Article 2 of 4 Part of: Windows 11 migration While there are plenty of approaches to a Windows 11 migration, IT should plan out the process carefully and ensure they have the right tools and products to support it.When Microsoft released Windows 10, the vendor assured customers that it was the last release of Windows, but this only lasted until Oct. 5, 2021, when it announced Windows 11. IT administrators went from no more new Windows deployments, version migrations and wholesale UI changes to taking all of these on, so they will need proper tools to support this. Windows administrators are once again faced with determining the benefits and risks of the new OS, whether it meets their organization's needs, how to deploy it and how to convince users that the migration is a good thing. It's fair for administrators to approach this new OS with trepidation; will Windows 11 be a disaster like Vista and Windows 8 or a welcome change like Windows 7? Moving to Windows 11, like any other new OS, is inevitable. But admins have control over when to make the move. Careful planning and an assessment of infrastructure and business goals will help determine if IT should move to Windows 11 sooner or later. If the IT department determines it's time to migrate, one of the first components IT will need to look into is Windows 11 migration tools. Windows 11 deployment planningA few factors to consider first: The move to Windows 11 is inevitable and Windows 10 end of support is October 2025. The good news is that IT departments have more than three years to plan this migration at the time this article is published. However, organizations should begin planning soon if they haven't already. An upgrade to Windows 11 right now while it's still free may be important to an organization, though it isn't clear how long this will be the case. Microsoft has provided several resources to help this planning process:
Deploying Windows 11 the easy wayMicrosoft uses Windows Update and WSUS servers to push out Windows 11 like Windows 10. But this isn't automatic, and issues can arise with the deployment. Consider a failed Windows update attempt. If the Windows 10 PC wasn't ready for the update due to the minimum requirements, the Windows Update menu will show that it ran a compatibility test and it failed (Figure 1). Figure 1. The Windows Update menu displays a failed system update due to the desktop not meeting the system requirements.Another potential problem with using Windows Update for Windows 11 deployment is it isn't failproof. It's far from guaranteed that all endpoints will migrate successfully. IT should keep in mind that all new PCs and laptops will have all come with Windows 11. Because Microsoft's mainstream Windows 10 support will continue until October 2025, organizations with an endpoint refresh cycle of three years or less could wait on migrating Windows 10 systems and let the refresh cycle solve the deployment problem. While Windows Update and PC refresh cycles will be attractive options for SMBs, large and enterprise organizations will want more control of migration time frame, uniformity across desktops and configuration options. Tools to facilitate a Windows 11 migrationThe proper enterprise endpoint management tools can easily handle a migration from a Microsoft or a custom OS image to the Windows 11 default ISO image. While these tools can handle data transfer and OS deployment, that is certainly not the limit of their functionality. They can manage every aspect of an enterprise environment, including desktops, servers, IoT devices, mobile devices and all mainstream operating systems. These tools enable patch management for all OSes, manage users, devices and applications and offer remote control. In addition to Microsoft Intune and Endpoint Configuration Manager, there are other useful tools that administrators should consider if their organization does not already have one. ManageEngine's Desktop CentralDesktop Central is a popular unified endpoint management (UEM) tool that manages PCs, laptops, mobile devices and more. This tool provides patch management software deployment, OS imaging, asset endpoint security, remote control for troubleshooting, collaboration and file transfer. Desktop Central's free version is suitable for SMBs, but larger organizations will need a Professional or Enterprise Edition of this UEM tool. All three versions feature OS deployment, but the free version is only good for four workstations and one server. VMware's Workspace OneVMware offers plenty of features around OS deployment and UEM tasks in general. Workspace One has features to manage and secure BYOD environments and manage multiple device types and OSes from a single console. Organizations invested in VMware's products should consider Workspace One to help with Windows 11 deployment and other desktop management tasks once the migration is complete. Note: Two other standouts in this market include Citrix Unified Workspace and IBM MaaS360. Also, all these tools offer free versions for administrators to try.
Data migration tools for moving to Windows 11Deploying a new OS is a complicated matter, but IT must also plan to move user configurations and data to the Windows 11 desktop. Microsoft's Windows Easy Transfer was a good option years ago, but it is no longer available. This leaves IT admins only one real option: third-party data migration tools.
Dig Deeper on Windows OS and management
Part of: Windows 11 migration Article 2 of 4 Does Windows 10 have a migration tool?You can use User State Migration Tool (USMT) 10.0 to streamline and simplify user state migration during large deployments of Windows operating systems. USMT captures user accounts, user files, operating system settings, and application settings, and then migrates them to a new Windows installation.
Which tool or method is used when migrating to Windows 10 to preserve the files and settings of an existing computer so that they can be applied to a new computer?Migrate files and settings
The User State Migration Tool (USMT) 10.0 is an application intended for administrators who are performing large-scale automated deployments. For deployment to a small number of computers or for individually customized deployments, you can use Windows Easy Transfer.
What tool is used to migrate files?Popular Data Migration Tools. IBM Informix. Informix is a tool used for transferring data from one IBM database to another. ... . AWS Data Migration. This is a popular tool used for moving data to the cloud easily and securely. ... . EMC Rainfinity File Management Appliance. ... . Apex Data Loader. ... . IRI NextForm.. What Windows 10 tool can be used to move desktop settings and applications from one computer to another?Windows Easy Transfer is a software wizard for transferring files and settings from one computer that is running Windows to another. It helps you select what to move to your new computer, enables you to set which migration method to use, and then performs the transfer.
|