It'll finally be here the week of Feb. 13. And Windows 2000 actually looks as though it will meet the requirements set for it based on the beta testing reports that we have received.
Despite the similarities between this product and past versions of Windows, Microsoft nearly had to go back to the drawing board to get this level of improvement. For users, the preparation requirements are much more daunting with Windows 2000 and having access to people involved in early deployments will be critical.
Microsoft put a tremendous amount of work into discovering exactly where previous versions of Windows were breaking down in corporate networks. The software maker found itself dealing with hardware as well as software issues. As a result, putting Windows 2000 on existing server or desktop hardware will represent a much higher risk of problems than installing the software on newer systems with clean hard drives.
Now is also the time to go through your network environment to eliminate any complexities that you can. Most Windows NT environments tend to have an excess of domains and remote servers and a topology that would make Dr. Frankenstein cringe.
It's also a good time to consolidate and centralize your server farms, especially since Windows 2000 includes support for more reliable server clusters. The hardware companies that worked directly with Microsoft during the creation of Windows 2000 will have the advantage of knowing the product best. As a result, the likes of IBM, Compaq and Hewlett-Packard will likely be the best vendor choices for this type of clustered solution.
As the early adopters roll out Windows 2000, you will want to watch them closely for hints and tips on how to keep from making the mistakes that always seem to crop up with a new product. These companies get substantial help from Microsoft, which offsets to some degree the cost of learning on the job. A best practice is to have your deployment team meet with the teams from early deployment companies and pick their brains on what they did, what resulted and what they would have done differently.
So plan, look to others who have learned on the job and learn from them, and correct the problems of your predecessors. If you do, Windows 2000 will not only surprise you, but also pleasantly surprise your company's bean counters - and that certainly is something to strive for.
Enderle is a vice president and analyst at Giga Information Group, www.gigaweb.com.
RELATED LINKS
RELATED LINKS
