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Windows Vista – When to migrate

By Helen Bradley
 

The release of Windows Vista means partners will be asked by for advice regarding migration. There are factors both for and against an SMB upgrading and the timing of the upgrade.

 

There is plenty to like about Vista. The integration of desktop search means search now spans not only local but also network folders and can save hours of wasted time finding lost files. Security is tighter than other Windows versions and Vista includes features such as outgoing and incoming firewall protection and easy clearing of the Internet Explorer browsing cache. SMBs concerned about the vulnerability of valuable business data stored on laptops will appreciate the new BitLocker hardware drive encryption for laptops available with the Enterprise and Ultimate editions although not with the Business edition which is targeted towards SMBs.

 

On the flip side, many of the new features in Vista can be purchased for Windows XP or 2000 via third party solutions. Vista needs a minimum level computer and many PCs used by SMBs don't meet the base level required to run the core features which is an 800 MHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, and DirectX 9 capable. To run premium features will require a minimum 1GHz processor, 1GB system memory, 128 MB graphics memory and 15GB free disk space.

 

Not all software is Vista compatible, in particular custom written applications and older applications often used by SMBs may not be. As a workaround, the Enterprise version includes Virtual PC licences for running legacy applications but, again, this isn't the version most likely to be adopted by SMEs. Most peripherals will require updated drivers to run under Vista and, if a manufacturer doesn't provide new drivers,  then expensive peripherals could be rendered unusable or may operable with reduced functionality.

 

While Microsoft continues to support Windows XP (SP 3 is due in 2008) there is little urgency for Windows XP users to upgrade to Vista, although those using older operating systems will reap greater benefits. According to Forrester Research, "IT professionals would rather standardize on a single, stable operating system that meets most of their end user requirements before introducing the new OS", and it predicts 5 million new US business PCs will be upgraded to Windows Vista in 2007 out of an installed base of 95 million PCs.

 

It is likely that many SMBs will opt to wait for Vista SP1 when issues reported by early adopters are fixed and, in the meantime will replace PCs needing to be upgraded with Vista capable machines. This isn't all bad news for channel partners, as Simon Yates, Research Director, Forrester Research explains "Regardless of the timing around PC upgrades, customers should begin evaluating and testing Windows Vista throughout 2006".

 

According to David Luft, senior vice president, CA Inc, "it's a time for educating yourself and customers about what will be necessary to upgrade, to assess the customer's current environment and determine what needs to be done to implement the upgrade." He adds, "there may be opportunities to leverage tools, such as those which analyse installed hardware and software, to plan the upgrade process and which may generate revenue and opportunities in the timeline between now and when the customer upgrades."

 

On the subject of migration tools, Ed Becker, President, BeckITSystems, Inc. a technology solutions provider recommends Microsoft's Application Compatibility Toolkit which "shows the business what needs to be done to be ready to convert to Vista and identifies potential problems with current computers and software."

 

(c) H Bradley, 2007-2009