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.

Comprehensive planning and preparation make a huge difference in the execution of a successful OS migration.  Some organizations fail to achieve migration at all. They flounder as the complexity involved and time taken to move the users and applications is overwhelmed by the ongoing environment upkeep.  Lack of internal expertise and resources can mean that processes designed to manage the transition are incomplete or cannot be followed.  Projects are subject to delays and in some cases, application readiness is never achieved, preventing even a partial rollout.

Mapping out all of the vital processes, understanding the resources and expertise required and adhering to a well-formed program make for a highly successful transition.  Organizations that establish ongoing systems are able to retain an agile environment which can more readily adapt to future changes – and with less cost and disruption.

Windows Vista makes greater demands on hardware than Windows XP.  Windows 7, while better performing by all accounts, carries the same hardware specifications as Windows Vista [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/get/system-requirements.aspx].  A number of tools are available to analyze your current desktop environment and classify the capability of existing workstations to support the new OS.  Accurate knowledge make for more accurate hardware budgeting and also may be used to identify areas within the business where early or deferred rollouts are advantageous.  Phasing the upgrade with hardware swaps enables more efficient rollout of the new OS to regional or functional groups within the organization.

With Windows Vista, the ability to maintain a single OS image for diverse hardware platforms became a reality.  The provisioning of the OS as a Windows Image (WIM) file means it can be tailored and modified prior to deployment.  Drivers required for different hardware platforms can be managed separately and injected late in the deployment process on a per-machine basis.

Taking an entire organization through a migration all at once is a risky proposition at best.  The more common approach is to identify logical (e.g. finance, sales) or physical (geographic office locations) collections of users and organize the roll-out along those lines.  The readiness of these groups can be determined in terms of applications used and their compatibility, along with current hardware and its suitability to run the new OS.  Breaking up the organization’s migration in this manner is an effective way to trial and mitigate issues in smaller groups and ultimately, complete the overall process with less operational disruption.

Solutions for moving a user’s files and settings from one machine OS to another have been around for some time.  This is recognized as a vital part of the user upgrade process, and Microsoft built it into Windows Vista.  There are also various ways to manage user state more centrally, rather than on a per-device basis.  But for most organizations, the ability to retain user data and settings stored on their local workstation will be the key objective, and both Windows Vista and Windows 7 provide tools for this.  Allowances should be made for temporary storage of this user data during migration, and systems put in place to handle any user data not necessarily stored in expected locations.

It’s important to factor in an educational process to allow users to get a feel for the new OS before it lands on their desktops.  Disruption and frustrated users result in a poor perception of the process and rollout of the new OS.  The immediate impact of the changed user interface on users accustomed to the old system is often overlooked.  This is where a little end-user training can go a long way toward resulting in a successful OS migration.