Windows 7
October 21
Making the Business Case for Windows 7
Date: October 21st, 2009
Author: Deb Shinder
With the release of Windows 7, many IT professionals find themselves in a common situation: You’ve tested the new operating system and discovered that it has many advantages over its predecessors, in terms of features, performance and stability. If your company is like most, you’ve stuck with Windows XP as your client operating system and it’s served you well for many years. Or maybe yours is one of the smaller number of businesses that took the plunge and upgraded to Windows Vista.
Either way, if you’d like to move your users to Windows 7 sooner rather than later, you’ll have to make the business case to management. How to best go about that depends on a number of factors, including which OS you’re currently using. First we’ll look at how to sell the idea of migrating from Windows XP, and then we’ll look at reasons to upgrade from Windows Vista.
Make the Case: Migrate from XP to Windows 7
Windows XP has been one of Microsoft’s biggest success story. As of September 2009, it had over 70% of the market share for desktop operating systems (http://www.techspot.com/news/36085-windows-xp-market-share-declines...). However, XP was released in 2001, and eight years is an eternity in the software industry. Service packs, like plastic surgery, can only do so much to hide the inevitable effects of aging. XP doesn’t have the usability features or the level of security that you get from a more modern OS, and the older it gets, the less compatible it will be with new software applications.
No more mainstream support for XP
As part of the product lifecycle, Microsoft ended mainstream support for Windows XP in early 2009. That means there will be no more service packs, design changes or new features. What you see now is what you get. When you point this out to managers, they may counter that XP extended support doesn’t end until 2014. That’s very true, but it only includes security updates and paid support. Hot fixes that aren’t related to security require that you purchase a separate Extended Hotfix Support Agreement and pay per-fix fees (http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/).
XP die-hards miss out on new security and usability features
Meanwhile, even if you upgrade your servers, you’ll be unable to use some of the new business-oriented Windows security and usability features such as DirectAccess and AppLocker, and you won’t be able to protect systems and data with BitLocker drive encryption.
Windows XP was born prior to Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing initiative, and although service packs have improved its security to some degree, it lacks many of the security improvements that were built into Windows Vista and Windows 7, such as User Account Control (UAC), protected mode for Internet Explorer, Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), mandatory integrity control for processes and service hardening. The TCP/IP stack in XP is less secure, and it doesn’t have the enhanced wireless security features that are included in later operating systems.
Windows 7 improves on the security enhancements in Vista and adds its own, such as BitLocker to Go, enhanced auditing, AppLocker, and DirectAccess. You have more control over how security features behave, so you can, for example, match UAC behavior to the needs of your particular environment. Windows 7 also has built-in support for biometric devices, so your company can more easily reap the benefits of biometric authentication.
Migration is easier than you think
One objection you’re likely to encounter is based on the lack of an in-place upgrade path from XP to Windows 7. The idea of having to “nuke and pave,” wiping out XP installations and starting from scratch with a clean installation of Windows 7, has many organizations wary of the process. However, it’s not nearly as scary as some tech publications have made it out to be. Microsoft provides the User State Migration Tool (USMT) that you can use to preserve desktop and application settings, user accounts and users’ data files, and migrate them to the new Windows 7 installation.
There are, in fact, an assortment of free tools from Microsoft to help you in a migration and deployment of Windows 7, including the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK), Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM), and more (http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/45940).
Application compatibility is no longer (as much of) an issue
One of the biggest reasons companies chose not to upgrade to Vista had to do with application compatibility. They had old apps that wouldn’t install or run on Vista, or that ran more slowly or unreliably on the new OS. Windows 7 addresses that problem with “XP Mode,” which is actually a free download of the new Windows Virtual PC virtual machine software for Windows 7, along with a preconfigured and already licensed Windows XP VM. See http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx.
Using brand new integration technology, this latest version of Virtual PC allows you to run your old XP applications on XP, but they appear in your Windows 7 Start menu and on your Windows 7 desktop, fully integrated with your Windows 7 applications. This is not your father’s virtual machine technology, and it pretty much blows away any worries over application compatibility that may have been obstacles to an OS upgrade in the past.
Make the Case: Upgrade from Vista to Windows 7
If your company is already running Windows Vista on the desktop, is there any reason to switch to Windows 7? Many companies and individual users have found the Windows 7 RTM to be faster and more stable than Vista, even after two service packs. Microsoft designed Windows 7 with compatibility in mind, and even without using XP Mode, a significant number of older programs that didn’t work on Vista will run on Windows 7. (See http://gcn.com/articles/2009/03/12/windows-7-rescues-apps.aspx.)
Not only will Windows 7 run apps that Vista won’t, it will also run on hardware that won’t support Vista. Many individual have been able to run Windows 7 on low powered machines that ran Vista unacceptably slowly or not at all.
Finally, you’ll still need Windows 7 if your company wants to take advantage of DirectAccess, AppLocker and BranchCache (a system for caching files stored on a central server to make them more accessible to branch offices).
What makes it all worth it?
In the end, the decision to upgrade rests on one question: How will Windows 7 improve productivity and positively impact your company’s bottom line? Changes to the user interface, from reworked versions of traditional Windows programs such as Calculator, Paint and WordPad to new GUI features such as Snap, Peek and Shake, as well as taskbar jumplists, many more keyboard shortcuts, and a new way to navigate the file system with libraries, can help end users get their work done faster, more enjoyably and with less reliance on third party applications.
Better performance means less time waiting for the system to respond, resulting in more output in a given amount of time. Better reliability means less downtime due to problems and crashes, both increasing productivity and reducing administrative and tech support overhead.
An increasing percentage of business computers are laptops. For mobile users, Windows 7 offers a number of benefits, including longer battery life than Vista on the same machine. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10323148-56.html?tag=mncol;txt
Summary
More and more companies are looking at Windows 7 with an eye toward migrating from XP or Vista. For example, after thorough testing that resulted in positive recommendations for Windows 7 from 97% of testers, Intel has announced that it will begin replacing its Windows XP computers with Windows 7 in the first quarter of 2010. The company expects to save $11 million over the next three years, thanks to the upgrade: http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/10/97-percent-of-intel-t...
2:19 PM GMT | Read comments(0)
October 19
Windows 7 Webinar - Thursday Oct 22
Oct 19, 2009 – Salt Lake City, UT - ExecuTrain of Utah, together with SoftChoice and Statera are pleased to announce a Windows 7 webinar event to take place Thursday, October 22, 2009. This 2-hour event introduces IT professionals to new features in Microsoft Windows 7 Beta: user productivity, improved security and control, streamlined PC management, and desktop optimization.
“Windows 7 is better, faster, and stronger than any OS before” said Tony James Hart, IT Administration Expert and Microsoft Trainer. ”With so many new features, Windows 7 is easier, and faster to administrate.” Although there are dozens of new and improved features, Windows 7 webinar attendees can look forward to discussing configuration of the UAC elevation prompt, BitLocker Data Encryption, AppLocker rules, Window Defender, DirectAccess, and many other exciting things.
To learn more about this Windows 7 webinar event, and to register, please visit :
https://www.clicktoattend.com/invitation.aspx?code=142204&wa=ws...
3:41 PM GMT | Read comments(0)
September 21
Windows 7 Sneek Peek in Utah
Join Us for a Sneak Peek at Windows 7!!!
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: Microsoft Corporation
123 Wright Brothers Dr.
Suite 100
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
Event Agenda:
8:30 - 9:00 : Event Check-In, Snacks & Beverages Available
9:00 - 10:00 : Licensing & Services Discussion
10:00 - 11:00 : First Look Clinic
11:00 - 11:30 : Q & A
11:30 - 1:00 : Optional Hands On Clinic
Windows 7 is the next release of Microsoft's Windows operating system. With many new and improved features, such as support for virtual hard disks, improved performance on multi-core processors, improved boot and shut down times, advances in touch, speech, and handwriting recognition, and kernel improvements - Windows 7 is Microsoft's most secure, robust, and reliable desktop operating system to date.
This three-hour instructor-led clinic introduces IT professionals to new features in Microsoft Windows 7 Beta: user productivity, improved security and control, streamlined PC management, and desktop optimization.
For more information and to register, please visit: http://www.utahexecutrain.com/SneakPeek.php
2:03 PM GMT | Read comments(0)
July 01
MOC 5047b - VHD drive issues
I had to cancel a class, that is a huge issue to cancel, yesterday. Due to the fact that when you unzip the DVD1 zip file, that has 3 files that will install the virtual drives needed for the course, using the built in zip capability in XP, Vista and Win7 the files would extract but would not install all the VHDs that you need. You think it works because it does install some drives. I had to use Winzip12 to have it work right. Ofcourse I did not figure that out until a week late. Why the hell do I have to use a third party utility to setup a Microsoft course? I have never had to in the past. I feel really stupid that I did not think of Winzip right off the bat. It just seemed to work. The msi files would install some of the VHDs just not all. What is up with that? I am mad at Microsoft and myself over this. I only had 3 hours sleep last night too. Such a waste.
I guess I will chalk it up to live and learn.
8:10 AM GMT | Read comments(0)
May 29
6436 MOC Active directory Server 2008
So rough, Labs confusing and few slides wrong. Spelling mistakes even. Sure can tell it's beta.
Will let MS know on what needs changed and will custimize the course. Will teach it again in just 2-3 weeks - let you know how the changes work.
Contact me if you would like the PPT changes.
Making the Business Case for Windows 7
Date: October 21st, 2009
Author: Deb Shinder
With the release of Windows 7, many IT professionals find themselves in a common situation: You’ve tested the new operating system and discovered that it has many advantages over its predecessors, in terms of features, performance and stability. If your company is like most, you’ve stuck with Windows XP as your client operating system and it’s served you well for many years. Or maybe yours is one of the smaller number of businesses that took the plunge and upgraded to Windows Vista.
Either way, if you’d like to move your users to Windows 7 sooner rather than later, you’ll have to make the business case to management. How to best go about that depends on a number of factors, including which OS you’re currently using. First we’ll look at how to sell the idea of migrating from Windows XP, and then we’ll look at reasons to upgrade from Windows Vista.
Make the Case: Migrate from XP to Windows 7
Windows XP has been one of Microsoft’s biggest success story. As of September 2009, it had over 70% of the market share for desktop operating systems (http://www.techspot.com/news/36085-windows-xp-market-share-declines...). However, XP was released in 2001, and eight years is an eternity in the software industry. Service packs, like plastic surgery, can only do so much to hide the inevitable effects of aging. XP doesn’t have the usability features or the level of security that you get from a more modern OS, and the older it gets, the less compatible it will be with new software applications.
No more mainstream support for XP
As part of the product lifecycle, Microsoft ended mainstream support for Windows XP in early 2009. That means there will be no more service packs, design changes or new features. What you see now is what you get. When you point this out to managers, they may counter that XP extended support doesn’t end until 2014. That’s very true, but it only includes security updates and paid support. Hot fixes that aren’t related to security require that you purchase a separate Extended Hotfix Support Agreement and pay per-fix fees (http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/).
XP die-hards miss out on new security and usability features
Meanwhile, even if you upgrade your servers, you’ll be unable to use some of the new business-oriented Windows security and usability features such as DirectAccess and AppLocker, and you won’t be able to protect systems and data with BitLocker drive encryption.
Windows XP was born prior to Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing initiative, and although service packs have improved its security to some degree, it lacks many of the security improvements that were built into Windows Vista and Windows 7, such as User Account Control (UAC), protected mode for Internet Explorer, Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), mandatory integrity control for processes and service hardening. The TCP/IP stack in XP is less secure, and it doesn’t have the enhanced wireless security features that are included in later operating systems.
Windows 7 improves on the security enhancements in Vista and adds its own, such as BitLocker to Go, enhanced auditing, AppLocker, and DirectAccess. You have more control over how security features behave, so you can, for example, match UAC behavior to the needs of your particular environment. Windows 7 also has built-in support for biometric devices, so your company can more easily reap the benefits of biometric authentication.
Migration is easier than you think
One objection you’re likely to encounter is based on the lack of an in-place upgrade path from XP to Windows 7. The idea of having to “nuke and pave,” wiping out XP installations and starting from scratch with a clean installation of Windows 7, has many organizations wary of the process. However, it’s not nearly as scary as some tech publications have made it out to be. Microsoft provides the User State Migration Tool (USMT) that you can use to preserve desktop and application settings, user accounts and users’ data files, and migrate them to the new Windows 7 installation.
There are, in fact, an assortment of free tools from Microsoft to help you in a migration and deployment of Windows 7, including the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK), Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM), and more (http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/45940).
Application compatibility is no longer (as much of) an issue
One of the biggest reasons companies chose not to upgrade to Vista had to do with application compatibility. They had old apps that wouldn’t install or run on Vista, or that ran more slowly or unreliably on the new OS. Windows 7 addresses that problem with “XP Mode,” which is actually a free download of the new Windows Virtual PC virtual machine software for Windows 7, along with a preconfigured and already licensed Windows XP VM. See http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx.
Using brand new integration technology, this latest version of Virtual PC allows you to run your old XP applications on XP, but they appear in your Windows 7 Start menu and on your Windows 7 desktop, fully integrated with your Windows 7 applications. This is not your father’s virtual machine technology, and it pretty much blows away any worries over application compatibility that may have been obstacles to an OS upgrade in the past.
Make the Case: Upgrade from Vista to Windows 7
If your company is already running Windows Vista on the desktop, is there any reason to switch to Windows 7? Many companies and individual users have found the Windows 7 RTM to be faster and more stable than Vista, even after two service packs. Microsoft designed Windows 7 with compatibility in mind, and even without using XP Mode, a significant number of older programs that didn’t work on Vista will run on Windows 7. (See http://gcn.com/articles/2009/03/12/windows-7-rescues-apps.aspx.)
Not only will Windows 7 run apps that Vista won’t, it will also run on hardware that won’t support Vista. Many individual have been able to run Windows 7 on low powered machines that ran Vista unacceptably slowly or not at all.
Finally, you’ll still need Windows 7 if your company wants to take advantage of DirectAccess, AppLocker and BranchCache (a system for caching files stored on a central server to make them more accessible to branch offices).
What makes it all worth it?
In the end, the decision to upgrade rests on one question: How will Windows 7 improve productivity and positively impact your company’s bottom line? Changes to the user interface, from reworked versions of traditional Windows programs such as Calculator, Paint and WordPad to new GUI features such as Snap, Peek and Shake, as well as taskbar jumplists, many more keyboard shortcuts, and a new way to navigate the file system with libraries, can help end users get their work done faster, more enjoyably and with less reliance on third party applications.
Better performance means less time waiting for the system to respond, resulting in more output in a given amount of time. Better reliability means less downtime due to problems and crashes, both increasing productivity and reducing administrative and tech support overhead.
An increasing percentage of business computers are laptops. For mobile users, Windows 7 offers a number of benefits, including longer battery life than Vista on the same machine. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10323148-56.html?tag=mncol;txt
Summary
More and more companies are looking at Windows 7 with an eye toward migrating from XP or Vista. For example, after thorough testing that resulted in positive recommendations for Windows 7 from 97% of testers, Intel has announced that it will begin replacing its Windows XP computers with Windows 7 in the first quarter of 2010. The company expects to save $11 million over the next three years, thanks to the upgrade: http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/10/97-percent-of-intel-t...
2:19 PM GMT | Read comments(0)
October 19
Windows 7 Webinar - Thursday Oct 22
Oct 19, 2009 – Salt Lake City, UT - ExecuTrain of Utah, together with SoftChoice and Statera are pleased to announce a Windows 7 webinar event to take place Thursday, October 22, 2009. This 2-hour event introduces IT professionals to new features in Microsoft Windows 7 Beta: user productivity, improved security and control, streamlined PC management, and desktop optimization.
“Windows 7 is better, faster, and stronger than any OS before” said Tony James Hart, IT Administration Expert and Microsoft Trainer. ”With so many new features, Windows 7 is easier, and faster to administrate.” Although there are dozens of new and improved features, Windows 7 webinar attendees can look forward to discussing configuration of the UAC elevation prompt, BitLocker Data Encryption, AppLocker rules, Window Defender, DirectAccess, and many other exciting things.
To learn more about this Windows 7 webinar event, and to register, please visit :
https://www.clicktoattend.com/invitation.aspx?code=142204&wa=ws...
3:41 PM GMT | Read comments(0)
September 21
Windows 7 Sneek Peek in Utah
Join Us for a Sneak Peek at Windows 7!!!
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: Microsoft Corporation
123 Wright Brothers Dr.
Suite 100
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
Event Agenda:
8:30 - 9:00 : Event Check-In, Snacks & Beverages Available
9:00 - 10:00 : Licensing & Services Discussion
10:00 - 11:00 : First Look Clinic
11:00 - 11:30 : Q & A
11:30 - 1:00 : Optional Hands On Clinic
Windows 7 is the next release of Microsoft's Windows operating system. With many new and improved features, such as support for virtual hard disks, improved performance on multi-core processors, improved boot and shut down times, advances in touch, speech, and handwriting recognition, and kernel improvements - Windows 7 is Microsoft's most secure, robust, and reliable desktop operating system to date.
This three-hour instructor-led clinic introduces IT professionals to new features in Microsoft Windows 7 Beta: user productivity, improved security and control, streamlined PC management, and desktop optimization.
For more information and to register, please visit: http://www.utahexecutrain.com/SneakPeek.php
2:03 PM GMT | Read comments(0)
July 01
MOC 5047b - VHD drive issues
I had to cancel a class, that is a huge issue to cancel, yesterday. Due to the fact that when you unzip the DVD1 zip file, that has 3 files that will install the virtual drives needed for the course, using the built in zip capability in XP, Vista and Win7 the files would extract but would not install all the VHDs that you need. You think it works because it does install some drives. I had to use Winzip12 to have it work right. Ofcourse I did not figure that out until a week late. Why the hell do I have to use a third party utility to setup a Microsoft course? I have never had to in the past. I feel really stupid that I did not think of Winzip right off the bat. It just seemed to work. The msi files would install some of the VHDs just not all. What is up with that? I am mad at Microsoft and myself over this. I only had 3 hours sleep last night too. Such a waste.
I guess I will chalk it up to live and learn.
8:10 AM GMT | Read comments(0)
May 29
6436 MOC Active directory Server 2008
So rough, Labs confusing and few slides wrong. Spelling mistakes even. Sure can tell it's beta.
Will let MS know on what needs changed and will custimize the course. Will teach it again in just 2-3 weeks - let you know how the changes work.
Contact me if you would like the PPT changes.
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