Microsoft Windows 7 Migration

Transcription

1 Micrsft Windws 7 Migratin Hw utilizing SaaS slutins frm Dell can ease the prcess Dell IT Management Sftware as a Service 1 Applicatins Business Prcess Cnsulting Infrastructure Supprt

2 Windws 7 is here t stay It has nw been ver six mnths since Windws 7 shipped, and Dell expects that businesses will adpt Windws 7 in large numbers in the upcming mnth perid. There are several reasns fr the expected faster and greater adptin f Windws 7 in cmparisn t Micrsft s last majr OS release, the Windws Vista : Windws 7 prvides many benefits User prductivity fast and easy access t crprate netwrks and data and imprved glbal search Enhances security features ability t encrypt prtable USB drives and built in anti-phishing and anti-malware prtectin within IE8 (ships with Windws 7) Streamlined PC management can run n lwer resurces than Windws Vista and enables IT t restrict applicatins installed n a PC Micrsft will stp prviding supprt fr Windws XP 1 Many rganizatins bypassed Windws Vista and remained using Windws XP Mainstream supprt fr Windws XP ended in April 2009 Extended supprt fr Windws XP will end in April 2014 Windws 7 cincides with timing f PC hardware upgrade cycles Many rganizatins that have delayed their PC upgrades due t the recessin are ready t upgrade nw Migratin f an entire rganizatin t Windws 7 can be a cmplex, time cnsuming and cstly endeavr. Hwever, with adequate preparatin, rganizatins can ensure that the migratin f their PCs t Windws 7 is cmpleted n time, n budget and with minimal end user disruptins. Planning fr Windws 7 Hardware limitatins, cmpatibility and integratin f existing applicatins and licensing issues have all been assciated with upgrading t Windws 7. Migratin is further cmplicated fr IT rganizatins that are managing a distributed client PC envirnment and are prviding 24/7 access t facilitate an increasingly mbile wrkfrce. With this in mind, migratin t Windws 7 can take mnths making it crucial t start planning fr yur migratin nw. Majr areas f cnsideratin in planning fr a Windws 7 migratin include the fllwing: Hardware cmpatibility Make sure yu can evaluate what needs t be upgraded and replaced, and what shuld stay as is. 2 Applicatins Business Prcess Cnsulting Infrastructure Supprt

3 Sftware cmpatibility Fllw a well-dcumented, repeatable and results-driven testing prcess t address what culd be the biggest challenge yu face. Hardware and sftware refresh cycles Make sure yu d nt verspend n hardware and sftware licenses as yu migrate t Windws 7. Infrastructure Security Make sure yur systems and data are prtected during and after the migratin. Planning and deplyment timeline Establish a deplyment timeline that takes int accunt the scpe f applicatin testing requirements and the time needed fr remediatin effrts. Sftware Cmpatibility Infrastructure Security Hardware & Sftware Refresh Cycles Hardware Cmpatability IT Migratin & Deplyment Figure 1 Majr areas f cnsideratin fr Windws 7 migratin The list f tasks fr planning and successfully cmpleting a migratin t Windws 7 appear daunting at first glance. Hwever, a migratin t Widws 7 als presents an IT department with a big pprtunity t streamline their PC envirnment becming mre efficient and cst effective in the prcess. Figure ut what needs t be migrated and what needs t be retired Migrating t Windws 7 is a lt mre cmplex than simply installing a new perating system n existing PCs. Windws 7 is a rbust OS that has significant hardware and sftware requirements. Befre an rganizatin begins the prcess, it must get a handle n all cmpatibility issues: Inventry all assets that will be impacted, bth hardware and sftware 3 Applicatins Business Prcess Cnsulting Infrastructure Supprt

4 Identify cmpatibility issues: Hardware insufficient prcessr speed, memry, hard drive, etc. Sftware all applicatins n a PC will have t be migrated t Windws 7 Applicatins that have t be upgraded pst-migratin Applicatins that have t be remved pre-migratin and reinstalled pst-migratin (Windws XP) Applicatins that will nt wrk with Windws 7 Include issue reslutin as part f the planning prcess Hardware which systems, if any, will be upgraded fr Windws 7? Sftware plan fr applicatin testing, remval and reinstallatin f applicatins Even thugh the identificatin f impacted assets and reslutin f cmpatibility issues appears t be an nerus undertaking, a smart rganizatin can take advantage f this prcess t assess where their IT budget is ging and where they can save mney. Hardware inventry and cmpatibility Windws 7 has significant minimum hardware requirements that may make it difficult t install n lder PCs. Accrding t Micrsft, the minimum hardware requirements are as fllws: Micrsft Recmmended W7 HW Requirements 2 32-bit systems 64-bit systems Prcessr 1 GHz 1 GHz RAM 1 GB 2 GB HDD 16 GB 20 GB GPU DirectX 9 + WDDM 1.0 DirectX 9 + WDDM 1.0 The hardware recmmendatins shwn abve are the current Micrsft minimum requirements fr basic cmputing tasks such as web brwsing and wrd prcessing. Gaming, vide editing and ther hardware intensive usages may require additinal system memry, upgraded graphics adapter r ther system upgrades. In additin, many prduct features f the Windws 7 perating system (i.e., Aer interface) require additinal r mre advanced hardware. Accrdingly, a detailed PC hardware inventry is necessary t determine which PCs can and shuld be updated t Windws 7, which PCs need t be upgraded additinal RAM, graphic prcessr, etc. befre migratin and which PCs shuld remain in their current OS and retired in the near feature. The inventry shuld include basic PC cnfiguratin, age and 4 Applicatins Business Prcess Cnsulting Infrastructure Supprt

5 mdel as well as mre detailed infrmatin such as memry, disk space, installed cmpnents and BIOS levels. Having a detailed PC inventry can help rganizatins streamline their PC envirnment as well as save them save mney. Avid purchasing unnecessary Windws 7 licenses rganizatins shuld nt bther installing Windws 7 n mst PCs with less than 2 years left in their lifecycle because it may nt be cst effective t upgrade these PCs t make them Windws 7 cmpliant Help enfrce crprate standards a detailed hardware inventry can identify PCs that deviate frm crprate standards and, nce these PCs are brught int crprate standards, help streamline client PC management Sftware inventry and cmpatibility Befre migrating t Windws 7, an rganizatin shuld inventry all sftware installed n its client PCs and determine which sftware can be migrated t Windws 7 and which cannt. A sftware inventry shuld be detailed and include all applicatins, nt just the nes frmally supprted by IT. If there are any cmpatibility issues with respect t critical sftware, wrkarunds shuld be deplyed and tested prir t migratin. A detailed sftware inventry, in additin t being essential prir t a Windws 7 migratin, can als prvide an rganizatin with a number f additinal benefits: Reduce verspending n unnecessary sftware licenses Discver utdated applicatins that are nt cmpliant with Windws 7 that d nt need t be renewed Discver applicatins that are nt being utilized in line with their sftware license agreements assuming sftware inventry als reveals usage infrmatin and reduce amunts paid fr license Ensure cmpliance with existing licensing agreements Discver unauthrized applicatins scial netwrking, games, etc. that culd impact user prductivity and device security Use Windws 7 migratin as an pprtunity t strengthen and streamline PC security Windws 7 migratin is an ideal time fr an rganizatin t lk at its device and data prtectins prcesses and make sure that its PCs are prtected pre- and pst-migratin. Even the best planning cannt always guarantee perfect results. Accrdingly, any Windws 7 migratin shuld have prcesses in place t make sure that the data residing n a PC is prtected and available if smething ges awry during migratin. In additin, nce the migratin is cmplete, t ensure that the time and csts assciated with the migratin are nt wasted, an rganizatin shuld make sure that its Windws 7 PCs and their data remain prtected. 5 Applicatins Business Prcess Cnsulting Infrastructure Supprt

6 The fllwing steps can help an rganizatin effectively prtect its client PCs and their data pre- and pst migratin: Keep client PCs secure Autmatically prtect systems thrugh centrally managed and updated anti-malware prtectin Keep OS and applicatins up t date Autmatically deply latest security patches t Windws OS, Windws Office and ther applicatins t keep systems prtected Backup and restre data Autmatically backup and be able t easily restre data in case f lss due t migratin issues r ther causes user errr, hardware/sftware failure r system theft r lss, etc. Prtect data Autmatically prtect data residing n systems withut relying n end-users data encryptin and system lck. Centralize management and minimize impact: Emply centrally managed autmated slutins with minimal end-user input and minimal impact n PC and netwrk perfrmance. Implementing these steps can als prvide an rganizatin with the pprtunity t cnslidate its security vendrs and streamline its IT security prcesses. Using a single vendr with an integrated security slutin set culd result in lwer license prices and lwer internal IT time spent in managing client PC security. Hw SaaS slutins frm Dell can help with Windws 7 migratin Advantages f the Sftware as a Service mdel Planning, testing and autmated tls are essential t successfully cmplete a Windws 7 migratin in an efficient and cst effective manner. Hsted slutins delivered ver the Internet under the Sftware as a Service (SaaS) mdel are ideally suited t help rganizatins with this prcess. SaaS slutins can be rapidly deplyed, ensuring that the Windws 7 migratin is nt unnecessarily delayed SaaS slutins are designed t require minimal, if any, management by an rganizatin s IT, helping t ensure that IT is nt burdened with learning t manage a new enterprise applicatin during the middle f Windws 7 migratin SaaS slutins have a predictable cst structure mnthly subscriptin with n hardware r sftware t purchase making it easy fr an rganizatin t accurately budget fr its Windws 7 migratin SaaS slutins generally wrk ver the Internet and d nt require a PC t be cnnected t the crprate netwrk, making it easy t inventry and prtect distributed PCs 6 Applicatins Business Prcess Cnsulting Infrastructure Supprt

7 Dell IT Management SaaS slutins fr Windws 7 migratin Dell has a prtfli f IT Management SaaS slutins that can help rganizatins with Windws 7 migratin and ensure that client PCs are prperly and efficiently managed and prtected pre- and pst-migratin. Dell s SaaS slutins ffer: Autmated, centralized hardware and sftware inventry and administratin One enterprise system fr sftware inventry, licensing, and usage Detailed, rbust actinable reprting capabilities, including cmpliance reprting Prtectin frm malware, hardware/sftware failure and lss/theft f system Lw, predictable cst with minimal management Advantages f Dell s SaaS apprach t IT management include rapid deplyment, rapid scalability, lw ttal cst f wnership, predictable cst structure and simple management designed t reduce manual wrk and staffing needs. Dell s SaaS slutins enable IT staff t fcus n strategic prjects rather than n managing the infrastructure. Dell Distributed Device Management Dell Distributed Device Management services autmate prcesses that help enable effective, real-time management f client PCs virtually regardless f lcatin. Dell Distributed Device Management helps reduce the risks and csts f managing PCs by allwing IT managers t centrally track assets, distribute sftware, manage patches and anti-malware and anti-virus definitin and enfrce plices via the Internet. Dell Distributed Device Management includes: Dell Asset Management Discver, track, and manage distributed desktp and ntebk cmputers t help reduce Ttal Cst f Ownership, while helping t imprve security and risk management, and t help meet regulatry cmpliance bjectives. Dell Sftware Distributin Helps maintain crprate standards by autmating the distributin f applicatins and upgrades t cntrl cnfiguratins thrughut the rganizatin. Dell Patch Management Helps ensure security and identify vulnerabilities requiring patches by autmating the patch management prcess fr Micrsft Windws, Micrsft Office, and fr ver 500 applicatins frm ther vendrs such as Adbe and VMWare. Dell Anti-Malware and Virus Management Helps prtect yur PCs thrugh central deplyment f Symantec and McAfee anti-virus sftware and updates fr distributed cmputers whether r nt they re n the crprate netwrk. 7 Applicatins Business Prcess Cnsulting Infrastructure Supprt

8 Dell Sftware Inventry and Usage Management Dell Sftware Inventry & Usage Management is a hsted hardware and sftware asset management slutin that autmates asset discvery and reprting, mnitrs sftware usage and helps simplify sftware license cmpliance by recnciling with purchase histry. The service is designed t help rganizatins manage IT csts, reduce cmpliance risks, and make infrmed purchase decisins. Dell Laptp Data Encryptin Dell Laptp Data Encryptin intelligently encrypts data helping t ensure a lst r stlen PC cannt be cmprmised r misused. The service prvides centralized encryptin management f lcal and remte PCs with Windws t help ensure that a cmpany remains in cntrl f critical data even when a PC is ff-line. Dell Online Backup & Restre The Dell Online Backup & Restre is a fully autmated nline backup slutin fr desktp and laptp PCs. The service helps eliminate the uncertainty f traditinal data backup methds thrugh an autmated prcess that sends data frm the PCs t an ffsite tp-tier datacenter via a secure Internet cnnectin withut requiring the PC t access the crprate netwrk r VPN. Cntact Dell Tday Fr additinal infrmatin n Dell IT Management SaaS slutins, such as pricing r a free dem, please visit the Dell web site fr yur cuntry r cntact yur Dell sales representative. Availability varies by cuntry. T learn mre, custmers and Dell Channel Partners shuld cntact yur sales representative fr mre infrmatin Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Micrsft, and Micrsft Windws are registered trademarks f Micrsft Crpratin in the United States and ther cuntries. Trademarks and trade names may be used in this dcument t refer t either the entities claiming the marks and names r their prducts. Specificatins are crrect at date f publicatin but are subject t availability r change withut ntice at any time. Dell and its affiliates cannt be respnsible fr errrs r missins in typgraphy r phtgraphy. Dell s Terms and Cnditins f Sales and Service apply and are available n request. Dell service fferings d nt affect cnsumer s statutry rights Applicatins Business Prcess Cnsulting Infrastructure Supprt