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Case Study 5.31.2017

Migrating Applications to Microsoft Windows 7

Trexin led a global financial services firm through the migration of 65,000 applications on 51,000 PCs.

App Combatibility for Windows 7

Business Driver

Our Client, a large multinational risk management, insurance, and reinsurance firm, was under intense pressure to migrate 51,000 desktop PCs from Microsoft Windows XP to Windows 7 before the rapidly approaching “end of support” deadline for Windows XP came to pass. To support a move to the newer Windows 7 architecture, over 65,000 applications had to be rationalized, tested, approved, and packaged for delivery using a new “App Store” approach to enterprise software distribution and management.

Sensing the need for additional assistance, the VP of IT accountable for the migration called upon Trexin to leverage our organizational expertise to lead the application readiness program.

Approach

  • Trexin led a deliberately methodical process designed to assist the business units with application testing and establish priorities for the local and off-shore resources remediating incompatible, commercial off-the-shelf software and custom code.
  • In support of the physical machine migrations, a standardized Operating System build called a Common Operating Environment (COE) was created to regulate application support, performance, and certification under Windows 7.
  • With the PC migration schedule set for each global region, the application assessment and remediation schedule was refactored to prioritize applications as they were needed for each site’s start date.
  • An offshore factory was created to work with Microsoft developers overnight while business SMEs validated functionality and performance in a virtual lab environment designed and managed by the Trexin-led project team.
  • Daily results were reported, discussed, and converted to action items during the day for processing by the factory at night.

Results

Trexin resolved several areas of deficiency among our Client’s many business units, IT, and vendor partners with a closed-loop assessment and remediation plan. We designed processes and schedules based on real-time requirements and managed multiple 3rd-party vendors who had significant roles in the transitions. This ensured that the “App Store” was implemented successfully and was ready to deliver applications successfully to the updated desktops on-time with no material delays due to application readiness. Ultimately, the migration was completed on-time, and the Client incurred no unplanned post-cutoff support costs.

Tagged in: Financial Services, Optimized Operations, Program Execution