Organizations should plan to spend between 12 and 18 months learning about Windows 7, developing new environments and testing their applications. Such preparation will significantly lessen the time and effort required for migration and support.
Many organizations are skipping Vista and looking forward to Windows 7. This research provides the necessary steps to prepare for Windows 7 and ensure a successful migration with adequate operating system (OS) support.
Key Findings
- Preparation is essential for a successful migration. Most organizations will require 12 to 18 months to prepare for a Windows 7 migration.
- Organizations that have tested or prepared for Vista and have good management systems and processes could complete the preparation process in 12 months.
- Complex environments will face additional issues and require more time.
Recommendations
- Allocate sufficient time and resources to upfront activities to lower the costs during migration.
- Although your planned migration may be more than a year away, don't delay the initiation of the preparation process.
- Form a project committee that includes members from each major business unit, as well as operational groups in the IT organization, to oversee the development of a project timeline that features high-level milestones and estimates required resources.
- Establish a formal, comprehensive and workable testing methodology to ensure that issues are identified and categorized.
- Plan on piloting for a minimum of three months. The shorter the pilot, the more problems will occur during the deployment.
If you would like to receive this research note, please send a request to
lisa.pool@verizon.net.
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