Eden Technologies’ Carpe Windows 7 Series

10 Reasons You Need To Start Your Windows 7 Project Today

❿ THE XP SUPPORT DEADLINE IS CLOSER

THAN YOU THINK

Support for Windows XP expires on April 8, 2014– that’s less than 19 months from now. Gartner reports that the average Windows 7 migration takes

between 12-18 months.

You cannot delay your Windows 7 migration any longer without risking a support lapse.

Lost support means no

security updates, hotfix

patches, design

updates, or online

technical content

updates.

2

❾ XP ISN’T THE ONLY THING YOU’RE LOSING

In addition to XP, come April 2014 Microsoft will also cut support for a host of business-critical applications including: Internet Explorer 6 and 7

Exchange 2003

Office 2003

SQL Server 2003

SharePoint Portal Server 2003

Many others…

3

Microsoft Product Lifecycle Chart Products Released Mainstream

Support Ended

Extended

Support Ends

Access 2003 04/14/2009 04/08/2014

Excel 2003 04/14/2009 04/08/2014

Exchange Server 2003

Enterprise Edition

04/14/2009 04/08/2014

Exchange Server 2003

Standard Edition

04/14/2009 04/08/2014

InfoPath 2003 04/14/2009 04/08/2014

Office 2003 Web

Components

04/14/2009 04/08/2014

Office Professional

Edition 2003

04/14/2009 04/08/2014

OneNote 2003 04/14/2009 04/08/2014

Outlook 2003 04/14/2009 04/08/2014

PowerPoint 2003 04/14/2009 04/08/2014

SharePoint Portal Server

2003

04/14/2009 04/08/2014

Virtual PC 2004 04/14/2009 04/08/2014

Visio Professional 2003 04/14/2009 04/08/2014

Word 2003 04/14/2009 04/08/2014

❽ DID WE MENTION EXCHANGE?

Microsoft will also be pulling the plug on Exchange 2003 in 2014. Failing to upgrade to Exchange 2010 presents functionality issues--

while it is possible to run Outlook 2010 with Exchange 2003, it’s not optimal (especially if you rely on calendaring and scheduling).

While compromised functionality is not ideal, you can’t afford the risks associated with an unsupported and unpatched Exchange Server.

Your Exchange upgrade should

be considered part of your

Windows 7 upgrade–

doing both projects in tandem

improves efficiency, and in

order to migrate both in time you need to be on your way.

4

❼ SUPPORT IS ENDING FOR YOUR OTHER

BUSINESS-CRITICAL APPLICATIONS

Many independent software vendors (ISVs) have or will soon stop supporting Windows XP versions of their software. Independent vendors want to support as few application versions

as possible, so they are already phasing out XP. They also want you to pay money to upgrade to new (and improved) product editions, so this is their way of forcing your hand.

This will impact new application versions and service pack releases.

If you rely on ISVs for daily operations, you

will have to upgrade to Windows 7 to retain

functionality and support.

5

❻ DON’T FORGET YOUR CUSTOM APPLICATIONS

Custom applications relying on a Microsoft application that isn’t supported in Windows 7 will need to be addressed. Evaluate your custom applications and identify what each

application consists of (on the front and back end).

If you are using a custom application that relies on Internet Explorer 6 or 7 or SQL Server 2003, for example, you will have to upgrade to the newest application versions and

test for functionality (or if possible

an off the shelf solution).

6

❺ HARDWARE WILL BE IMPACTED

Many PC OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) have or will stop developing drivers for XP on new machines. Failing to upgrade to Windows 7 will stifle hardware improvements

and hardware innovation.

Even if you can get XP installed on a

new desktop you may have issues

with the video, USB drives, audio, etc.

- Intel has already announced they will not

be supporting Windows XP for new

chipsets and eliminating BIOS from designs.

7

❹ COMPLIANCE FAILURES!

Failing to Migrate to Windows 7 before April 2014 will leave you unsupported, unpatched, and out of compliance. PCI, SOX, HIPAA and GLBA auditors require up-to-date patching for

compliance.

Non-compliance can carry very steep penalties

- Costly penalties of up to $1 million for SOX non-compliance

- Up to $100,00 0 per month and expensive transaction fees for PCI non-compliance

If you’re not already on the way, you’re at risk.

8

❸ ANTI-VIRUS IS NOT ENOUGH

If you fail to upgrade to Windows 7 before the end of support, anti-virus WILL NOT be enough to keep your organization safe. Think of anti-virus as your IT department’s motion detector–

patching is your IT department’s locks and alarm.

CONSIDER THIS: 90% of security breaches

are the result of a software vulnerability

that is caused by a missing patch that

the IT department knows about,

according to a study done by the FBI

and Carnegie Mellon

9

❷ YOUR MIGRATION IS AN OPPORTUNITY– NOT A

BURDEN

WITH PROPER PLANNING AND EXECUTION, YOUR MIGRATION CAN BE A SPRINGBOARD INTO THE NEXT GENERATION OF DESKTOP MANAGEMENT. While your Windows 7 project will be an exhaustive effort, it is also

an opportunity to securely manage your IT environment.

Leverage the transparency that your migration offers you into your: - Applications

- Assets

- Data

The longer you delay your Windows 7

project, the less time you’ll have to

seize other related benefits associated

with your migration.

10

❶ EDEN IS MAKING IT EASIER THAN EVER TO GET

YOUR MIGRATION STARTED AT NO COST

EDEN IS CURRENTLY OFFERING FREE EXECUTIVE BRIEFINGS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO HELP YOU GET YOUR MIGRATION OFF THE GROUND.

SEIZE YOUR EXECUTIVE BRIEFING WITH EDEN’S FOUNDING PARTNERS AND IN AS LITTLE AS 30 MINUTES, EDEN WILL:

- Conduct a customized readiness assessment, asking you the questions you need answered before getting started with your project.

- Offer a personalized project roadmap based on your specific needs and organization requirements that will help you meet your project goals.

- Show you how to turn your Windows 7 migration into application, asset (think mobility and BYOD) and data management.

TO SET UP YOUR FREE EXECUTIVE BRIEIFNG WITH EDEN’S FOUNDING PARTNERS

CALL US TODAY AT (212) 273-3266

OR EMAIL DDILLON@EDENTECHNOLOGIES.COM

WWW.EDENTECHNOLOGIES.COM/CARPE-WINDOWS-7.HTML

11

ABOUT EDEN TECHNOLOGIES

Eden Technologies is the northeast region’s premiere U.S.-based, enterprise-level IT consulting and managed services provider. With 10 years’ experience, over 300,000 desktops deployed and 2,000 endpoints under management, Eden stands as the company of choice for over 300 organizations, in a wide range of industries including legal services, financial services, manufacturing and health care.

For IT professionals facing a Windows 7 migration, Eden has developed fixed-priced, fixed-scope Windows 7 migration “packages” that are easy to purchase and quick to deploy, with no-nonsense results and ROI. With more than 17 flexible offerings, Eden provides fast, efficient, just-where-you-need-it help. More information is available at http://www.edentechnologies.com/it-consulting/windows-7.html.

12