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Microsoft adds new Insider Lab for Enterprise for testing Windows 10 Enterprise features

Microsoft is looking to get more feedback from IT pros about business-focused Windows 10 features via a new virtual lab, known as Olympia Corp.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor

Microsoft is looking to get more enterprise customers to test some of the more time- and resource-intensive features in Windows 10 Enterprise Insider builds.

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Via a new "Windows Insider Lab for Enterprise," Microsoft is looking to get its Windows 10 Insider for Business testers to try out some of its coming business-oriented features.

Microsoft has created a virtual corporation, known as "Olympia Corp.," to give business Insiders a way to try out features like Windows Information Protection (WIP), Windows Defender Application Guard (WDAG) and Host Intrusion Prevention Systems (HIPs) "all running in a real-world enterprise environment," according to a recent email Microsoft sent to Insiders. Windows Hello for Business is another feature about which Microsoft is hoping to gain more feedback from its Windows 10 IT pros.

Microsoft is currently accepting a limited number of Windows Insiders to pilot the program, the email invitation said. To request enrollment in the pilot, testers need to fill out this survey. Those accepted will get to use Windows 10 Enterprise and Office 365 as long as they remain active in the test program.

Microsoft officially opened registration for its Windows Insider Program for Business, aimed at IT professionals, in April 2017. The business version of the Insiderprogram isn't separate from the regular Windows Insider test program, launched in 2014, but it does allow testers to use their corporate credentials, via Azure Active Director, to get Insider preview builds.

When Microsoft launched Windows Insider for Business, officials said this branch of the Insider program would increase visibility of feedback on work-related Windows 10 features, as well as "help you deepen your connections with the IT Pro community, collect feedback within your organization, and resolve blocking or critical issues to better support your organization's needs sooner."

In other Windows 10 Insider news, Microsoft rolled out a Fast Ring Windows 10 Fall Creators Update test build right before the start of the Labor Day weekend (in case anyone missed it). That Fast Ring build for PCs, No. 16281, includes a number of fixes and updates, but no new features -- which is expected given Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will start rolling out next month to mainstream users beginning October 17.

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