Staying with Windows XP Vs. Upgrading to Windows Vista:
Staying with Windows XP Vs. Upgrading to Windows Vista:
The question about whether or not you should upgrade your business computers to Windows Vista is a good question, and one that I am sure will have a multitude of different responses and opinions depending on who you ask. I have heard everything from stay with XP to you just have to upgrade to MAC’s Rule and let us not forget… Just convert to Linux and the world will be a better place.
For sake of this forum I would like to consider a few key point that need to be kept in mind any time you upgrade your business computers and for when you have a choice. I say choice because as we have all experienced at some point Microsoft stops selling the older software and begins to distribute the new versions to all the VAR’s and dealers. So when you call Dell looking for the “just so!” deal, you might have to go with the latest software. However at least one of the obstacles has been addressed, and that is “will the hardware support the newer OS (Operating System)?” and that answer is Yes, as the machines are being built just for that particular OS. But for the people who are not looking to purchase a new computer, and are thinking about upgrading to Vista, here are some things to consider and that I will discuss in this article:
- Will my current hardware be fast enough to run this operating system?
- Can I upgrade my hardware enough for the OS to run properly?
- What security issues am I adding to the environment?
- What is the overall TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) of this software?
- What other network, server, or infrastructure changes need to be considered?
- Does the new OS add something that you need, or that would be beneficial?
First of all, will my current hardware support the newer OS? Sometimes it will, let us suppose that you have a computer that is only a couple of years old. Chances are that with some small upgrades it should be able to handle the OS ok, but most likely it will only be “just ok!” and not fabulous as one would hope. If this is okay with you, then go ahead and upgrade, but consider first the rest of the items in this article.
Next, can I reasonably upgrade to use the new software? I consider this a little different than the question above in this regard. The one above says “small upgrade”; whereas in this one I am thinking about a larger upgrade. Suppose your main board will allow for a memory upgrade as well as a CPU upgrade. So now you have more power and more RAM, might cost you a bit more than just memory; however it can be a great way to save from spending $1000.00 + for a whole new system, let alone having to re-install all programs. So you install a newer CPU and more memory, then upgrade to Vista…cool... now things are working as they should and you saved over a whole new system. Good for you! This usually only works if your hardware is less than 2 yrs old and usually closer to 1 ½ years old or newer. I say this, because in my opinion you bought a reasonable system but did not pay for the BLEEDING technology of the latest CPU. One can save money by purchasing the CPU that is second in line. For example a Quad CPU running at 2.66 Ghz sells for $350.00 while a 2,4Ghz is going for $225.00. So in a year you have a computer that will allow for a faster CPU and by then the price of the 2.8 or 3.0 will cost between $200 - $250 (speculative numbers for example). You can then add a faster CPU and memory for a good price an almost have a new computer.
Another item to think about is what security issues I bring into my work environment by moving to a newer OS. We are all very familiar with how many updates there are to OS’s just after being released into the world as all the hacker’s are working the new OS over so to speak, well these items need to be thought about ahead of time. One might want to wait at least 6 months to allow for number of major items to be patched. At the same time, will the newer OS with the updated security that it has work on the network properly? This is hard to say. I have seen Vista computers cause issues because file sharing will not work properly or access to certain items such as email has been disrupted.
What is the overall TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) of the software? Meaning that if the newer OS does bring along with it a host of problems, what will that cost your business in time or money to fix? Will you have to hire a consultant to rework your network? Server shares? Programs? Specialized software?; etc..? This needs to be considered before you take the plunge.
So you have a nice network at the office, you have your routine, as does everyone else. You do your upgrade and then everything stops working on the network.. “oops, did I do that?” Well good question. Here are a few examples to consider in regards to your network structure taken directly from my experience with Microsoft Vista.
1. Client has begun the process of bringing in Vista to the office. Some computers are on Vista, while the majority is on XP. Lesson 1, logon script is no longer working. Had to re-write the entire logon script, there goes 20 hours.
2. Client introduces Office 2007 (seems harmless) but Outlook is not working properly with Exchange 2007 to show live free/busy. Found out that the upgrade to the OS on the server was not allowing the proper security, and Vista required that the server to be publishing security certificates. This cost the client upgrading the OS to the proper version (they wish they had a plan ahead of time) with an additional cost of $6000.00 for the server licenses needed to support the certificates needed by the newer Vista OS. Profitable for me! Time and materials.
3. Client goes to upgrade to Vista, but really does not have enough memory and cannot upgrade. Problem, system running slow, takes forever to boot, productivity is out the window. I have to now re-install the original OS and all the programs. Loss of a computer for a day, time and materials. So again, it cost them because they did not have a plan.
When is it okay to upgrade, and when might you want to do so? If the newer OS has enough value-adds that makes it worth it in the long run and the current computer can utilize the newer OS with minor to semi-major upgrades to the hardware. So if you can get away with a new CPU and some memory and the new OS will run like a champ, go for it. Just again wait till some patches have been released or you might learn about BLEEDING technology as it bleeds you dry of time, resources, and money fixing things that others found wrong in the first 6 months. I think a good example would be such: You have a laptop that is about a year or so old and you travel a lot and need to be able to use the connectivity features as well as the security features of Vista while on the road. So you talk to your network person who has looked at the items that can be affected and has insured you that you will be able to work without causing disruptions to the entire network. This is a good cause to upgrade and please do so because people like me need the work!
