Windows Migration Tips Tricks and Gotchas

Windows Migration Tips, Tricks, and Gotchas
An Olenick & Associates White Paper March 2013
Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 Plan and Prioritize....................................................................................................................... 2 Check Hardware and Software Compatibility ............................................................................. 3 Pre-Test Application Compatibility ............................................................................................. 4 Benchmark Existing Performance ............................................................................................... 5 Fine Tune your Approach ............................................................................................................6 Prepare and Test Installation Packages ...................................................................................... 7 Dont Throw Users into the Deep End ......................................................................................... 8 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................9 About Olenick & Associates ........................................................................................................9
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/Windows-Migration-Tips-Tricks-and-Gotchas.pdf Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.
INTRODUCTION
Microsoft is offering carrots and sticks for Windows XP or Vista users to migrate to either Windows 7 or Windows 8. If youre in that situation, you have plenty of company. As of January 2013, about 43% of all Windows personal computers are running XP; 6% are still running Vista or earlier Windows versions.1 While the basic steps to upgrade a single PC are straightforward2, there are pitfalls. Deciding what to data to keep, making copies, uninstalling apps, installing a new OS, reinstalling apps, and copying over user data files can take even a moderately technical user several days. For an organization that relies on hundreds or thousands of PCs, this presents a significant operational challenge. Olenick & Associates has helped our clients migrate over 40,000 PCs to Windows 7 or Windows 8. In this white paper, we share some tips from our experience about how to plan, prepare, and conduct a Windows migration for a large number of PCs. * Plan and Prioritize Check Hardware and Software Compatibility Pre-Test Application Compatibility Benchmark Existing Performance Fine Tune your Approach Prepare and Test Installation Packages Dont Throw Users into the Deep End
Weve also found that following this sequence helps to minimize migration detours, backtracking, and dead-ends.
You may also be interested in our companion white paper, How to Pull the Windows Migration Trigger: Five Questions Every CIO Must Ask.
PLAN AND PRIORITIZE

A successful migration begins with creating a detailed roadmap for your organization and then translating that into an action plan. Identify every PC that needs an upgrade. Create a complete list of who uses which applications. This will drive compatibility testing, packaging, and deployment. This also defines the scope of the project. About 20% of the applications will consume about 80% of the time and effort. Identify and prioritize the applications that are most likely to have problems and start working on them as soon as possible. Third party utilities are most likely to have compatibility and support issues. Reducing the reliance on third parties will reduce the time needed to find fixes and make deployment more stable.
Spend plenty of time analyzing your application and hardware census
Define migration priorities and focus
Look at native platform capabilities versus the need for third party utility products
Vendor compatibility support may take some time and could affect the migration schedule.
Contact vendors early about compatibility
Some vendors may be unwilling or unable to certify the compatibility of their applications for the new platform. Give the vendors enough time so that any upgrades or fixes can take place as soon as possible. Some app vendors will not or cannot provide information about the compatibility of their products on Windows 7 or Windows 8. In this case, you may have to conduct extensive functional testing to assess compatibility. If you find compatibility problems, the vendor may be unwilling to resolve these problems.
Do not assume all vendors will support Windows 7 or 8
CHECK HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE COMPATIBILITY

Each PC, application, and peripheral variant may have compatibility problems in your new environment. Alternatively, some may require special handling during the migration. Try to discover these problems with early testing and take corrective steps long before you attempt the first conversion of a users PC. Hardware support can often lag application support, especially for older or special purpose peripherals.
Review and test application and peripheral compatibility as soon as possible
Legacy peripherals (printers, displays, print/fax combo, etc.) may not be compatible with upgraded or replacement applications. Early identification of these problems reduces the risk of delays and wasted effort. Some fixes may require significant lead-time and effort to identify and then provision replacement peripherals. Just because a device works with the current OS on the current PC does not mean it will work on the same PC with the new OS, or with a new PC and OS. New hardware probably will not have legacy hardware interfaces like nine-pin serial or parallel ports. Device drivers for older peripherals may not be available for Windows 7 or 8.
Dont assume existing peripherals are compatible
Dont forget to check multi-function devices Do not set project timelines until you complete your compatibility assessment
Legacy multi-function devices (print/scan/fax combo, etc.) that work on XP are likely to be incompatible with Windows 7 or 8. The time needed to fix compatibility issues can have a big impact on schedule. You'll have better odds of meeting schedule commitments if you set your timeline after completing your initial compatibility assessment.
PRE-TEST APPLICATION COMPATIBILITY

Once youve worked out configuration-related issues, its time to set up some PCs with the new configuration and then use them to test if the migrated apps will actually run. Although many applications that run on XP will also run on Windows 7, many will not. Some that can run on Windows 7 will not run on Windows 8. Network connectivity or application configuration issues often cause problems.
At best, only half of applications that run on Windows XP will run on Windows 7
Look out for IE 6 zombies
Internet Explorer 6 will not run on Windows 7 or 8. Although most users have long ago upgraded or switched browsers, legacy intranet web servers and web content may be hard-coded for IE 6. These web sites will have to be reworked. Tools like Microsofts Application Compatibility Tool (ACT) and Flexeras AdminStudio automate initial compatibility testing. This saves a lot of time and quickly identifies applications that are most likely to have problems. Most DOS programs were written for 16-bit hardware and the FAT file system. These applications often are incompatible with 32 and 64 bit PCs. Most of these applications will have to rewritten or replaced. Dont forget this also applies to apps running on Windows 95 or Windows 98, which are based on MS/DOS, not NT. It is very likely that applications used together but provided by different vendors will have support and compatibility issues. It is possible that one of the applications is compatible but others are not. Getting these applications to work together may take more time than you might think.
Use application compatibility tools
DOS applications will not work under Windows 7 or 8
Pay particular attention to applications that must interoperate with one another
BENCHMARK EXISTING PERFORMANCE

Users expectations for how long their PC takes to do just about anything play a big role in how the result of a migration is perceived. Weve found it is very useful to establish a credible baseline of an existing environments performance. This helps to identify problems with converted PCs, evaluate complaints about the new environment, and substantiate improvements. Users have expectations for application performance. If an application appears to run slower on upgraded PCs, they will assume there are problems and could potentially reject the upgrade. Benchmarking can also identify and trouble-shoot performance issues before deployment. Automated benchmark test scripts can be used repeatedly during the applications life cycle.
Benchmark results have a significant value in assessing impact of future deployments
Return on investment in developing automated tests is quickly realized when scripts are designed for future testing efforts
Application service packs, operating system upgrades, hardware changes, and network changes can affect performance. Developing re-runnable performance test suites will save time when you need to re-run performance tests after making changes for any reason. Older PCs may not have enough memory or a fast enough CPU for adequate performance with the new stack. Microsofts PERFMON metrics can indicate PC hardware limitations and provide evidence that hardware upgrades are (or are not) needed.
Use Windows PERFMON metrics to identify performance problems
FINE TUNE YOUR APPROACH

Details matter. Even something as simple as a bad choice for file and folder names can necessitate an installation do-over, leading to headaches and wasted effort. The base image is installed on every PC.
Include as many applications as practical in the base image
This should include as many applications, tools, and components as possible to cut down on the amount of time that will be needed to deploy and setup individual PCs. Will you default to using the older file types (.doc, .xls, .ppt, etc.) or newer types (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx, etc.)?
Chose a default document file type early
The defaults for files and documents will be set as part of the base image. Therefore, the applications and tools needed to support the defaults must be part of the base image. Setting associations early on will reduce testing and debugging time, avoiding wasted effort and delays. The base image includes the Windows OS, components, tools, and applications that everyone will get.
Define and follow a consistent version control approach for images
During the development process, the image will have to be adjusted to meet compatibility needs. Proper version control and distribution is critical to testing and problem solving. Working with an out-of-date image will lead to wasted time and frustration that will affect the schedule and budget. It is critical that all project members have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information
Create and maintain a test repository for up-todate status and transparent reporting
A central repository for all test assets and test run results is vital to a smooth workflow. Accurate tracking of compatibility test results will avoid delays in issue resolution and prevent non-compatible applications from being deployed.
PREPARE AND TEST INSTALLATION PACKAGES

Packaging is the creation of installation files for the new OS and applications, typically in the MSI or App-V formats. Packages will greatly facilitate the installation of your applications. However, packages can be tricky to get right. You cannot be sure theyll work until you test them on PCs built with the new baseline image.
Organizations that have deep experience with XP or Vista often lack of technical resources and Windows 7 or 8 packaging expertize. In addition, the absence of clear documentation or wide variation in existing configurations can lead to missing package components. Packaging will most likely require more time and resources than might be assumed at first. Improper packaging can lead to many application installation issues. Repackaging to correct these issues can cause delays. Image problems are common for Java and .NET versions Adobe Reader (PDFs) and Crystal Reports Base Windows 7 image
Allow extra time for adequate packaging and package testing
Different configurations will have unique compatibility problems
All applications will need to use the same versions of all the components, add-ins, and tools. Insuring that all the applications are compatible with the same versions will require extra effort in issue resolution with the application and component vendors. Do not assume all applications will work with the same versions of the tools, frameworks, or Java runtimes. This can be one of the hardest and time-consuming parts of the migration effort.
DONT THROW USERS INTO THE DEEP END

A Windows migration project will probably affect every user in your organization it is high risk and high visibility. Your user community probably will not care about the finer points of Windows technology, but rest assured they will care if their workflow is disrupted. A certain level of disruption is inevitable for a migration and will be tolerated. However, any problem that is seen as unnecessary or a result of sloppy execution will lead to trouble. Communication, education, training, and ongoing support should therefore be part of your migration approach. Thorough testing of configurations, images, and packages prior to involving users will prevent many problems and delays.
Resolve configuration, compatibility, and package issues prior to engaging users
When users are brought in for user acceptance testing (UAT), any issues they find could result in rejection of the upgrade and bad feelings. If the users get a bad first impression, they will be less inclined to cooperate in further retesting and final acceptance. When doing user testing, users are often confused about what is causing an issue. They may be unable to determine if an issue is an application functional problem or if the application was not installed and set-up properly. A technical person must be available to trouble-shoot and identify the source of the problem. It is especially important to involve the packaging team to insure the intended installation was done properly and that installation issues are not masking other problems. Resolving issues in UAT can have a direct impact on a deployment schedule. User issues are often a result of unfamiliarity with the new configuration. Have a person or team with both application knowledge and technical skills coordinate and triage UAT issues. This will help reduce the impact of issues found and keep the testing progress on track.
Involve the packaging team to sort out delivery problems from functional problems
Have a technical coordinator triage and validate user acceptance testing issues
CONCLUSIONS
Although the objectives and basic steps for a Windows migration are straightforward, scaling the process to an entire organization presents many challenges. In this white paper, weve shared some of the practical and technical lessons weve learned in supporting all aspects of migration on over 40,000 PCs. A complete census, thorough compatibility testing, and careful planning will avoid waste and delays. Early compatibility, configuration, and package testing are keys to success. Early performance benchmarking helps to prevent problems and resolve rollout issues. Orchestrating user testing and support to minimize snags will facilitate user acceptance.
ABOUT OLENICK & ASSOCIATES

We published this white paper to help IT managers and staff plan and execute a Windows migration project. In our experience, many 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 http://olenick.com/2w7w8.
NOTES
1
Desktop OS by Version, February 2013. Net Market Share. http://www.netmarketshare.com/
For example, see http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7

Windows Migration Tips Tricks and Gotchas

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Windows Migration Tips, Tricks, and Gotchas

An Olenick & Associates White Paper March 2013