2 page Case Study - Posted 8/13/2009
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Dell Cuts IT Work, Tightens Security, Improves Performance with New Software
As one of the world’s leading computer manufacturers, Dell knows how critical client computers are to business productivity and success. Dell is planning to upgrade its 100,000 desktop and portable computers to the Windows® 7 operating system to reduce desktop management costs and enhance data security. Dell has been impressed with Windows 7 performance, especially on portable computers.
Business Needs
Dell is one of the world’s largest computer manufacturers, providing client and server computers, storage devices, printers, and computer accessories to businesses, consumers, and governments around the world. The Round Rock, Texas–based company has 78,000 employees and is dedicated to helping customers increase the value of IT investments.
Dell gets practice at this objective in managing its own vast technology infrastructure, which includes 100,000 desktop and portable computers. Dell deployed the Windows Vista® Enterprise operating system to 15,000 of these computers to take advantage of security and desktop management improvements. The other 85,000 computers run the Windows® XP Professional operating system.
The Dell Client Infrastructure Engineering Team is always looking for efficiencies in managing such a large infrastructure and uses Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 to automate operating system and application deployment. However, the team wanted to reduce the work involved in updating and testing software images, which took weeks.
The team was also worried about employees’ increasing use of portable USB drives to transport data. “These small drives are more likely to be stolen or lost than a notebook computer,” says Christopher Minaugh, Systems Engineer in the Dell Client Infrastructure Engineering Team. They also wanted stronger operating system security features to keep computers safe.
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The software imaging work for Windows 7 will take 50 percent less time … plus we can make changes to the image on the fly. This enables us to keep applications up to date and computers protected. ... |
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Christopher Minaugh
Systems Engineer, Client Infrastructure Engineering Team,
Dell |
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Of course, working for a manufacturer that prides itself on producing fast computers, Dell employees have a penchant for performance. “Our environment requires an on-demand computing model, because our users need instant access to information,” says Warren Byle, Systems Engineer in the Client Infrastructure Engineering Team at Dell.
Solution
When Microsoft made the Windows® 7 Beta operating system available, the Dell Client Infrastructure Engineering Team moved quickly to evaluate it. To date, Dell has deployed Windows 7 to its early adopters, with the expectation to upgrade all 100,000 computers.
Dell took advantage of new deployment efficiencies in Windows 7, such as the hard link migration feature in the User State Migration Tool, which enables the IT staff to leave data on a computer while the operating system is being replaced with Windows 7. Using the Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool, the team can more easily create, change, and manage desktop images.
The Windows XP Mode in Windows 7 will help migrate thousands of Windows XP–based computers to Windows 7. This feature, available in the Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions, provides a virtual Windows XP environment capable of running Windows XP–compatible applications.
The Dell Global Services Desk uses the Problem Steps Recorder feature in Windows 7, which enables users to reproduce and record steps (as screen shots) leading up to an application failure. The support staff also uses the Windows Troubleshooting Platform to resolve user problems faster.
Dell will be able to take better advantage of User Account Control in Windows 7, which reduces user prompts, and the BitLocker To Go™ feature, which extends data protection to USB storage devices and enables the IT staff to monitor them using Group Policy.
Benefits
By upgrading to Windows 7, Dell will reduce its IT management work, enhance network protection, and improve computer performance, even on the smallest portable computers.
Reduced Management Work
“The software imaging work for Windows 7 will take 50 percent less time than it previously did with Windows XP, plus we can make changes to the image on the fly,” Minaugh says. “We can create an image in an hour and change it as often as we want. This enables us to keep applications up to date and computers protected with the latest security updates.” Using System Center Configuration Manager 2007, Dell will be able to deploy Windows 7 to thousands of users overnight.
The Windows 7 Troubleshooting Platform could reduce support costs by up to 25 percent, based on eliminating one out of four calls that involve repetitive, manual actions.
Better Data and Network Protection
With BitLocker To Go guarding data on portable storage devices and User Account Control defending client computers, Dell has greater assurance that its computers and data are safe. “Having a scalable encryption solution included in the operating system is valuable,” says Takis Petropoulos, IT Manager for Dell. “And with User Account Control, we know that malicious code is not getting executed on our computers.”
Better Performance, Support for Portables
Dell has found Windows 7 performance to be “incredible, even on legacy hardware,” Minaugh says. “Memory and CPU utilization is outstanding. Also, the ability to run Windows 7 on netbooks is important, considering the increased demand for these platforms. We sell many kinds of computers, and we want to make sure the latest operating systems run on all of them.”
