Windows 7 finally delivers what Vista should have done three
years ago. Application issues have all been greatly improved with
Windows 7, it works well on old hardware and a raft of additional
features make it a viable consideration for migration over the next
few years,writes Andy Goddard, Practice Leader at IT
services company Computacenter.
In reality, a desktop device just provides access to services
and applications, and the way in which desktop services are
delivered, or will be delivered in the future, has changed with the
advent of
cloud services.
Virtualisation of the desktop is starting to become a technical
reality (if not a financial one). One could argue that a consistent
working experience regardless of user location is becoming a more
important factor than just putting a new desktop operating system
and office productivity applications in front of an end-user as
part of a desktop upgrade.
Microsoft offers a suite of virtualisation tools, but these
require the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack, which is only
available through its Software Assurance licence scheme.
Alternatives are available from both VMware (with ThinApp) and
Citrix with XenApp integration, both of which may take market share
if the value-add offered by Microsoft's tools is not considered
compelling enough.
There is much to consider for any CIO looking for the right
platform to provide corporate access for end-users. There has never
been more choice on how best to provide access to key services for
users, as well as how to provide these services, with more
flexibility at lowest cost, from day one to five years from
now.