Deploying Windows OS Directly to Production: Then vs Now

TL;DR; Microsoft now deploys Windows updates directly to production using a gradual, ring-based rollout that starts with internal users and expands outward, guided by real-time feedback and telemetry. This approach catches issues early and enables safe, incremental releases even across complex environments. Development managers should consider adopting similar staged deployment strategies to improve release quality and responsiveness.

Published on 22 February 2025

Written by Martin Hinshelwood

1 minute read

https://nkdagility.com/resources/6FqFYeSHQBg

The idea of deploying an operating system like Windows directly to production would have been unthinkable a decade ago. But that’s exactly what Microsoft does now.

The old way, shipping a monolithic OS update every few years, was slow, brittle, and disconnected from real users. They needed faster feedback and a way to catch issues early.

Enter ring-based deployment.

Instead of shipping to everyone at once, Windows updates now roll out gradually:

✅ First to internal engineers.
✅ Then to Microsoft employees.
✅ Then to millions of Windows Insiders across multiple tiers.
✅ Finally, to general availability.

At every step, telemetry dictates whether a release moves forward or stops. Issues are identified before they hit the full user base.

Windows is a local install. It runs on 900 million machines across an infinite combination of hardware and software. And yet, they still found a way to deploy incrementally, learn from real users, and roll forward safely.

If they can do it, what’s stopping your team?

Also published on: LinkedIn

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