Staying on Windows XP to cost 3 times more than migrating to Windows 8

Cost of upgrading will be $95, with applied conditions, as against the cost of not migrating which will be $300

Companies could be spending three times more if they stay on Windows XP than migrating to the advanced versions of the software, as Microsoft Corp plans, says an IDC study,  to end support for Windows XP on April 8, 2014.

An estimate suggests the cost of upgrading to Windows 7 or Windows 8 will be $95 (Rs 5,225) against the cost of staying on the XP platform, which will be $300 (Rs 16,500) a user, followed by almost twice the cost in the subsequent year, should they choose to opt for a custom support contract. The cost for not migrating is only the documentable one, as this doesn’t include costs related to business loss due to security and data breach threats, productivity loss and similar factors.

Microsoft plans to end support for Windows XP on April 8, 2014, as it is three generations behind the current product technology. It, therefore,  becomes necessary for companies to plan their migration and save cost in the long run.

“Approximately 50-60 per cent of the installed PC (personal computer) base in enterprises are still running Windows XP. This is an alarming situation, as non-migration puts businesses at risk of security breaches and could create a big dent to the company’s brand image” said Amrish Goyal, director-Windows business group, Microsoft Corp (India). “It takes money to save money. Migration to newer and better technologies eventually gives high return on investment and saves a lot of money in the long run.”  

Bharti Airtel has seen savings of Rs 2,000 per PC by moving from Windows XP to Windows 7.

Data security and privacy in banks are driven by ITAA 2008. Stringent regulatory requirements by the Reserve Bank of India mean banks will not only have to be answerable for the loss of revenue but severe penalties as well. Organisations that ignore the risks and will not take the necessary steps to mitigate these, will be liable to both its customers and the regulatory bodies.

As companies mature and face increasing competition in an ever-globalising economy, they are keen to have risk assessments based on industry standards. These standards force companies to evaluate all forms of security risks and take mitigating steps to avoid security breaches and manage the key business and information technology assets.

EASING OUT WIN XP
When organisations put together their plans for migrating from Windows XP, they should categorise their desktop infrastructure into four broad categories:

• PCs running Windows 7/8: For this segment, it is important to review applications and devices users access and ensure that these are fully compliant with both Windows 7 and Windows 8. This will ensure that users are able to benefit from the superior user experience that the newer versions of Windows delivers along with the security and manageability benefits
   
• PCs shipped with Windows 7 but downgraded to Windows XP: For such users, if the hardware supports Windows 7 / Windows 8, then a detailed migration plan should be put together that addresses various important issues, including addressing potential application compatibility issues
  

 

PCs that don’t have Windows 7/8 compliant hardware: These machines were most probably bought during or before the release of Windows 7, and do not have the minimum hardware specs to run Windows 7 /8. This segment should be considered for a hardware refresh (new PC purchase) as the machines are already four years old
 

PCs already slated for refresh: These users should proceed with the purchase plan as budgeted. The team that is overall in charge of the migration might want to sync the purchase and deployment plan with the other segments so that the team can benefit from the synergies