Some IT depts will let you connect if you have up to date AV/firewalls etc, several companies I've worked at have allowed this in the past.
If you did get them to agree to adding a Win7 build to the domain then you could always use XP Mode to run any legacy IE apps that didn't work in 8/9.
Well, they are apparently vetting Win7, so i will just tough it out.
I have made a tenuous peace with the performance of this system.