Hello Mr. Gurjar,
Here is long mail and may be beginners guide to Migration and Change Management.
On Sun, 2005-02-27 at 12:45, neel s Gurjar wrote:
Hi, all i have some querries please see down
Queries : We are Planning to migrate from Windows to Linux Platform.Currently we are having two departments with below hardware and software configurations. We seek your guidance for this migration process. We will be very grateful if you can help us out in this pr We seek your guidance on following queries :-
Before you go head long into this, please consider following.
1. Have you created Vision Document?
2. Have you enrolled Management / Decision Makers into this Vision?
3. Have you done Risk Analyses?
A. Lose of Users Productivity
B. Disruption in normal business activity
C. Availability / Non-availability of Applications, Vendor Support
D. Technological Change management related issues
E. Availability of Technical and Non-Technical Manpower?
4. Have you presented Risk Analyses to Management?
5. Have created Objectives and Goals?
6. Have you created Migration / Implementation Plan?
7. Have you created contingency Plan?
8. Have you Enrolled Users into you Vision and Plan?
9. Have you formulated User Training Plan?
If the answer to any of the questions is NO then please consider dropping the whole IDEA of Migration.
If the answers to the all of the above questions are YES then consider taking following steps.
If you really want to move to GNU/Linux Desktop, you must ask few questions to yourself and your users. These answers will help you understand the needs of your organisation and help you in charting and planning the right course of action.
Here are the few of the questions.
1. Why are we moving to GNU/Linux Desktop?
2. What will be the cost implications in terms of acquisition, training, support, maintenance and upgrades for Hardware and software over the period of 3 to 5 years?
3. Do we have trained manpower to train end users and support GNU/Linux Desktops and Servers?
4. Does GNU/Linux Desktops has all the applications required by users?
5. Will this cause any inter-operable and data exchange issues with internal users, Vendors, Partners and Customers?
6. Are we going to maintain heterogeneous OS environment?
7. Do we have any special/custom applications which is not available on GNU/Linux Desktop?
8. Do we have User, Information and Security Policies in place?
Also, get following info from the users.
1. Which office application suite you are using? 2. Which Internet Browser you are using? 3. Which e-Mail Client you are using? 4. Which Instant Messaging/Chat Client(s) you are using? 5. Are you using any other or special application(s)? 6. How do you share and exchange files and data with your colleagues, vendors, partners and customers? 7. What are the common file types you deal with? File types like Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations, Graphics and Pictures etc.? 8. What is your level of adaptability to new Operating Environment? 9. Will you be comfortable in using something new and different? 10. Will it affect your productivity and performance? How? 11. Are you comfortable in paper based office communication? Or are you comfortable in electronic office communication? Which one would you prefer more? Why?
If the above sound to be too much get external consultants to help you.
Better still, don't do this WITHOUT having external consultants.
Remember, the problem is not the Technology. The problem is people and their mindset.
What you need the most is CHANGE MANAGEMENT.
Please reply neel
Hope this will help you and other in managing the Migration from one technology to any other technology.
With regards,