The document discusses top considerations for evaluating Windows 7 migration tools, highlighting VMware Mirage. It notes Mirage allows zero-touch migration over WAN with minimal downtime. In contrast, tools like SCCM require complex setup across multiple servers. Mirage offers a simple, automated workflow with no external dependencies. It also keeps a backup of original Windows images and supports both in-place and new hardware migrations centrally managed from a single console.

1. Top 10 Considerations
When Evaluating
Windows 7 Migration
Tools for the Enterprise
TEC H N I C A L W H ITE PA P E R

2. Top 10 Considerations When Evaluating
Windows 7 Migration Tools for the Enterprise
VMware Mirage™ software is a desktop virtualization solution that combines the centralization and manageability
of VDI with the flexibility and user experience of a laptop. The Mirage architecture centralizes the desktop in
the datacenter for management and protection, distributes a copy for local execution at the endpoint, and
optimizes the data transfer and storage, making the solution optimal for environments with remote or mobile
users. One of the key, ongoing activities enabled by Mirage is mass, in-place Windows migration. This paper
looks at the considerations that impact IT when evaluating Windows 7 migration tools for the enterprise,
highlighting the technical and business advantages of the Mirage software.
1. Zero-touch – The cost and duration of large scale migration deployments depends heavily on the level of
automation that can be achieved. In particular, “zero-touch”, i.e., not requiring physical access to the machine,
is a key property that determines whether IT can perform migration centrally vs. having to travel to sites (or
rely on “smart” users). Mirage is one of the few tools that offer true zero-touch migration for all users, including
distributed/remote users that connect to corporate over a WAN.
2. Support for deployment over WAN – Distributed enterprises with multiple branch offices face the challenge
of limited bandwidth vs. very large Windows 7 images. To enable central delivery of Windows 7 images over
the network, WAN optimization techniques are needed, including caching techniques to eliminate redundant
shipment of images to endpoints within the same branch. Mirage offers advanced WAN optimization techniques
including block and file level de-duplication, compression and “branch reflectors”, which are admin-designated
endpoints that download the image over the WAN once and serve multiple co-located peers over a LAN.
3.Deployment Complexity – Most migration solutions require a complex setup and sequence of tasks involving
multiple tools. For example, the SCCM process for Windows 7 migration is as follows:
• Prepare an image using an imaging tool (e.g., Microsoft Deployment Toolkit)
• Deploy and configure distribution point servers at the branches (Windows servers)
• Backup files and profiles for all migrated endpoints into a file-server (NAS)
• Distribute the Windows 7 image to distribution points servers
• Use PXE boot to boot images with new image (must be in LAN proximity to endpoints)
• Use Sysprep mini-setup to setup and initialize the endpoint with Windows 7 image
• Restore from the file server files and profiles back to the endpoint (e.g., using USMT)
• Install Windows 7 apps by defining packages with SCCM and deploying them to the endpoints
• Validate that the process completed successfully
Mirage offers a single tool with no external dependencies and provides a simple workflow:
• Prepare the image using Wanova’s reference machine
• Designate branch reflectors centrally from the management console
• nvoke the Windows 7 migration wizard – select a collection of target endpoints and click OK. Images are
I
delivered efficiently and directly to a staging area at the endpoints disks.
• he user is prompted to reboot into Windows 7 (auto-reboot or controlled reboot are optional). The system
T
reboots into Windows 7 and restores user files and profiles.
4. Safety net: Revert to (or access) XP image – What happens if the migration fails for some reason, or if a
user discovers that a key XP application is missing in Windows 7? A robust solution should keep a backup of the
XP image and enable reverting back to XP or accessing it if needed. Mirage leverages its integrated recovery and
management services and by default keeps a snapshot of the XP image, which can be restored if needed. Moreover,
Mirage can restore the image onto a virtual machine to allow a user access to his XP image (e.g., access app that
is missing in Windows 7).
5. Minimized end user downtime – Ideally, users should leave their machines for a short period and return to
their upgraded machines with their profiles restored. Mirage provides background delivery of the images,
allowing users to work uninterrupted until they are requested to boot into Windows 7. This typically requires
only about 30 minutes of downtime post reboot. Once complete, the user profile (files and settings) is available.
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3. Top 10 Considerations When Evaluating
Windows 7 Migration Tools for the Enterprise
6. Application Remediation – A key step in the migration process is to determine the applications that can
migrate to Windows 7 vs. those that need to be upgraded or replaced. An effective tool should automatically
check application compatibility against a knowledge base and automate the process.
7. Application deployment – In addition to delivering the Windows 7 image, new applications need to be deployed
along with the image. An effective migration tool should offer the option to deploy the applications on top of the
image as part of the migration process. Mirage allows administrators to build an image with additional corporate
applications, either in the base image or in a departmental application layer, and apply them into the endpoints
pre-installed, avoiding the need to deploy packages and install them at the endpoints.
8. Support both in-place and cross hardware migration – In a typical enterprise some of the PCs are compatible
with Windows 7 and some are not. In addition, many organizations use leased equipment with different refresh
periods. Thus, it is desirable to offer a uniform solution that supports both in-place and cross hardware migrations.
Mirage offers a single tool to migrate both. Endpoints can be automatically classified based on their hardware
type. For cross-hardware, the user profile is migrated from the old machine while the Windows 7 image is delivered
directly to the new machine.
9. Automation – For large-scale deployments, the degree of automation that can be achieved is highly
important. For instance, in cross-hardware migrations there should be a method to map source and target
devices to avoid manual assignment. Mirage offers a highly automated wizard-driven solution out of the box,
and can be further customized using management APIs. In addition, Mirage offers hooks to inject scripts
during the migration process to customize actions such as domain join etc.
10. End-to-end management – An effective migration solution should minimize the number of tools,
dependencies and management interfaces, including monitoring and configuration. Mirage provides an endto-end solution. Administrators enjoy a single, centralized point of control to manage and monitor a large
number of migrations in parallel with a small number of IT administrators, without requiring sending IT to
remote offices. The combination of a single highly automated tool, zero-touch, WAN optimizations and
backup, lead to a robust solution with a dramatic reduction in operational and capital expenses.
Summary
In summary, VMware Mirage enables you to migrate a large collection of Windows XP endpoints to Windows
7 across a WAN or LAN with no loss of user personalization or user files. Similar to mass hardware refresh, IT
administrators can now prepare a Windows 7 image and perform automatic, in-place Windows XP to Windows
7 migrations. The Windows 7 migration offers some unique capabilities: it is zero-touch, meaning that it requires
no external boot media or even PXE boot, hence can be done all from a central location; it has minimal downtime
for the users (typically 30 minutes or less); images are optimally transferred; it is centrally monitored and managed;
and it provides a copy of the XP image as a safety-net, and enables users to revert back to their XP image.
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08/12