The Road to Microsoft Windows Vista in 20 Questions
Jimmy Sawyers, BOL Guru Guru Bio
Microsoft's latest operating system release, Windows Vista, brings with it promises of boosted productivity, enhanced usability, increased competitiveness and exciting innovations. Is your bank ready for Vista? We've prepared the following Q & A to help you get more familiar with Vista and its eventual impact on your bank.
We've had Windows operating systems upgrades before. What makes this one different? This will be like the move to Windows 95, still the greatest catalyst the PC industry has ever seen. After using Windows 95 compared to Windows 3.1, one couldn't bear to go back to the cluttered desktop and clunky interface of the previous operating system. Vista will be as well received.
Is the Windows Vista interface truly better?
Time will tell, but, we've always believed our PC's interface should be as clean and functional as our Tivo interface our kids' PlayStation or iPod interfaces. Vista moves us one step closer to that reality.
There's a lot to like about Vista. Better security, a slicker interface, faster search, and a 3D environment are a few key features. Vista promises to improve communication and collaboration, two keys to success in our increasingly connected world.
What edition of Vista should I use?
There are currently five versions: Ultimate, Home Premium, Home Basic, Business, and Enterprise. At your bank, do not use either of the home versions.
Enterprise will not be available through retail or OEM channels. Business will be most comparable to Windows XP Professional, allowing one to connect to a Windows Server domain, and will be the likely choice for most banks. Ultimate, just as the name implies, gives one all the features Vista has to offer.
Which interface should I consider?
There are two main user interfaces - "basic" and "Aero." The latter is the version one will want to truly get the advantages of Vista. Because so many of the promised advantages of the new operating system are tied to the Aero interface, we recommend against implementing Vista using the basic requirements.
How fast will Vista have an impact?
Expect Vista to be adopted faster than any previous Windows operating system with 2008 seeing the most activity.
What should we do now to prepare for Vista?
Begin planning now by developing detailed software training and migration plans but wait until at least the third quarter of 2007 to deploy. This will allow banks to test application compatibility and hold out for Service Pack 1, expected in third quarter 2007.
Will my current PCs run Vista?"
Not likely. Planning to deploy Vista on current PCs will be unwise in most cases. About half of PCs in use now will run Vista but almost all will not run Vista Premium with its heftier hardware requirements.
We're planning to purchase some PCs soon. What should we consider?
Make sure such PCs are "Vista-capable" and exceed the minimum hardware requirements.
What are the hardware requirements?
Microsoft is defining two distinct sets of minimum hardware standards. The Windows Vista Capable PC runs the basic interface. The Windows Vista Premium Ready PC is capable of supporting the enhanced Aero interface. Aero is a three-dimensional environment that requires, among other things, a stronger video subsystem.
Specific hardware minimums are as follows:
Windows Vista Capable (Basic Interface):
An x86 processor of at least 800MHz.
512MB of RAM.
A DirectX 9-capable graphics processor.
A 20GB hard drive with at least 15GB free.
A CD-ROM drive.
Windows Vista Premium Ready (Aero Interface):
A 1GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor.
1GB of RAM.
DirectX 9-capable graphics with at least 128MB of video RAM.
A 40GB hard drive with at least 15GB free.
A DVD-ROM drive.
We emphasize these are "minimums" not ideal configurations. For example, we would recommend one have 2GB of RAM to run the Aero interface.
Why does Vista have such hefty requirements?
In the past, hardware minimums for new operating systems have focused on processor speed, RAM, and hard drive size. Vista adds video to the mix. This is a relatively new area for enterprise procurement, which has traditionally left advanced video subsystems to the consumer and gaming market.
Should we consider installing Vista on our existing laptops?
For enterprises with significant numbers of mobile users, these requirements make it even less likely that enterprises would consider installing Vista on existing portable PCs. Laptop video subsystems are typically not upgradeable. IT's efforts would be better served in managing existing hardware on the current operating system before transitioning to Vista with the next hardware refresh.
How often should we replace our PCs?
While PC lifespans have increased recently from three years to four years or more in some cases, it makes good business sense to replace PCs every three years. After three years a PC requires more technical support and experiences degraded performance. The PC may be off the books, but the total cost of ownership begins to increase dramatically and outweigh any perceived savings. Just because a PC is still alive doesn't mean it should be in use. Vista will drive organizations back to a three-year replacement cycle.
Should we lease PCs instead of purchasing them?
Our answer is a flat no. We've never seen a lease rate lower than a bank's cost of funds. Unless there are other compelling reasons, leasing PCs rarely makes financial sense for banks. Run the numbers and judge for yourself.
We don't plan to install Vista until 2008. Why should we worry about Vista now?
The aforementioned planning for starts, but Internet banking is a big consideration also. How will Vista work with multi-factor authentication? There may not be any issues, but it would be a good idea to test compatibility in-house before customer calls begin. Plus, we haven't even begun to discuss Exchange Server 2007 or 2007 Office, other earth-shaking releases from Microsoft.
What about our banking applications (e.g., loan origination, teller automation, document imaging, etc.) Will they be compatible with Vista?
Probably not yet. Communicate with your providers to synchronize your Vista plans with theirs. Do not roll out Vista before confirming compatibility with your providers and testing applications. Remember to test for drivers needed for peripherals also. One might want to run XP in the interim to ensure application compatibility.
Will Vista offer better security than XP?
Yes. A more mobile workforce demands improved security. Vista's two-way firewall is superior to XP's in that Vista offers inbound and outbound protection. XP only blocked dangerous inbound connections, not effective if the PC is infected with spyware or a Trojan horse. BitLocker hard drive encryption will mitigate the risk of stolen data from lost laptops, and USB flash drive lockdown will allow security administrators to better control the use of flash drives.
How does the browser, Internet Explorer, change?
As Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) becomes more commonplace with more applications hosted by a third party and accessed via the Web, a new improved Internet Explorer will be welcomed. The browser includes an antiphishing filter which should help banks and their customers fight this growing threat. It should be noted that this feature is currently available in Internet Explorer 7 which is already available for Windows XP.
Does Vista contain features we probably won't use?
Any software spawned by Microsoft contains a wealth of seldom-used, unproductive features. We don't see much excitement from Meeting Space, the virtual meeting feature; User Access Control (UAC), a well-intentioned attempt to detect threats, will be annoying until improved; and the antipiracy measure, Software Protection Platform (SPP), will be controversial but will make users take software licensing compliance very seriously.
How much training will be involved?
Based on our initial evaluations, Vista will represent a learning curve not seen in recent releases. Past releases have been ho-hum events. This one is not. Budget for adequate training, always a good practice.
How should we plan?
Review current client hardware inventory. Refresh-related best practices already dictate regular oversight of PC inventories. Be prepared for the worst. The majority of in-service client PCs will likely not be capable of running premium levels of Vista. We recommend against piecemeal hardware upgrades to meet minimum operating system requirements.
Focus on long-term hardware refresh plans. Resist the urge to upgrade existing hardware. Instead, build hardware minimums into future hardware acquisitions and plan for new machines to have Vista preloaded. Most major vendors, including Dell and HP, are already shipping branded units that are capable of running Vista.
Consider licensing implications. Does your bank typically buy OEM licenses or are you covered by Software Assurance? Proceed cautiously so the bank is in compliance with software licensing agreements but doesn't buy more licenses than needed.
Include Vista in your technology plan. Pick your timeframe and allocate adequate resources for your bank's Vista rollout, considering all your banking applications and their compatibility. Don't underestimate the impact of Vista and the need for planning.
Get help. This is not an area in which to cut corners or take a "ready, fire, aim" approach. Co-source where it makes sense and call on outside help for a smooth Vista implementation.
Bottom Line
Vista promises to be a significant driver of change over the next couple of years and beyond. The heftier hardware requirements for the full-blown implementations should encourage IT managers to carefully plan Vista's introduction into the client environment. Avoid the temptation to deploy on current hardware.
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