Vista:  To Migrate or Not?

After much ado, Microsoft's newest operating system release in almost five years, Vista became available to business users in November 2006. Vista offers no shortage of visually stunning effects and new features, but these benefits come at a price — namely the need for more powerful and faster PCs. If you are among the many that are considering adopting this new operating system for your small or mid-sized business, there are some important factors you need to consider before you make your decision.

Vista's key benefits
Microsoft developers have built Vista to succeed where previous versions have fallen short. Here are just some of the improvements and features that are part of Vista:

Easier search functionality: Windows Desktop Search enables easier searching, and thumbnail previews of documents allow you to view the contents without opening.

Mobile made easier: If you or your employees routinely make wireless or remote connections, or use handheld devices such as PDAs, then Vista's easy setup and synching functions will save time and enable quick access.

Better compatibility: Historically, Microsoft operating systems haven't worked very well in conjunction with third party applications. Vista was built with compatibility in mind — giving users more control over what they can access.

Problem resolution: Vista prides itself on being a very smart and intuitive user friendly system. The OS can solve many common problems on its own, lessening the potential for costly downtime and time spent dealing with the help desk.

AERO capability: With the right display adapter, some editions of Vista will offer a new interface called Aero that lets you preview what is inside a running program by placing your cursor over its thumbnail in the task bar.

Easier deployment: Microsoft has made improvements in Vista that attempt to make it easier to manage and deploy.

Hardware requirements
Vista's flashy features and updated capabilities can only run on hardware that has enough power and memory to support them. For that reason, there are varying system requirements based on the user's desired Vista experience. The "Windows Vista Capable PC" requirements are the minimum requirements a PC needs in order to enjoy Vista's core functionality and experience as defined by Microsoft. A Windows Vista Capable PC requires:

800MHz processor (minimum)
512 MB of system memory
A graphics processor that is DirectX 9 capable

In order to enjoy what Microsoft describes as "an even better Windows Vista experience, including the Windows Aero user experience," a PC will need to be "Windows Vista Premium Ready." These minimum system requirements include:

1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
1 GB of system memory
Support for DirectX 9 graphics with a WDDM driver, 128 MB of graphics memory (minimum), Pixel Shader 2.0 and 32 bits per pixel
40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space
DVD-ROM Drive
Audio output capability
Internet access capability

Upgrades or buy new?
If you are considering a move to Vista, inventory each PC and note the peripherals and software installed on each one. What is needed to make each PC Vista ready will vary. If your business' current PCs don't meet Vista requirements — especially when it comes to the need for increased memory and processing power, then you can either upgrade the existing computer(s) then install the new Vista operating system on them, or purchase all new Vista-ready machines. However, purchasing new hardware is an expense that many businesses haven't considered — and upgrading existing machines isn't inexpensive either. So you'll need to compare the cost of buying new systems versus purchasing Vista and upgrading your current PCs. In many cases, the time, hassle and potential for frustration when upgrading an old computer with a new operating system may not be worth it.

Many are taking a wait and see approach with Vista. While Microsoft has worked to make Vista a more secure operating system, inevitably there are going to be vulnerabilities — as with all new software releases. Over time, Microsoft will work to identify the bugs and create fixes for them, and Vista will evolve into a more solid and trustworthy operating system.

Before you upgrade
If you decide that Vista is the operating system for your business and you are ready to upgrade, it's critical to back up all files first. Symantec's Ghost Solution Suite is Vista-ready and can help make the migration as easy, worry-free, and cost-effective as possible.

Conclusion
All of the great features of Vista that Microsoft touts require more computing power and speed than many PCs have today. An OS migration should only be made after carefully reviewing the pros and cons. If you and your employees use an older Windows operating system such as XP or 2000 and experience little trouble with it, then you may decide not to convert to Vista. Vista's going to be around for a while, so even if you don't rush to migrate to it now, it will likely be installed on your next PC.

from Symantec