Organizations embracing Windows 7

Bangalore: As part of an ongoing research series on Windows operating system (OS) adoption, the latest Dell KACE global survey shows 87 percent of IT professionals surveyed now plan to deploy Windows 7.

While concerns for software compatibility and migration costs remain high, this is a dramatic increase from a similar study released in April 2009, which revealed the majority of IT staff had no plans to upgrade existing systems to Windows 7 in the next year. This year's study attributes increased confidence in performance, security and stability to the overwhelming change of heart. Further demonstrating affinity for the new OS, almost half the 900 respondents said they plan to deploy Windows 7 before the anticipated summer release of its first Service Pack (SP1). And for the first time since KACE initiated this research in November 2007, those considering alternative operating systems to avoid Windows decreased dramatically from 50 to 32 percent.

"These results reinforce what we are hearing from the customers we talk to everyday," said Rob Meinhardt, President, Dell KACE. "Productivity gains associated with working in two windows at the same time, having an OS that works with proprietary technology, powerful encryption to protect credit card numbers and employee data, and connecting PCs quickly and easily to wired and wireless networks are among the big wins over Windows XP most often cited by our customers."

Conducted in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific by market research firm Dimensional Research and commissioned by Dell KACE, this is the fourth study of its kind to gather data about current plans and attitudes within mid-sized corporate IT organizations about Windows OS adoption. According to Diane Hagglund, senior research analyst for Dimensional Research and the survey's author, another driver for speedy Windows 7 adoption is the fact that XP is reaching its end-of-life.

"As Windows XP becomes out of date and more expensive to support and with Vista increasingly insignificant, IT leaders are embracing Windows 7," she said. "Based on previous research, Windows 7 deployments are dramatically ahead of planned Vista deployments at a similar stage in the OS lifecycle with most respondents skipping Vista altogether."

Key survey findings include:
-87 percent of survey respondents plan to deploy Windows 7 compared to 47 percent who had plans to deploy Vista at a comparable point after its release;
-46 percent of the total surveyed revealed they have plans to migrate even before the release of SP1;
-86 percent reported concern about software compatibility when migrating to Windows 7;
-25 percent expressed concerns about Windows 7 performance, down from 47 percent reported during the 2009 survey; and,
-32 percent are considering alternative operating systems to avoid Windows Vista or Windows 7, down from 50 percent in 2009.

"What a difference a year makes. Windows 7 is looking like it will be the biggest inflection point in Windows OS adoption since XP," added Meinhardt. "But because there isn't a direct upgrade path from XP, migrating to Windows 7 could be challenging and costly for many organizations. From a business continuity standpoint, customers just can't afford not to get the support they need, and that is where we can help."