Microsoft Windows 10: Upgrade Checklist for Small Business
As of January, Microsoft Windows 10 runs on over 200 million devices, including desktop PCs, laptops, hybrid laptops and tablets. Many of these devices are owned by small businesses and sole proprietors who may not be in the right position to afford the same volume licensing scenario, accessible by larger entities and corporations.
A big percentage of these devices has also been updated to Windows 10, at no charge, from Windows 7 or Windows 8, by those who have elected to take advantage of the free upgrade offer, still valid until July 29th 2016. With only a little more than five months to go, many more small businesses are expected to upgrade to Windows 10.
By this token, small businesses without access to similar resources available to larger organizations, may need some guidance on how to switch to Windows 10 in a way that is cost effective and simple.
Hardware compatibility
The budget requirements of a small business are generally on the conservative side. This may sometimes translate into over-reliance on outdated hardware, like outdated print and backup servers, and older point-of-sale hardware like ticket printers, credit card readers and barcode scanners.
There is no guarantee that manufacturers will still provide driver support from hardware that is too old, with that said, in most cases, Windows 10 will be capable of handling most of the same hardware supported by Windows 7.
Software compatibility
As a general rule, any application or driver that works in Windows 7, will work just fine in Windows 10. With that said, there are few exceptions, like pre-2015 versions of QuickBooks, or older versions of Sage Peachtree. Businesses using business software that works on a subscription, should be able to upgrade to the latest version, relatively cheaply, as in most cases it’s simply a matter of renegotiating service contracts with new cloud servers.
Server compatibility
Small businesses relying on a centralized Windows server, to manage several devices and workstations, may want to make sure that the infrastructure in question runs at least Windows Server 2012, and System Center Configuration Manager, which is necessary to manage and automate Windows 10 devices within the organization.
Downgrading options
If a small business or organization is not yet ready for Windows 10, downgrading or staying with an existing version of Windows, is still possible, within the realm of extended support. Extended support for Windows 7 will end in 2020, while extended support for Windows 8 will end in 2023.
This comes with some caveats: as recently announced by Microsoft, systems powered by 5th generation Intel processors (Skylake), that run anything but Windows 10, will have no support from Microsoft, except for a list of about a hundred desktop and laptop devices, which will still receive support into, and no further than 2017.
If that is a concern, systems running older processors, like Broadwell, or Haswell, will do just fine, until the official end of support dates for Windows 7 and Windows 8. Furthermore, the latest, and future generations of AMD CPUs, like Athlon, Sempron, or the A-Series, are also a viable option, if Windows 7 and Windows 8 support is an absolute requirement.
Staff training
While Windows 10 is very similar to Windows 7, it’s worth making sure that the staff understands key differences between the old and the new operating systems. Fortunately, Microsoft has a Windows 10 Readiness Kit, available at: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/WindowsForBusiness/, which provides free training and guidance on how to make the most out of Windows 10 in a workplace environment.