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May/June 2008
Should you consider Windows Vista?
Many have asked for advice on
upgrading to Vista. We know
that looking at a new operating system can be perplexing and
implementation expensive. In order to address some of
your concerns, we have summarized the most common topics.
If you want more details or have other questions
please call us at 770 662-0312 or email
HelpDesk@lansystems.com.
 Whenever
you are deciding on an upgrade, you have many
considerations.
You evaluate the hardware needs, licensing, compatibility,
user training and total cost of ownership for the upgrade.
But also consider your long-range IT strategy to be sure
that any investment aligns with your business goals.
Hardware considerations
- You should have at minimum a 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM
and a good video card with a minimum of 128MB of RAM.
Use the
Windows
Vista Upgrade Advisor
for an assessment. Vista
has many cool features like Aero Glass that use considerable
resources. Early adopters love the cool stuff but business
users often find the features distracting.
Vista
editions
- Use the
Vista Comparison Chart
to determine the best match for your needs. Business and
Ultimate are suggested for SMB installations. Large, global
organizations with complex IT infrastructures should
consider
Windows Vista Enterprise
edition.
Compatibility
- Most if not all of your Microsoft Windows programs will be
compatible with Vista. You
will want to test all production and mission-critical
software to ensure they execute without problem.
User training
- The amount of training depends upon the user's experience
and system needs. Have a training course prepared
to deliver in groups or self-paced well in advance of
the upgrade. If you use internal IT staff for support be
sure that they have adequate time to prepare for the
transition.
Interoperability
- Vista Business and Vista Ultimate on your desktops will
work with your server applications, so you can upgrade
individual users without impacting the server.
More ...
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