Windows 7 Migration

Will you remember what matters when it comes time to migrate to Windows 7?

Match the cards to the right with their mates in as few guesses as possible!

Migration Tip:

Data Sources:

Migration Tip:

Minimize Cost

Minimize cost by planning your transition in advance. Of the companies surveyed, the most successful spent an average of 20 IT man-hours in preparation. Spend adequate time planning and you'll spend less time and money fixing headaches later.
Data Sources:

Top tier results:

Users offline 2 hours
60% of users extremely satisfied
Differences
20 IT man-hours in preparation

Extremely important:

Advanced planning (56% )
Upgrading hardware (45%)
Pilot test (45%)
Training (44%)
Capture user profiles (42%)
Proper inventory (35%)

Bottom tier results:

Users offline 6 hours
25% of users extremely satisfied
Differences
9 IT man-hours in preparation

Extremely important:

Advanced planning (30% )
Upgrading hardware (31%)
Pilot test (34%)
Training (26%)
Capture user profiles (27%)
Proper inventory (24%)

Migration Tip:

Ensure Success

Ensure success by planning, upgrading hardware, training and running pilot tests.
Data Sources:

84% of respondents said advance planning was somewhat/extremely helpful to the success of the migration process. 81% said the same of sufficient hardware upgrades prior to migration. 80% marked training and performing a pilot test as somewhat/extremely helpful. 78% recognized proper inventory as helpful and 71% cited consistent packaging as an important factor in the overall success of the migration process.

Migration Tip:

Calm Post-Migration

Use the migration process as an opportunity to standardize, employ additional security measures, or to add solutions such as application virtualization. A more uniform infrastructure across the boards, especially one with added security solutions, will undoubtedly create a more calm post-migration environment.
Data Sources:

Our survey showed that 57% of respondents used this opportunity to standardize their organization's systems. 53% added additional security measures. 51% employed a virtual desktop interface and 47% implemented software virtualization. 40% said they improved the backup/disaster recovery system and 29% implemented digital asset management.

Migration Tip:

Incompatibility

Prepare to replace, reinstall, upgrade, or substitute software that will be incompatible with Windows 7 after the migration. You'll find that many people will be much happier after the migration if you have adequately planned for the replacement or substitution of incompatible software.
Data Sources:

We asked about the effectiveness of certain methods for handling applications that aren't compatible with Windows 7. Respondents said that replacing the application was the most effective way (71% indicating it as somewhat/extremely effective). 69% said that using application virtualization was also effective. 68% said maintaining some systems on the old OS was worthwhile. 65% said they were able to repair the applications to work on Windows 7.

Migration Tip:

Manpower Needed

Put your manpower behind planning, hardware upgrades and pilot testing. Those who have focused on these three things have reported the greatest success.
Data Sources:

The companies reporting the best success had users offline for an average of just 2 hours, and reported 60% of their users being extremely satisfied with the migration. The companies at the botom tier of our results reported that their users experienced an average of 6 hours offline with only 25% of their users saying they were extremely satisfied with the migration process. What was the difference? The top tier spent an average of 20 man-hours in preparation while the bottom tier spent just 9.

Migration Tip:

What Took Time?

Make sure that you have planned adequate time for the transition to take place. Incompatibility has been a time consuming issue that needs to be planned for properly to avoid delays.
Data Sources:

Planning (17%)
Actual execution of upgrade (12%)
Reinstalling applications (10%)
Inventorying existing machines (10%)
Running pilot tests (9%)

Migration Tip:

Avoid Delays

Avoid delays by upgrading the hardware on the systems that will be migrated to Windows 7. Companies that were the most successful in their migrations recommended upgrading hardware beforehand to the following specifications in order to avoid delays.
Data Sources:
  • CPU
    • Minimum: 2 to 2.5 GHz
  • Optimal: 2.5 to 3 GHz
  • RAM
    • Minimum: 2 GB
  • Optimal: 4 GB
  • Storage
    • Minimum: 200 to 500 GB
  • Optimal: 500 GB to 1 TB
  • Video RAM
    • Minimum: 512 MB
  • Optimal: 1 GB or more

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