Microsoft reveals Windows 8 Enterprise mobility features

New features include bootable external USB stick to access corporate environment

Microsoft has revealed that its upcoming Windows 8 Enterprise edition, which is aimed at businesses, will boast additional features to help remote workers, and mobile employees.

In a blog post, Microsoft said along with the Windows 8 Pro features, Windows 8 Enterprise will include a set of extra tools that are designed to serve the "mobile productivity, security, manageability and virtualisation needs of today's businesses".

The additional features include Windows to Go, which Microsoft said is a bootable external USB stick that allows IT organisations' staff to access the corporate environment in a secure way.

Another feature, DirectAccess, is said to allow remote users to access resources inside a corporate network without having to launch a separate VPN.

According to the blog, it also helps IT administrators to keep remote users' PCs in compliance.

The tech giant said that the BranchCache feature will enable network efficiency by allowing users' PCs to cache files, website and other content from central servers, so content is not repeatedly downloaded across the wide area network (WAN).

Windows 8 Enterprise will also include VDI enchancements to allow users to play 3D graphics, use USB peripherals and use touch-enabled devices across either LAN or WAN networks for VDI scenarios.