HOW TO PULL THE WINDOWS MIGRATION TRIGGER: FIVE QUESTIONS EVERY CIO MUST ASK

An Olenick & Associates White Paper March 2013

Contents
Executive Summary .................................................................................................................... 1 Isnt the Desktop dead? .............................................................................................................. 2 Should I Target Windows 7 or Windows 8? ................................................................................. 3 How can I scope the problem? .................................................................................................... 5 Application Criticality.............................................................................................................. 5 Number of Target Computers ................................................................................................. 5 Configuration Diversity ........................................................................................................... 7 How can I Manage Migration Risk? ............................................................................................. 8 Application Risk Mitigation .....................................................................................................8 Configuration Risk Mitigation .................................................................................................9 User Community Risk Mitigation ............................................................................................9 How Can I Manage for Success? ................................................................................................ 10 Critical Success Factors ......................................................................................................... 10 Metrics and Key Performance Indicators............................................................................... 11 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 12 About Olenick & Associates ...................................................................................................... 12 Notes ........................................................................................................................................ 13

Copyright 2013 Olenick & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. 205 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 2000 Chicago, IL 60606 312 332 0096 http://olenick.com @OlenickIT

Additional copies of this white paper can be downloaded from http://olenick.com/How-to-Pull-the-Windows-Migration-Trigger-Five-Questions-Every-CIOMust-Ask.pdf Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.

How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Despite Microsofts well-publicized end of support for the Windows XP desktop operating system and the attractiveness of replacements Windows 7 and 8, thousands of IT managers are just now starting to embrace all this as inevitable. If youre one of them, youre not alone. As of January 2013, about 43% of all Windows personal computers are running XP; 6% are still running Vista or earlier Windows versions.1 For an organization with many thousands of XP PCs, migration to a new Windows OS will be a significant undertaking. This white paper discusses some key questions that CIOs and enterprise technology managers must consider as they decide how to meet this challenge and create a migration strategy. Isnt the desktop dead? Does the cloud and mobile revolution obviate the need for desktop computers? Why migrate if there are better alternatives? Should I target Windows 7 or Windows 8? Although the technical differences are well understood, what are the operational and economic consequences of this choice? How can I scope the problem? What are the key drivers of time, cost, and results? What do I need to know to lay out an effective roadmap? How can I manage migration risk? What can go wrong? How can I mitigate these risks? How can I manage for success? What management actions and tools will assure the success of my migration project?

Of course, any final answer to these questions depends on your situation a simple cookbook approach would certainly be wrong. Instead, we present lessons Olenick & Associates have learned from migration projects for our enterprise IT clients as a framework for planning.*

You may also be interested in our companion white paper Windows Migration Tips, Tricks, and Gotchas.

How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask

ISNT THE DESKTOP DEAD?

Lets consider some reasons why you might want to skip migration to a new Windows desktop OS altogether. Cloud-hosted SAAS offerings like Windows 365 are viable and proven alternatives. Cloud-based applications dont really need a personal computer any device that runs a browser will do, including tablets and smartphones. For some applications, virtualized hosted desktops and thin clients can replace physical desktops for significant cost reductions. Many workers now prefer to use their own tablet or smartphone. In some cases, this means you can eliminate the annual per PC spend of around $4,000 for licenses, support, and power.2 Mobile devices are cheaper and in many ways, faster and better. Native apps can be developed to perform the same functions desktop apps provide.

If you can run some or all of your business from a tablet or smartphone, these points are worth consideration. However, for many organizations, dumping the desktop just isnt feasible.

For many organizations, dumping the desktop just isnt feasible.

Many apps/users rely on a keyboard, mouse, and a large screen. Tapping on a handheld is not ergonomic for writing in quantity, graphic composition, side-by-side reading, and user multi-tasking. Handhelds or browsers cant provide the bandwidth, storage, or number crunching needed for resource-intensive apps. Mobile wireless networks that mobile devices favor are more expensive, slower, and less reliable than the typical wired network for desktops. Laptop PCs are still the platform of choice for many road warriors. High-performance and ruggedized laptops provide nearly all of the advantages of desktop hardware as well as the unwired benefits of handhelds and tablets. The cloud/mobile stack has new and different security hazards. Your current and potential workforce has skills in Windows apps on a Windows OS. You've built your business processes around apps that use a Windows OS. Disruption would entail unnecessary costs and risks. The cost of migrating legacy apps to a cloud/mobile stack can be prohibitive.

How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask

SHOULD I TARGET WINDOWS 7 OR WINDOWS 8?

There are many analyses of the relative advantages of Windows 7 and Windows 8 the nearby sidebar lists a few. We like both platforms. Migration scope, cost, and risk are about the same, so operational effects for your organization should drive the decision. Microsoft has made great improvements in desktop reliability. Having been in the field for several years, Windows 7 is now highly stable. Although Windows 8 users may encounter some new bugs, we expect Windows 8 to be as, if not more, reliable than Windows 7. Windows 8 provides built-in cloud and mobile integration. We expect significant enhancements in this direction for Windows 8, both from Microsoft and third parties. As Windows 8 becomes the platform of choice, Windows 7 will trail this leading edge. If you start with Windows 8 now, it may be another ten years before youll have to go through another migration. Although we cant say exactly when the future tipping point for migrating from Windows 7 will occur, it will probably be several years sooner. Enterprise Upgrades: Five Reasons to Focus on Windows 7 not Windows 8. This article weighs the pros and cons of Windows 7 and 8, and finds that Windows 7 is a better choice for the Enterprise.

DOD Awards First Joint Licensing Agreement. After an extensive internal study, the US Department of Defense committed to upgrading 700,000 of its Windows computers to Windows 8, as they see it will be substantially less expensive and more secure than Windows 7.

Although the Windows 8 Metro user interface will initially take getting used to, we see Windows 8 as a better technology that best positions you for the future. However: We dont recommend going to Windows 7 as a short-term path to Windows 8. If your goal is Windows 8, then go directly dont waste time and money with Windows 7. If you are currently using Windows 7, stay there unless there are features in Windows 8 (like advanced security) you must have.

Windows 8: Not for Old-at-Heart PCs. The Wall Street Journals Walter Mossberg finds that Windows 8 may require new hardware too.

The choice depends on your planning horizon. Exhibit 1 Windows 7 versus Windows 8 compares some key operational effects. In the longer term, Windows 8 is clearly a better choice. If your horizon is the next few years, Windows 7 is arguably better.

Microsoft Q&A: With Windows 8, the Choice Is Yours. An interview with Microsoft VP Antoine Leblond about why Windows 8 is right for the enterprise.

How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask

In the longer term, Windows 8 is clearly a better choice. If your horizon is the next few years, Windows 7 is arguably better.

Operational Factor
User learning curve Legacy app compatibility Typical hardware Projected End-of-Life Security Cloud integration Mobile integration Third Party App compatibility Stability Development Support Microsoft client apps: Office, SharePoint, etc. Microsoft Server apps: Exchange, SQL Server, etc.
Exhibit 1 Windows 7 versus Windows 8

Windows 7
Low Low 64 bit, 4G RAM 2016 Good Good Low Best now Best now Visual Studio, Dot Net Best now Best now

Windows 8
Moderate Lower 64 bit, 4G RAM 2020 Better Better Good Best later Best later Visual Studio, Dot Net Best later Best later

How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask

HOW CAN I SCOPE THE PROBLEM?

Although there are hundreds of specific factors to consider, weve found that a few dominate the scope of a Windows migration project: application criticality, number of target computers, and configuration diversity.

Application Criticality
Some desktop applications or the userfacing components of a multi-tier system perform tasks that are the heartbeat of your organization Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a prime example. They may have been provided by a third party or internally developed. Others are engrained in daily workflow: document editing, email, and collaboration tools. Others may have been picked up along the way, are personal favorites, or simply obsolete.

The first step of migration is to inventory and then bucket apps accordingly to their operational criticality.

The first step of migration is to inventory and then bucket apps accordingly to their operational criticality. Exhibit 2 Application Criticality provides a scheme to classify your applications. Critical. You depend on these apps every day any disruption to them would have an immediate adverse effect on operations, costs, or revenues. Essential. The usage profile is roughly the same as critical, but effects of an outage are not as immediate or severe. Special Purpose. Usage is limited to certain roles or times. User Specific. Usage is limited to certain persons; disruption impact is narrow. Deprecated. These apps should not be migrated they may be obsolete, unsecure, or unsupported.

Youll almost certainly want to migrate all of your critical and essential applications and set priorities for special-purpose and user-specific apps.

Number of Target Computers

While this may seem obvious, dont forget to count separately computers that can or will be removed from service during the migration. It is usually easiest to have your vendor configure new computers with the desired OS. However, you'll still have to transfer data and applications from the retired computer. Although some older computers might meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 7, the typical current configuration for either OS is a PC with at least 4GB RAM and a 64-bit processor.

How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask

You may want to review your equipment budget and expensing policy to determine what economic effect speeding up or deferring retirement of target computers would have. Ideally, you can set your rollout schedule accordingly. However, if youre just starting this process, Microsofts termination of regular XP support in April 2014 may limit your options.

Level

App Profile
Integral component of essential workflow Enterprise resource planning client (ERP) Email, Document Management Payment processing Catalog definition Order processing

Outage Impact
Essential operations halted Company-wide productivity is compromised Material adverse cost or sales effect Public, wide-spread damage to organizations reputation Essential operations degraded Customer dissatisfaction Compliance violation Significant employee productivity degradation Damage to organizations reputation Some operations degraded Indirect customer dissatisfaction Moderate employee productivity loss

1 Critical

2 Essential

3 Special Purpose 4 User Specific 5 Deprecated

Specialized or infrequent usage Year-end reporting Audit compliance

User selected/installed Analytics Graphics Unauthorized/unsupported Legacy apps to be replaced Security risk

User operations degraded Impact typically limited to primary user

Continued use poses a hazard, creates waste or excess cost

Exhibit 2 Application Criticality

How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask

Configuration Diversity
The physical configuration of your PC fleet is just as important as its application profile. A partially automated census of all computers in your fleet is the best way to determine this. Automated or not, youll need this to create an effective migration plan. Exhibit 3 Configuration Scope Drivers lists factors that determine project scope and may call for special attention.

Instead of continuing to use a general purpose PC for a single app, it may make sense to host this app in a cloud and replace the PC with a thin client.

You may also find it useful to evaluate other improvement opportunities. Are any items based on obsolete assumptions? Is this structure adequate for future changes? For many reasons, you may have PCs that are dedicated to running only a single app. For example, hundreds of PCs in a warehouse are only used to check stock status. Instead of continuing to use a general purpose PC for a single app, it may make sense to host the app in a cloud and replace the PC with a thin client.

Configuration Item
Roles How many role-specific configurations are there? Management, technical specialist, clerical, field sales, etc.? How many Active Directory profiles are there? How many physical sites are there? Where are they located? How many localization profiles are needed? What versions of Windows OS are there: DOS, NT, Windows 9x, 2000, XP, XP SP1, Vista, etc. How many of each? What kind of computers are there? Desktop, laptop, or workstation? CPU type? Memory? HD size? What kinds of display devices are used? Resolution? What types of printers What kind of multi-function devices (e.g., fax/print/scan combo)?

Offices/ Locales

Images

Platforms

Video Device Types Printer and Multi-Function Device Types

Exhibit 3 Configuration Scope Drivers

How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask

HOW CAN I MANAGE MIGRATION RISK?

We see two primary business risks. Underestimating either the difficulty or impact of a migration project. Delaying migration. After April 8, 2014 there will be a substantial increase in Microsoft support costs.4 The sooner you start, the lower these costs will be.

Like any large IT project, many things can go wrong in a Windows migration. Problems related to applications, configuration, and users are common in our clients migration projects. You can avoid delays and unexpected costs with focused quality assurance, proactive management, and effective monitoring during the migration project.

An IT manager told Computerworld that Microsoft had quoted his company $1 million for the first year of custom support to cover 5,000 Windows XP machines, $2 million for the second year, and $5 million for the third. 3

Application Risk Mitigation

Application risk includes all of the problems that can occur when you transfer an existing application to a new platform. Compatibility testing is the first step for mitigation, followed with testing each installation package on the target platform(s). A typical PC has scores of applications that must be re-installed on top of the new OS. Application packaging is the bundling of installation files into an industry standard format such as MSI or App-V. This minimizes compatibility problems and per-PC conversion cost. Although package design, implementation, testing, and development life cycle coordination can be challenging, all are essential for risk mitigation.

Risk
App not compatible with new OS In-house applications dont work Application packages corrupted Application security incorrect Applications install but dont launch

Mitigation
Evaluate and test application compatibility Perform compatibility and packaging testing prior to deployment Validate virtualized stack for non-compatible apps Packaging team verifies packages before deployment Rollout distribution covers all critical applications Packaging and testing team verifies security before deployment Rollout distribution covers all critical security verifications Packaging team tests that the application will launch and is usable with an active non-admin user ID.

Exhibit 4 Application Risks and Mitigation

How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask

Configuration Risk Mitigation

Configuration risk refers to potential incompatibility of your existing IT infrastructure with your new OS and its configuration. Mitigation requires stabilizing applications on reference PCs followed with systematic testing of peripherals and configurations, prior to rollout.

Risk
File systems dont work

Mitigation
Image testing verifies that file systems are accessible and operational post installation Rollout covers all file system instances Test images to verify that printer systems are accessible and operational post installation Test all printer system instances Provide 24x7 network support, special staffing per installation location as necessary Test with images to determine network load during image installation (can be quite large, up to 15GB) as well as the network impact at each location Set up transfer stations and conduct conversions on isolated network Rollout team maintains access to an inventory of spares with the normal desktop refresh / troubleshooting team Image testing verifies domain access configuration

Printers dont work

WAN/LAN latency or outage

PC failure during transfer Domain access privileges missing

Exhibit 5 Configuration Risks and Mitigation

User Community Risk Mitigation

User risk includes problems that can occur when users are not adequately prepared for the new OS and other changes. Even if they are, timely support to resolve issues and help desk capacity to answer questions will facilitate broad acceptance of the new systems.

Risk
Users are not able to work on new Windows / Office version

Mitigation
Provide user training and job aids for new features of Windows and Office Establish a robust help desk with added staff to meet spike in Windows and Office questions Pre-rollout usability testing to understand problem areas and structure resulting job aids appropriately Site coordinators and supervisors ensure that user PCs are present for the scheduled upgrade time Allow time contingency for scheduling user PCs Rollout team has remote access to perform upgrades.

User PC unavailable at scheduled time

Exhibit 6 User Community Risks and Mitigation

How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask

HOW CAN I MANAGE FOR SUCCESS?

Critical Success Factors
Reflecting on our migration projects, we see common management actions that lead to success. In our experience, these actions are necessary for a successful migration.

Critical Success Factor

Integration with other processes/initiatives

Best Practice
Identify impacts and dependencies on other projects or initiatives Incorporate key elements from other work streams (e.g. Active Directory, Exchange) in the migration plan Establish change management function Communicate benefits of the upgraded desktop Train migration team to communicate value to users Project Manager with migration experience

Change management and communication

Project management

Set PMO expectations at outset of engagement Adequate and experienced team

Project schedule and staffing

Adjust staffing based on metrics and KPIs Develop multiple deployment solutions to accommodate business and technical constraints Conduct testing at technology commit point Implement detailed tracking of schedule, deployments, issues, lesson learned Report deployment status using a centralized dashboard Establish a Windows compatibility validation process and application readiness checklist Integrate application readiness reporting with Windows upgrade reporting Baseline desktop performance for troubleshooting and support Provide end user training on new OS and App versions

Agile deployment

Tracking and reporting

Application readiness

Manage performance expectations

Training and support

Establish help desk to handle user questions Increase help desk staffing temporarily

Exhibit 7 Critical Success Factors

How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask

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Metrics and Key Performance Indicators

Defining and tracking basic migration metrics is an effective way to mitigate risks and keep the project on track to successful completion. When you check migration progress at regular intervals, reliable estimates of time to completion and fact-based reallocation of resources are possible.

While progress metrics help to stay on track, Key Performance Indicators evaluate efficiency and results.

Number of application packages complete Number of PC upgrades completed to date (total, per site) Number of PC upgrades remaining (total, per site) Number of PCs ready for upgrade (total, per site) Number of PC upgrades scheduled this week (total, per site)

While progress metrics help to stay on track, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) evaluate efficiency and results. PC conversion rate (actual vs. planned) Total duration and direct hours to upgrade a PC Ratio of high versus low touch upgrades5

For example, Exhibit 8 Managing Risks with Metrics shows weekly progress of packaging of applications for installation on a new OS.

120 100 80 60 40 20 0

Application Packaging Progress

Total Apps Apps to be packaged App Packages Tested

Exhibit 8 Managing Risks with Metrics

Non-packageble Apps App Packages Done Apps Released for Installation

How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask

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CONCLUSION
The clock is ticking towards much higher XP support costs. A very good business case can be made for migrating to Windows 7 or Windows 8 the sooner the better. Either platform offers improved productivity and efficiency. You may be able to migrate some apps into a cloud and cut or avoid substantial costs. More energy-efficient PCs can reduce power costs and help your organization to be greener. A Windows migration project will probably touch every IT user in your organization, so it has high visibility and impact. This will entail many kinds of risks, with special considerations for applications, configuration, and your user community. Achieving a successful migration requires getting many things right, including coordination, compatibility testing, packaging, benchmarking, and support. Defining and monitoring progress metrics and key performance indicators are critical. While there are a host of technical issues, they can be resolved. Focused testing and quality assurance at each step in the process mitigates these risks. The other key lesson weve learned is that Windows migration is not just a technical challenge it requires a focused management approach to get priorities, timing, and resources right.

ABOUT OLENICK & ASSOCIATES

We published this white paper to help CIOs and IT executives understand the rationale, scope, and risks of a Windows desktop migration project. In our experience, many managers underestimate this challenge. To find out more about how our Assured Windows Migration solution can support your migration, please contact Bill Mertes at 1 (312) 804-5793 or via email at wmertes@olenick.com. To learn more about our Assured Windows Migration solution, please visit us at http://olenick.com/2w7w8.

How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask

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NOTES
1

Desktop OS by Version, February 2013. Net Market Share. http://www.netmarketshare.com/

Gartner Says Effective Management Can Cut Total Cost of Ownership for Desktop PCs by 42 Per cent. Gartner Group. http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/636308. This 2008 Gartner report states that average annual total cost per PC runs from $3,413 to $5,867. The full report is available at http://web.citrix.com/go/m2l/hi/pdf/GartnerReport.pdf
3

Microsoft gooses Windows XP's custom support prices as deadline nears. ComputerWorld, 2/21/2013. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9237019/Microsoft_gooses_Windows_XP_s_custom_support_ prices_as_deadline_nears
4

Windows XP SP3 and Office 2003 Support Ends April 8, 2014. Microsoft. http://www.microsoft.com/enus/windows/endofsupport.aspx.
5

A low-touch upgrade is possible when an existing PC can be converted to the target configuration remotely and automatically. A high-touch upgrade requires hands-on work to achieve the same result. For details, see http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/pilot-and-deploy-windows-7.aspx.

How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask

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