I love it when Microsoft lays it on thick. Normally, we just get a DVD with a new OS installed. Not this time. This time, an HP DV9000 notebook showed up in my mailbox, pre-installed with Vista RTM, the latest build of Office 2007, and other sundries. The DV9000 is a wide-screen hi-def-capable machine, which was obviously designed to run Vista with the Media Center extensions.
Of course, this is InfoWorld, and we don't care so much about that. What we do care about is OS stability, software compatibility and business features. So first point: All the reviews you're reading in any press mag right now are on the Vista Ultimate SKU, because that's all that Microsoft is handing out right now. Business users, however, most likely won't be using this SKU unless it's that annoying exec who just has to have all the tools regardless of love or logic.
Odds are you'll be most involved in Vista Business or Vista Enterprise. Business is a $199 SKU, that includes all the Tablet features, a series of business-oriented help guides that can get a user or an inexperienced network admin through basic business networking tasks, as well as the full OneCare security suite — though remember that this isn't free with the OS.
Vista Enterprise is a step up from Business and can only be purchased as part of the Volume License program. It also includes a few more features than Business, including BitLocker Drive Encryption (see my SMB IT blog post on that) and built-in application compatibility via the Program Compatibility Wizard. Enterprise folks, however, will also want to download the Application Compatibility Toolkit.
Having the full security suite installed is nice, but there's no need to jump on that bandwagon simply for convenience sake. Calculate the ongoing costs and then compare it to what third-party anti-virus vendors are offering. I've been using F-Prot's Vista-compatible anti-virus program on the RC2 box for the last couple of weeks and it's great. OneCare is a fine option, but it's yet to prove itself on the corporate side (centralized desktop management and server protection, for example).
Tripping over wireless
Hands on, my experience with RTM so far has been fine, with the exception of wireless networking. This worked great using RC2 (read about my experiences here, here, and here) on a Dell M90 superbook: very fast connect times and flawless reliability. But it had continuous trouble using the DV9000. Most likely this is an HP problem, rather than a Windows problem, but it does go to show that even though Microsoft has significantly improved its networking stack, there's always room for flaws. Hey, it's job security.
I also tried some of the fancier new features, like ReadyBoost. This is a performance enhancer that lets Vista use the RAM from a USB flash drive to enhance RAM performance. Microsoft was kind enough to include a Kingston TravelDrive with the DV9000, so I figured I had to check it out. Turns out the USB drive needs to have ReadyBoost compatibility (which the Kingston did) and then offer the ability to use the drive as a cache.
Help, however, says that you're best off using either the same or up to double the amount of cache RAM as you have system RAM. The DV9000 has 2GB of system RAM, so that 2GB flash drive was maxed out trying to boost performance. It did seem to help, however, especially when I had nine simultaneous applications running.
Integrated search and file transfer both work well. Both are wizard-driven, which makes them simple for the likes of us system admin types, but users who don't understand terms like indexing or file syncing are still going to be calling the help desk.
Sync Center still didn't work for my Moto Q, but it did find my HP iPaq. Using Sync Center (which is basically an embedded vrsion of ActiveSync), you can automatically sync your phone's contacts, calendar and files with either Outlook Contacts and Calendar/Tasks or the new Windows Calendar and Windows Contact's that come included with Vista. Sounds great, but it has the potential to get confusing for some users because if you install Outlook 2003 or Outlook 2007, so far I haven't found a way to sync Outlook with the Windows Calendar/Contacts. This has the potential for inexperienced users to setup two different calendar/contact stores. It would be nice if there was an option to simply keep the two synced in real-time.
That's about all my Vista RTM nitpicks, however. The rest of the OS is working just fine. I had no trouble working with networked printers or servers. Vista discovered and accessed both my Iomega and Western Digital shared network hard disks without requiring client software installs. And aside from the DV9000's wireless problem, network support was flawless.
Additionally, most XP and .Net-capable applications will run just fine (so far, I've run Office 2003 and Office 2007, Firefox 1.5 and 2.0, Paint.NET, Adobe Acrobat Reader and Creator, and more). The ones that died include third-party desktop firewalls and some open-source utilities. As Vista moves out into the world, however, these problems will cease quickly, including cell phone support and software compatibility.
Prepare for your migration
Even if you're happy with the operating system, there are still some basic Vista-only issues to ponder prior to deployment. First, set your users' expectations regarding Aero. The new video interface is fantastic and it's likely that all your power users have seen it by now. If you're not springing for PCs with enough video muscle to run it, let them know early.
Next, use Microsoft's Windows Image (WIM) file format to build yourself some deployment images. For Business and Enterprise users, pay special attention to new Vista features including User Access Control—that's the Unix-like system security layer that now makes it much easier to allow users to run as users and not administrators. This will require some application compatibility testing, so be sure to run through your whole portfolio before finalizing any images.
Next, carefully control power features especially BitLocker and Windows Update. The former can be big liability if users set it up themselves. The latter is much more powerful. Microsoft has added update features for optional add-ons, a link to third-party applications and even the ability to upgrade the whole OS. This needs to be locked down in a corporate setting.
And last, I've said it before and I'll say it again: Invest in some end-user training. It's a great new operating system, but things have definitely changed for those who find features by rote repetition. Set up a tutorial system and let them ask questions. Important points to walk through include the new networking interface, the new file browsing dialogs, Sidebar, OneCare (if you decide to go that route), and Windows Search. Teach them the basics now and you'll reap the reward later: They'll be eagerly awaiting the new features rather than dreading the change.
For a visual look at some Vista RTM, check out this slideshow. And stay tuned for more Vista news and analysis in coming weeks on InfoWorld.com.
Posted by Oliver Rist on November 9, 2006 05:15 PM
