In a message dated: Thu, 13 Sep 2001 08:39:28 EDT
James McKim said:
>Hello Paul,
>
>Thank you for your offer.
>
>One of the things we're also trying to do is determine what issues should be
>addressed during the 1 hour we will have to discuss the topic. Is there a list
>of 4 or 5 issues you would think we should address?
Well, as with any choice (i.e Windows or Linux) related to an IT
infrastructure, there is really only 2 considerations, that of cost
and that of compatibility. The first consideration takes many forms:
- Cost of software (actual media costs, licenses, upgrades, etc.)
- Cost of the existing environment:
What will it cost to stay the same vs. switching to something
new and/or different?
- Cost of training:
Who is maintaining this environment, and do they need to
receive new training for the planned migration path?
- Cost of hardware:
Can you re-use what you have, or will the migration require
more capital expenditure for new hardware.
while the second, compatibility, though not a small issue, IMO, is
more easily dealt with. Compatibility issues include:
- What applications are currently in use in your organization?
- Are currently dependant upon specific applications?
- Do these applications run in the proposed environment?
- Can you migrate from one set of applications to another?
- Do you care about the data storage format of your files
(i.e. is the proprietary MS Word .doc format important
to you, or can you switch to something else)
- Are there applications which only run in your existing
environment that have no equal in the one you've planned to
migrate to, and how should you deal with this issue?
What is the actual target of migration; desktops, servers, entire
infrastructure?
I guess to boil it down to a set of broad topics to be discussed, I
would suggest:
1. What is it you are thinking about migrating?
2. What are the financial cost issues surrounding this migration?
3. What are the application/data concerns/costs surrounding
this proposed migration.
No matter what you propose, you will incur some cost and some pain,
even should that choice be to do absolutely nothing.
I hope that helps.
--
Seeya,
Paul
----
...we don't need to be perfect to be the best around,
and we never stop trying to be better.
Tom Clancy, The Bear and The Dragon
If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right!
