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Executive Sponsor Key to Deploying Win2K
"Executive sponsor is absolutely critical" in large-scale Windows 2000 deployments, says Ty Carlson, Microsoft's Lead Product Manager of Windows 2000 Rapid Deployment Program at MCP TechMentor Confere
If your Windows 2000 tests have been running smoothly so far, it doesn't mean the process will get any smoother once the rollout begins. According to Ty Carlson, Microsoft's Lead Product Manager of the Windows 2000 Rapid Deployment Program, careful planning paired with good corporate support is the key to slashing time spent on large-scale Windows 2000 deployments. Carlson discussed best practices for planning and leading a Windows 2000 migration at
MCP Magazine's MCP TechMentor Conference in Chicago.
"If you don't have the right level of executive sponsor, you will fail," said Carlson. He cautioned that the executive sponsor has to carry enough clout to keep the rollout running smoothly, and to make sure political arguments between IT factions get resolved quickly.
Carlson then offered his advice for a successful Win2K rollout: "Have a well-defined set of priorities at the outset." Keep them clean, simple, and few." In one example, Carlson provided this basic set of priorities, viewed from a technical standpoint:
- Single sign-on across the enterprise
- Centralized admin
- Minimal number of images
- Support for roaming and remote users
- Future support for Exchange 2000
On the business side, the rollout priorities might be:
- Allow for mergers and divestitures.
- Not force how the company does business.
One interesting sidenote, according to Carlson: "In reality, Active Directory isn't going to be the tough challenge," Carlson emphasized. "Group policy is."
Ty Carlson also hinted at what was to come in "Whistler," the next release of Windows 2000, which he said would simply be updated with consumer components. While no date has been set for its release, Carlson said that Microsoft has been in the process of implementing a new development structure that will allow it to deliver on an 18-to-24 month development cycle.
Click here to download and view Ty Carlson's PowerPoint presentation; requires PowerPoint 5.0 or higher.
Click here to listen to the entire Monday keynote speech by Ty Carlson, Lead Product Manager, Windows 2000 RDP. This audio presentation is 1 hour and 30 minutes (20+ MB) and requires Windows Media Player; for best results, please use version 4.0 or higher.