Operating System Choosing the Best Windows Desktop Platform For Large and Medium-Sized Businesses and Organizations White Paper June, 1998
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication. This document is for informational purposes only.
ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................................. 2 DEPLOYMENT RECOMMENDATIONS SUMMARY.................................................................................. 3 When Purchasing New PCs 3 When Upgrading Existing Systems 4 COMPARING THE PLATFORMS .............................................................................................................. 5 Windows NT Workstation 4.
ABSTRACT This document provides Microsoft’s operating system deployment recommendations for business desktops – today and for the next few years. Supporting information describes how Microsoft arrived at these deployment recommendations. Keep in mind that every business and desktop environment is unique, so these recommendations should be considered general guidelines. Systems should be tested before deploying.
DEPLOYMENT RECOMMENDATIONS SUMMARY Most importantly, Microsoft recommends that businesses move to 32-bit Windows®-based applications. Modern 32bit applications offer greater reliability, better performance, lower total cost of ownership (TCO), better productivity, and more security than 16-bit Windows-based and MS-DOS®-based applications. In addition, 32-bit applications are best poised to take advantage of hardware and operating system innovations.
When Upgrading Existing Systems Legacy System Roadmap Today Future If existing PC, Pentium 133 class or greater Applications and hardware supported Upgrade to 64 MB RAM and... Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Easiest upgrade path If existing PC, 486DX/66 class or greater Applications and/or hardware not supported in Windows NT Upgrade to 32 MB RAM and... Windows 98 Must make apps HW compatible before upgrade* Windows NT Workstation 5.0 Purchase new PC or... Use with Terminal Server 4.
COMPARING THE PLATFORMS Windows NT Workstation 4.0 and Windows 98 are both modern 32-bit desktop operating systems. While each operating system includes a unique set of core strengths, Windows NT Workstation 4.0 is considered the Microsoft “business” operating system and Windows 98 is considered the Microsoft “consumer” operating system. The following outlines a high-level summary comparing the different platforms. Additional details can also be found on http://www.microsoft.
Windows 98 Windows 98 is a smart upgrade for desktops that cannot be moved to Windows NT Workstation 4.0. In addition to thousands of refinements, Windows 98 is easier to deploy and support than Windows 95, and enables a new generation of innovative hardware. Highlights, as compared to Windows 95, include: • Easier to support. Windows 98 features several troubleshooting wizards, including the System Information Utility, registry checking, Version Conflict Manager and a Maintenance Wizard.
Coming Soon: Windows NT Workstation 5.0 The Windows NT Workstation 5.0 operating system promises to combine the best of Windows 98, including native Plug and Play and power management, while significantly extending the manageability, reliability, security, and performance of Windows NT Workstation 4.0. In fact, improved management capabilities are expected to reduce TCO as much as 50 percent or more over other Windows-based environments.
PREPARING FOR WINDOWS NT WORKSTATION It is important to evaluate an existing environment for application and hardware compatibility. In general, new PCs preinstalled with Windows NT Workstation 4.0 need to be evaluated only for application compatibility. If applications are found to be not compatible with Windows NT Workstation 4.
Purchasing New PCs While the economics of replacing versus upgrading is outside the scope of this paper, Microsoft recommends using the following guidelines when purchasing new PCs. Businesses are always best advised to purchase the highest end systems possible. The following base guidelines ensure a productive user experience as well as the ability to take advantage of software management features. These systems will also be Windows NT Workstation 5.0-“ready.
CONCLUSION Microsoft’s foremost recommendation is to move to 32-bit Windows-based applications. New PCs should have the Windows NT Workstation 4.0 operating system preinstalled with a minimum of 64 MB RAM. Capable existing PCs should be moved to Windows NT Workstation 4.0. Most PCs that are not capable of being moved to Windows NT Workstation 4.0 should be upgraded to Windows 98. For existing Windows 3.x desktops that cannot be upgraded to Windows NT Workstation 4.
