Here's a Windows 7 feature that doesn't get much attention, but should help make IT managers' lives easier: the Troubleshooting Platform. Here's how Microsoft describes it:

For many information workers and IT professionals, solving computer problems feels like nothing more than trial and error. It can be frustrating for users to try to solve their problems, but it can be expensive for corporations to maintain a fully staffed support center. To compound the problem, many support calls involve routine, recurring issues.

Windows 7 takes steps to address both of these problems with the Windows Troubleshooting Platform, which allows users to solve many common problems on their own and improves Help desk efficiency by allowing IT administrators to extend the platform to solve routine issues that are specific to their environment.

Sounds pretty good, huh? If so, be sure to read Michael Pietroforte's Troubleshooting Platform overview, which explains how the Troubleshooting Platform works and what admins need to know about it.

Alas, not everything about the TP is golden. In his follow-up post, Pietroforte looks at the Troubleshooting Platform's limitations--including an important one related to security. It's not all bad, but you'll definitely want to know the full story before putting TP into play in your organization.

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