5 Items to consider with Microsoft Windows 7 and Small Businesses.
If you are a small business, there are a number of items about Windows 7 that you might want to consider before just making the leap to the new OS. Here is a list of the ones that I think might influence your decision the most.
· Computer Upgrade Needs
· Features of your Old OS compared to Windows 7
· Deployment options
· Long Term Productivity
· Network / Server Configuration
The resources needed to run Windows 7 are a 1 GHz Processor (CPU), I Gig Ram and a DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver. However, I recommend at least four Gigs of Ram and a Dual or Quad processor to utilize the speed of the newer OS. For Windows XP Mode you will also need an additional one GIG of Ram, 15 GB hard Drive space, and a processor with Intel VT or AMD-V turned on. If you are running a 32-Bit, OS then that maximum memory that you can install is 4GB’s. When running 64-bit you are limited to the Main board, but must have at least 2 GB. To find out if your processor support VT or V technology you will have to look that up on Intel’s or AMD’s web site. Therefore, your first hurdle is if your hardware will support the newer OS.
There is a great # of new features within Windows 7 to make it very attractive platform to move towards. Here are some newer features that I think are a worth while option to upgrade to Windows 7>
· Home Group Networking – a new utility that makes it easy to share printers, files and resources across any computer running Windows 7. Sharing files and resources have become easier.
· Bit Locker, this utility helps to ensure that your data is secure. Whether it is on an USB drive or your hard drive, you can now rest easy knowing that someone cannot gain access to your files.
· Improved Desktop Navigation, this makes getting around easier by letting you look into folders without having to open the entire folder. Plus you can add tools to your desktop that you use everyday.
· Aero Shake - you can quickly minimize all open windows on the desktop except the one you want to focus on. Just click the title bar of the window you want to keep open and drag (or shake) the window back and forth quickly, and the other open windows are minimized.
Deployment of Widows 7 is an area that you will want to examine, and this might determine how quickly that you decide to switch to the new OS. For example if you are running Windows XP there is no easy way to upgrade. You will be required to complete a new (Clean) install of the operating system. If this is something that you do not want to do, as perhaps you do not have all the original application install CD’s; then you might want to wait till you are purchasing a new computer. Likewise, depending on what version of Windows Vista that you currently have and what version that you want to go to, you will have to consider the options before going forward. A good example is this… you have Windows Vista Home and want to go to Windows 7 Professional. This will require an new install of Windows 7. One way around this would be to purchase the Vista Business with the automatic upgrade to Windows 7 Professional. So you would then upgrade twice. Once from Home to Business then from Vista Business to Windows 7 Professional. Another way to go would be to purchase Windows 7 Ultimate, which has it all, as it can upgrade any version of Windows Vista. The down side would be the additional cost associated with the Ultimate version.
Another facet is Long Term Productivity, meaning simply, how long will it take you to upgrade and are the features being gained going to compensate for the time. Not overlooking that not all your older software is going to work 100% with Windows 7. If you are running a very old program (meaning it was meant to run on Windows 98 or Windows 2000) then I would assume that this program might not work as desired under Windows 7. Yes, you can use the Windows XP mode, but that is going to be extra time to use specific apps in that way. So think about what you are going to gain, and not gain. Think also about speed of the newer OS and future applications. If your computer is just barely above the minimum system requirements, then the speed at which things will run will have a direct impact on your productivity. Now if this is a home computer and you are not so concerned that might be ok. However, if this is a business computer and the speed at which things are working has a direct impact on productivity, then this will end up being a huge item to consider.
Finally, I would be also looking at what the impact that this will have on your network and your network server. For small business, that have a dedicated Small Business Server or a Domain controller you will need to look at the large picture of security between Windows 7 and the server. One of the first considerations is what server OS you are running. For example if you are running Windows 2008 Small Business Server, then you are most likely not going to have a huge issue? If you are running Windows 2003 Server or Small Business Server, there might be some issues to consider in regards to logon scripts, certificates needed for live calendaring, and other requirements needed to ensure that DNS is working properly. There are too many types of issues that can arise to add them all to this article.
These are 5 items that most small businesses need to consider. Obviously this is not a complete list, but the most common items that will cause you heartache and pain in implementing a new operating system within your office.
