Upgrading your business to a new operating system (OS) can present a wealth of opportunities, which is why the prospect of a free upgrade to Windows 10 is hugely attractive to businesses across Australia.
Before you rush out to upgrade your OS have you stopped to consider the potential risks and challenges, which if ignored could create big problems for business? With IT critical to businesses of all shapes and sizes today, it’s critical that any upgrade is achieved seamlessly, quickly and within budget to maintain productivity and security.
Step one
The first step you must take on your Windows 10 migration is to learn whether your existing enterprise applications will be supported in the new OS. If not, you may be forced to forfeit functionality, impacting your potential.
Step two
You should also consider how the upgrade will complement (or impact) the output of your entire team – not just those within the office. For instance, is your current HR platform and CRM solution ready to “say hello to Windows 10”? For concerns around incompatibility, you can use virtualisation technologies to deliver these applications to Windows 10 seamlessly. This approach means your applications will not lose functionality, and nor will you be forced to wait for application vendors to release supported versions.
Step three
During your migration to Windows 10, don’t undervalue the importance of backing up. It would be potentially damaging to move into a new digital arena and be unable to access archive data and important files. Backing up is a crucial step in the migration process, so put measures in place to ensure that you’re able to call on crucial data after upgrading. File sync and share platforms can give your staff access to critical data on any device or operating system, and will enhance your arsenal of IT solutions.
Step four
Before moving to your new environment, you must test the compatibility and performance of core applications within Windows 10 to discover how they will impact end user experiences, which can be achieved with application migration software. This software allows you to identify any changes that need to be made before going live with the OS upgrade, helping save time and ensuring productivity.
Step 5
It’s also important to ensure that every team member’s device can harmonise with the new OS. Before making the leap to Windows 10, you need to consider how an upgrade to Windows 10 will impact your existing corporate devices, discuss upgrading workforce devices and assess whether an immediate upgrade would be cost effective.
Remember – the upgrade is free for 12 months. Make sure your upgrade takes place on your terms to ensure that you don’t get lost in migration.
About the author:
David Nicol is the Director of Workplace Product Sales, Citrix ANZ, provider of server, application and desktop virtualization, networking, software-as-a-service, and cloud computing technologies.
