a·gen·tic a·gil·i·ty

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
1 minute read
Image
https://nkdagility.com/resources/6FqFYeSHQBg
Subscribe

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:

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
Smart Classifications

Each classification [Concepts, Categories, & Tags] was assigned using AI-powered semantic analysis and scored across relevance, depth, and alignment. Final decisions? Still human. Always traceable. Hover to see how it applies.

Subscribe

Connect with Martin Hinshelwood

If you've made it this far, it's worth connecting with our principal consultant and coach, Martin Hinshelwood, for a 30-minute 'ask me anything' call.

Our Happy Clients​

We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.​

Slaughter and May Logo

Slaughter and May

Jack Links Logo

Jack Links

NIT A/S

Hubtel Ghana Logo

Hubtel Ghana

Philips Logo

Philips

Epic Games Logo

Epic Games

Boeing Logo

Boeing

Freadom Logo

Freadom

Graham & Brown Logo

Graham & Brown

Bistech Logo

Bistech

Ericson Logo

Ericson

Flowmaster (a Mentor Graphics Company) Logo

Flowmaster (a Mentor Graphics Company)

Alignment Healthcare Logo

Alignment Healthcare

SuperControl Logo

SuperControl

Genus Breeding Ltd Logo

Genus Breeding Ltd

CR2

Emerson Process Management Logo

Emerson Process Management

ALS Life Sciences Logo

ALS Life Sciences

New Hampshire Supreme Court Logo

New Hampshire Supreme Court

Washington Department of Enterprise Services Logo

Washington Department of Enterprise Services

Royal Air Force Logo

Royal Air Force

Department of Work and Pensions (UK) Logo

Department of Work and Pensions (UK)

Ghana Police Service Logo

Ghana Police Service

Washington Department of Transport Logo

Washington Department of Transport

Deliotte Logo

Deliotte

Emerson Process Management Logo

Emerson Process Management

Milliman Logo

Milliman

Boxit Document Solutions Logo

Boxit Document Solutions

Akaditi Logo

Akaditi

Big Data for Humans Logo

Big Data for Humans