Moving from Windows to Linux is a big decision, and actually making the leap can be challenging and intimidating. By understanding the planning and preparation process for migrating to Linux, business owners and IT staff will know what to expect during installation so they can make the move manageable and straightforward.
Ubuntu Linux is one of the most popular desktop Linux distros, especially among smaller businesses. There are several reasons for Ubuntu's high profile and stellar reputation: great hardware support, a distro packed with first-rate applications and supporting utilities, and solid commercial backing -- including regular release cycles and long-term support packages -- from Canonical.
Of course, deciding in principle that you'll move to desktop Linux is one thing; actually executing such an important -- and potentially controversial -- decision is quite another. Here, I'll address these concerns by showing just how a typical Windows-to-Ubuntu desktop migration works, in terms of planning and preparation, and prepare you for what to expect during a typical desktop Ubuntu Linux installation process.
Go To Step-By-Step: Migrating Your Desktop From Windows To Linux
Migration Planning: Don't Get Burned On The Buy-In
In strictly technical terms, migrating a desktop PC from Windows to Ubuntu Linux is usually quite straightforward. In fact, a successful shift to desktop Linux may depend more upon careful up-front planning -- and careful communication with both non-IT managers and employees -- than upon navigating any major technical obstacles.
This planning and buy-in process is especially important for smaller companies where non-IT managers make, or at least influence, IT-related budget and strategy decisions. The key issues you should consider here include:
- Managing Risk -- Even if the migration process looks easy from a technical point of view, it still involves an element of risk. Non-IT decision makers are more likely to buy into a migration strategy that involves several smaller steps -- including a test/pilot phase and a graduated series of actual desktop migrations -- than a single great leap into the open-source unknown. Ultimately, even the most compelling arguments in favor of a move to desktop Linux will not persuade decision makers who worry that a glitch in the migration process could cost them hours -- or even days -- of lost productivity.
- Bottom-Up Buy-In -- Even if a smaller company's IT staff embraces a desktop Linux migration, many non-IT employees will see things differently -- and that could lead to a backlash that also turns senior managers against a desktop Linux migration. Plan a migration strategy that gives employees the time and training they need to get comfortable with desktop Linux; Ubuntu's own Wubi environment, for example, provides a great "halfway house" for Linux newbies who aren't ready to give up Windows.
- Selling The Software -- A desktop Linux migration is only as effective as the software employees need to run on their desktop PCs. Very few smaller companies need to worry about either the big vertical apps or custom-developed software that figure in an enterprise Linux migrations. They do, however, need to have a very clear understanding of which applications employees rely upon to perform day-to-day business tasks, so that they can include this software -- or preselected alternative apps -- in their desktop Linux migration plans.
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