate devices across networks.
- Systems Management Server (SMS) -- SP2 adds a client for SMS, which enables remotely updating applications on XPe-based devices from a centralized location.
- Generic Device Driver Support component -- this new OS component can be used during the design phase to quickly add support to a run-time image for one or more device classes, including the keyboard, printer, and modem device classes.
- Quick boot -- newly added APIs (application programming interfaces) added to the Enhanced Write Filter (EWF) function provide dramatic reductions in startup and shutdown times, enabling claimed boot times of as little as 10 seconds.
Third-party support
In addition to XPe SP2's new built-in quick-boot support via the enhanced EWF function, Microsoft also notes that a more comprehensive fast boot capability is also available by means of Venturcom's ReadyOn product.
On the security front, Microsoft says it has worked closely with security software vendors Computer Associates (CA) and Sygate to provide anti-virus and intrusion prevention security solutions for XPe-based devices and systems. Sygate has announced that its Security Agent 4.0 is compatible with XPe SP2, and CA has announced that it is supporting XPe SP2 with its eTrust Antivirus software.
Many more languages
Another enhancement coming as part of XPe SP2 is support for over 20 languages, according to Starkweather. Although today's release of XPe SP2 is limited to English, Japanese, Portuguese, German, French, and Spanish, support for the following additional languages will become available during Q1 of CY05, he says: Chinese Traditional, Chinese Simplified, Korean, Dutch, Italian, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Israel, Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, Turkish, Polish, Czech, Russian, and Hungarian.
Starkweather points out that there is no extra charge for shipping products with support for multiple languages. In fact, device makers are welcome to include all available languages as part of their products, he says.
Doubled support lifecycle
In conjunction with today's SP2 release, Microsoft has also doubled the support lifecycle for XPe SP1, extending it to two years. This means customers using XPe SP1 in their products can continue to receive security and other updates through the end of 2006 (although they can continue using SP1 indefinitely in their products), according to Starkweather.
Additionally, Microsoft has pledged ten years of family-level support for Windows XP Embedded, meaning that customers can migrate to next-generation versions of XPe (e.g. SP1, SP2, . . .) for ten years from when the product originally launched in November, 2001.
 Getting XPe SP2, and learning more about it
As part of the company's "shared success" model, Microsoft is offering a free 120-day XPe SP2 evaluation software kit -- including the complete toolset and components -- which is available now for download from its developer website (a free CD can also be ordered there). No run time fees are required until products containing the software ship, according to Microsoft.
As part of today's launch of XPe SP2, Microsoft has published technical documentation and whitepapers on a dedicated page of its developer website. Additionally, Microsoft Gold-level partners Avnet, Arrow, Bsquare, and Venturcom will be conducting a series of free, online technical training sessions.
Beyond SP2, the next major release of Windows XP Embedded -- code-named "Longhorn Embedded" -- will follow within about 90 days of the next major version of Windows XP ("Longhorn"), and is expected in the 2006 timeframe.
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