Upgrading the organisation’s IT estate of desktops, notebooks and tablets to a completely new operating system can be a daunting task. Fortunately, help is available from HP, which offers a full suite of migration services to make the switch to Windows 7 or 8 fast, easy, and worry-free, with little downtime.

1. Upgrade without
Downtime
By Arif Mohamed
?

2. Upgrading the organisation’s IT estate of desktops, notebooks
and tablets to a completely new operating system can be a
daunting task. Fortunately, help is available from HP, which
offers a full suite of migration services to make the switch to
Windows 7 or 8 fast, easy, and worry-free, with little downtime.
There are many different reasons why businesses are choosing
to migrate fromWindows XP: a key driver being that switching to
Windows 7 or 8 is the only way that businesses can keep receiving
the latest security updates and support from Microsoft.
But there are also many strategic reasons. By migrating to
Windows 7 or 8, businesses will benefit from modern, more
efficient ways of working, harnessing the power of 64-bit
computing, ubiquitous access to data, and always-on computing,
among other things.
Microsoft has developed its new operating systems with a
whole spectrum of features designed to appeal to businesses,
from workflow and usability enhancements to new management
tools and security innovations.
For example,Windows 7 and 8 boot up is much faster
than previous operating systems, and they are more stable and
efficient.Windows 8 features touch-screen navigation and an
enhanced architecture that supports cloud apps, mobility and
close web-based communication between teams of workers.
Consequently, a strategic move toWindows 7 or 8 can have a
transforming effect on the organisation, bringing new workflow
efficiencies and ways of working.
HP MobilityTransformation Services
forWindows
HP uses a collaborative approach, working closely with
Microsoft, to help businesses transition fromWindows XP to a
more current version ofWindows.
Both companies have amassed deep and wide experience
across the years, and through integrating their products for
the benefit of the end user. As a result, HP Enterprise Services
can help businesses reduce support and maintenance, increase
productivity, lower IT costs, and improve protection from
security threats.
Page 2 Upgrade Without Downtime?
Migration services can help make the switch to Windows 7 or 8 fast, easy, and worry-free
HP has a highly-effective services model and is able to harness
its large, specialised workforce of trained Microsoft experts, who
have the most advanced training tools to enable a smooth and cost-
effectiveWindows XP transition process.
HP’s flagship service for achieving this is HP Mobility
Transformation Services forWindows.
HP’s MobilityTransformation Services forWindows takes a
holistic and strategic approach to redefining productivity in the
enterprise, and achieves the kinds of transformational outcomes that
a migration alone cannot because it helps users to get the most from
the new generation of technologies.
The migration process itself has a number of logical steps, and is
tailored to the end user organisation: to their mix of technologies as
well as their strategic goals and IT and business requirements.
It uses a framework called HPWorkplace Software Management
Services, which includes: Strategy and Readiness Assessment,
Infrastructure Design and Implementation, Deployment Automation,
Enterprise wide Rollout and Education Services.
As part of the Strategy and Readiness Assessment, HP will analyse
howWindows 7 or 8 will impact and benefit the customer’s IT
infrastructure in critical areas such as applications, network, security
storage and packaging and distribution.
Following the Readiness Assessment, HP’s experts will help to
design and plan a migration plan for the company.
After that is in place, they will establish automated software
distribution; install security patches and application service packs
for existing computers; and deploy new devices.They will then carry
out operating system image build, application integration testing
and certification; ongoing automated software patch and security
signature distribution; and management of licences and assets.
The main benefit of using HPWorkplace Software Management
Services is that it reduces the amount of time businesses need to
spend on tactical IT projects, such as deploying an operating system,
applications and patches. Instead, they can keep their IT employees
and assets focused on their core strategic business projects. In turn,
this means they can increase their ability to quickly react to the
changing dynamics of the business.
Meanwhile, HP’s experts and technicians will ensure the migration
is completed with minimum downtime.
ITTransformation
HP MobilityTransformation Services forWindows is an approach
that has the power to move the business from legacy technology and
processes to the latest ways of working, onto newer technologies
Upgrade Without Downtime?
A strategic move to Windows 7 or 8 can have
a transforming effect on the organisation,
bringing new workflow efficiencies and ways
of working.

3. Page 3 Upgrade Without Downtime?
such as virtualisation, cloud, online collaboration and wireless and
mobile broadband.
Take BringYour Own Device (BYOD) as an example; HP’s
services can help businesses to create the IT environment
to support the various mobile devices that workers are now
demanding.This is because aWindows 7 and 8 operating
environment, running on an HP IT infrastructure, is ready to
support consumer apps whilst retaining a high level of enterprise
security.
Furthermore, an HP and Microsoft-based computing system
will help the organisation to drive innovation, for example through
new ways of working, new form factor devices, and greater
integration across the IT estate.
HP’s experts can help the IT organisation to find solutions for
questions such as how can I provide the best end user experience,
and how do I provide a choice of devices for the right reason?
Meanwhile, migrating away fromWindows XP and onto the
latest operating systems will help the business to move towards
self-service cloud-based apps, which is proving to be an efficient
and cost-effective way of delivering IT services.
In addition, it will help them to incorporate new ways of
working - such as social media communities - that can be used
both inside and outside the enterprise boundary. By having end-to-
end security across the IT architecture, businesses can confidently
allow their end-users to access data and apps through any device,
from wherever they need to work, and this in turn will drive greater
levels of productivity.
HP ApplicationTransformation for
Client Computing
During the migration, HP will help the organisation to
maintain a vigilant focus on its applications as it moves to
Windows 7 or 8.
HP’s ApplicationTransformation for Client Computing
Services allows them to discover their applications, rationalise
the estate, and package applications for the target environment.
(Application Packaging ensures the integrity of the application
bundle and the IT environment by using formal procedures to
stage releases of software in development, test, and production
environments).
Central to a successful migration is Application
Transformation, part of the HP MobilityTransformation
forWindows Services.This comprises an eight step process
dealing with the entire application lifecycle from discovery to
deployment.
Application Metering is the first step, carried out to conduct
a forensic assessment of the application portfolio and find out
which applications are installed, where they are installed and
how they are used.
Portfolio Rationalisation is next, which cuts the organisation’s
support and maintenance costs by standardising and
consolidating their application estate. After this is Discovery.
This gathers all the necessary tools and data that will allow the
business to transform its rationalised applications, through HP’s
factory process.
CompatibilityTesting follows to identify whether
existing applications are compatible with the target
platform. Remediation fixes any compatibility issues
through HP’s central knowledge and experience.
Next is Packaging and Sequencing,
to repackage or sequence the rationalised
application estate to enterprise standards for
automated deployment. User AcceptanceTesting
is the penultimate stage, and is a scheduled
and managed process where application owners
confirm successful transformation.
Finally, Automated Deployment ensures the
applications are deployed seamlessly with the least
disruption to end-user productivity, and managed and
configured correctly.
Cloud-based apps are proving to be an
efficient and cost-effective way of delivering
IT services.
Central to a successful migration is
Application Transformation an eight step
process dealing with the entire application
lifecycle from discovery to deployment.

4. Advanced ClientVirtualisation Services
Most commercialWindows XP enterprise applications have
updated versions forWindows 7 and 8, but businesses may discover
that some cannot be satisfactorily migrated to the newer operating
systems and need to be moved to a virtualised environment.
Advanced ClientVirtualisation Services are a set of services
available from HP which can evaluate legacyWindows XP applications
and continue their use through virtualisation, if appropriate.
These are fully customisable services that deliver client and
application virtualisation on any platform, but specialise particularly in
solutions based on HP’s industry-leading platforms.They are delivered
together with partner technologies from Microsoft, Citrix orVMWare.
As part of its virtualisation services portfolio, HP offers a Client
Virtualisation Analysis and Modeling Service, through which it can
assess the existing infrastructure to measure its readiness for client
virtualisation.This includes capacity planning, resource modelling,
application usage, and identification of applications that could prove
difficult for application virtualisation.
HP Financial Services (HPFS)
Finally, the cost of migration may be a concern for some businesses,
and HP Financial Services enables qualified customers to simplify their
Windows XP transition by offering minimal upfront investment and
payment plans.
Customers can utilise various HPFS programmes that offer
payment deferrals for up to 90 days, or 1% cash back on qualifying
transactions (terms and conditions apply.)
HP also offers customers a Pre-Provisioning Solution which offers
financial and IT asset flexibility. Available across the HP product
portfolio, HP Pre-Provisioning Solution helps HP customers avoid
long internal procurement cycles by having systems shipped and
installed, but only starting their payments when they begin to use the
equipment.
The advantages are that it can offer up to 12 months of ‘advance IT
need’ from day one; it offers predictable per-unit pricing; and it can be
tailored to a bundled solution with multiple HP products.
HP has the expertise and services to make migrating to
Windows 7 or 8 a straightforward affair. It has the hardware,
technicians, experience, knowledge and financing to help, making
IT transformation fast, easy, and worry-free, with the minimum
downtime.
By Arif Mohamed
Copyright © IDG UK - 2014
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HP offers businesses the broadest hardware portfolio, giving them
very practical solutions when it comes to migrating off legacy hardware.
For starters, HP’sWindows 7 and 8 business desktops offer 64-bit
computing withWindows 7 Professional 64 andWindows 8 Pro, as well
as the latest 64-bit Intel Core quad core processors.
From the HP EliteDesk small form factor PC line, to the HP
ProDeskTower and MicroTower PC ranges, HP offers slick and fast
processing, huge capacity drives, and the very latestWindows user
experience.
HP has also designed an innovative touch screen desktop, the
HP EliteOne 800 All-in-OneTouch PC, which offers impressive
performance based on the latestWindows 8 Pro 64-bit operating system,
and optional touch screen computing.
Secondly, HP can get businesses up and running quickly on the
latest notebooks like the new HP EliteBook Folio 1040. Part of HP’s
UltraBook range of notebooks, its thinnest business line yet, the
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 features enterprise-class features such as
encryption, 64-bitWindows 8 Pro, and high-definition video.
Also available are new and innovative form factors such as the
HP EliteBook Revolve 810 tablet.This ultra-thin notebook rotates to
become aWindows 8 touch screen tablet in an instant.TheWindows 8
hybrid laptop has a very practical swivel hinge that enables the user to
revolve the screen around and use the keyboard as a stand, or make it
fold in and tuck away completely.
For businesses that are looking to equip their mobile workforces with
tablets, HP’s latest one, the ElitePad 1000 G2, is one of the first to be
based on Intel’s new BayTrail Atom 64-bit processor as well as the latest
Windows 8.1 64-bit operating system, which was designed with mobility
and efficiency in mind.The operating system features touch-screen
input; and usability enhancements such as app-snapping and easy access
to cloud-apps.
Finally, HP has a range of Hybrid PCs, such as the HP Spectre 13
x2 Pro Ultrabook, also featuringWindows 8 Pro. HP Ultrabooks are
constructed with durable chassis and hinges, so they can withstand
frequent business trips and hot-desking.The Spectre laptops have an
ultra-thin design that comprises metal and glass and high-definition
displays.
Whereas the HP EliteBook Revolve 810 G2Tablet revolves and
folds into the keyboard to become a tablet, the HP Spectre 13 x2 Pro
Ultrabook screen can be detached completely from the keyboard in one
move to make it a highly portable and slim-line tablet computer.
So, for businesses planning a move away from their legacyWindows
XP machines, HP offers a comprehensive range ofWindows 7 and 8
alternatives as well a new generation of highly portable, touch screen-
enabled 64-bit computing devices.
HP Hardware Options
By Arif Mohamed