zenon is a software platform that enables industrial automation and digital transformation. It supports various Windows versions. The standard General Availability Channel (GAC), the long-term servicing channel (LTSC) and the enterprise Internet of Things (IoT). zenon offers compatibility and flexibility for different use cases and scenarios in the industrial sector.

More information: The supported operating system for each zenon version can be found in the zenon online Help.

Difference between General Availability Channel and Long Term Servicing Channel

The General Availability Channel (GAC) and the Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC), formerly known as LTSB are two different ways of deploying and updating Windows 10. The GAC is the default option for most users and devices. It provides regular feature updates and security updates through Windows Update. The LTSC is designed for specialized devices that need an operating system with minimal changes. It only receives security updates and does not support new features or hardware. The LTSC has a longer support lifecycle than the GAC.

More information from Microsoft: Windows servicing channels

Windows 10 Enterprise IoT and Windows 10 IoT

Windows Enterprise IoT and Windows IoT are two editions of Windows 10 that are designed for the Internet of Things. They have some similarities and some differences in their features and capabilities.

Windows Enterprise IoT is a full version of Windows 10 with specialized features to create dedicated devices locked down to a specific set of applications and peripherals. It supports full Windows UI, domain join and advanced lockdown features. It can run on x86 and x64 CPU architectures.

Windows IoT is the smallest version of Windows 10 that uses the Windows 10 common core architecture. It can only run one Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app in the foreground at a time with supporting background apps and services. It supports UWP UI only, AAD only, and Cortana SDK. It can run on x86, x64, and ARM CPU architectures.

Hint: zenon is able to run on Windows Enterprise IoT only.

More information from Microsoft: An overview of Windows 10 IoT

LTSB/LTSC

Windows Enterprise 10 LTSC is specifically deployed for systems in business-critical areas. These can be areas such as manufacturing, infrastructure or data recording.

The Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) was formerly known as the Long-Term Servicing Branch (LTSB).

The following table summarizes equivalent feature update versions of Windows 10 LTSC and General Availability Channel (GA Channel) releases.

LTSC release	Equivalent GAC release	Availability date
Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2015	Windows 10, Version 1507	29.07.2015
Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2016	Windows 10, Version 1607	02.08.2016
Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019	Windows 10, Version 1809	13.11.2018
Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021	Windows 10, Version 21H2	16.11.2021

 

LTSC release	Equivalent GAC release	Availability date
Windows 10 Enterprise IoT LTSC 2019	Windows 10, Version 1809	13.11.2018
Windows 10 Enterprise IoT LTSC 2021	Windows 10, Version 21H2	16.11.2021

 

More information from Microsoft: What's new in Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC.

At this time there is no LTSC version of Windows 11 Enterprise available.
Microsoft has announced that the next Windows LTSC versions will be available in the second half of 2024: Windows 11 LTSC

·       Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC

·       Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC

 

Terms:

·       IOT, Internet of Things

·       GAC. General Availability Channel

·       LTSB, Long-Term Servicing Branch

·       LTSC, Long-Term Servicing Channel

·       UWP, Universal Windows Platform