An OS is a complex software foundation, and Windows 7 is no exception.  It’s responsible not only for delivering applications, but also for managing and securing an organization’s data and systems.  The configuration of the OS requires a variety of decisions relating to the inclusion of core applications, group policy objects, file and registry permissions and other settings.

In addition to the ‘base image’ configuration, additional consideration is required for the provision of hardware specific drivers and add-ons.  Windows Vista introduced a modular build system to address the long-standing objective of IT administrators to maintain a single OS image for multiple hardware types that can be modified at deployment time to include specific drivers.

A number of application compatibility issues also may be mitigated by including deprecated components or modifying default settings within the OS configuration.  When planning a Windows 7 migration, it’s helpful to gain an understanding of how many applications in the portfolio have, for example, interactive services, legacy help files or dependencies on legacy language runtimes.  This can allow compatibility remediation to be bundled into the OS build process rather than on a time-consuming, per-application basis.

Organizations follow diverse approaches to maintaining their operating systems.  Interim patches and service packs continue to modify the OS over time, and much of the operational focus for IT is on maintaining compatibility of applications against these ongoing changes.  In addition to OS management, application management can have an impact on the ability to adapt to operating system changes.  Where application packaging for Windows Installer is actively pursued along with automated distribution systems, organizations are more able to manipulate the applications and resolve application issues when they occur as a result of OS changes.  In addition, processes that classify applications in terms of type and importance, and systems that test the impact of change, all contribute to the ability to minimize the impact and risk of changes.

In general, older applications or those running on older operating systems have more potential issues against future releases of an OS.  The Microsoft OS environment has gone through significant change from Windows 2000 to Windows 7, and organizations moving from Windows 2000 to Windows 7 can anticipate a greater need for remediation than those moving from Windows XP SP2 or later.

Ultimately, the combination of strong application management processes and which OS version you are starting from affect the degree to which a Windows 7 upgrade may impact your organization’s readiness to migrate. 

Change happens.  There is constant pressure to upgrade.  Whether it’s buying new hardware that ships with the next Windows version, or a business application requiring an upgrade that’s dependent on a new OS, or frustrated users running the latest OS at home but not at the office, or a myriad other influences.  In addition to external pressure, IT operations are constantly driven to do more with fewer resources.  One might assume that economic pressures would pose a barrier to OS upgrades—and on the surface, they do.  But in reality, technology advances, in particular OS component improvements, can provide some budgetary relief.

The new generation operating systems from Microsoft (Windows Vista and Windows 7) have a number of performance and management features that make them significantly easier and cheaper to deploy and manage.  Large organizations can easily translate these features into cost and time savings.  For example, the sleep and hibernate capabilities introduced in Windows Vista can be configured to reduce desktop power consumption by up to $35 per desktop per year.  This kind of saving is real and tangible, and combined with the ability to have a single OS image for all hardware platforms, plus rapid deployment and build times, the case for improved IT efficiency and cost savings begins to mount.  Convincing business managers, however, can still pose a challenge.

OS evolution can produce some easily identified usability and security improvements: searching, faster Internet browsing, access to data and applications, boot-up times, reduced downtime and disruption via robust security and error handling, all add up incrementally.  Small time savings for hundreds or thousands of users performing familiar tasks a bit faster also can translate into real value for the business.  Operational productivity might be difficult to quantify, but it can add up to significant savings over time with many users.  Other features, like collaborative functionality, require a new way of thinking and working to access the benefits.  Those may not be suitable for all organizations.

Then, of course, there is support.  Microsoft provides “mainstream” support for its operating systems for five years and “extended” support for an additional five years.  The essential difference between these two levels is that extended support requires payment to handle incident coverage, and updates extend only to security updates in extended support [http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/ ]. In all cases the organization must maintain service pack updates for each OS.  Running an OS that no longer receives security updates or other types of support becomes a serious operational risk.  Windows XP passed out of mainstream support on April 14, 2009, but will continue to receive extended support until April 14, 2014.  Organizations still on Windows 2000 should feel the most pressure to upgrade, as its extended support will be retired on July 13, 2010.

Ideally an organization should have systems and processes that support rapid evaluation and adoption of new operating systems with minimal disruption.  This maximizes the efficiency benefits and minimizes the costs, allowing the organization to maintain the desired position on a flattened technology curve rather than suffer major periodic disruption.  The good news is that “big bang” migration is no longer a prerequisite for every OS migration.  There are many technologies and processes available to organizations to smooth the way forward.  Microsoft has actively invested in support systems to assist organizations in assessing their current state to maximize their efficiency [http://www.microsoft.com/io].

Based on a slew of positive reviews of its beta releases, Windows 7 is already attracting more attention – certainly more positive attention -- than Windows Vista ever did.  But will Win 7 be the OS that Microsoft had intended Vista to be?  Whether it’s Vista or Win 7 or whatever comes next, changing an organization’s OS always has a major impact on the bottom line.  Every person using a Windows computer is affected. Yet the challenge for IT is to refresh the OS with little or no business disruption.  And IT also has to justify the level of effort and cost to the business.  This can be a tough sell when things may appear to be fine as is.

The much vaunted “business value” proposition for operating systems has become a target of critics.  An OS is ultimately a platform on which to run applications.  It’s the applications that manage the business and they are the reason the significant license investments are made.  The right OS should run applications quickly and efficiently, providing a smooth experience for users.  On this basis alone, the business case for an OS upgrade becomes difficult.  A business just wants its applications to work, period.  Going through a disruptive, expensive change to a new OS for a marginal gain just doesn’t seem worth the hassle.

This time around, organizations thinking about a Win 7 upgrade have an advantage, some new technologies and solutions that support and automate what has traditionally been a protracted, risky and very expensive process. For most of us, the preparation, planning, rationalization and assessment for adopting a new OS remain the same.  But there are emerging technologies to help get the applications onto the new OS AND facilitate better ongoing management, agility and stability for the application portfolio.

So there are some key arguments in favor of the business case for a move to Win 7.  With the right tools, you can reduce the cost, risk and business disruption of migration, increase application stability and reduce the cost of ongoing IT management.  In upcoming posts, I’ll offer my thoughts on various aspects of the OS upgrade challenge, including some tips that might reduce your pain if you’ve decided to move to Win 7.  I hope you’ll share your thoughts here as well, or let me know if there’s a particular OS upgrade challenge you’re facing.

Paul Schnell