Overview
Migrating your users to the Windows 7 OS is a major project. Microsoft's User State Migration tool,
while helpful and simplifies the process, only migrates users one-by-one, thus IT Administrators can benefit
from centrally managed, domain-based, multi-user migration management capabilities and avoid custom scripting.
Viewfinity has developed a wizard-based User State Migration tool that works with the Microsoft User
State Migration (one-to-one) scripting tool and adds out-of-the-box automation for multiple-user migration,
all from a centralized status and monitoring console. The tool will collect all settings and user data,
perform the migration cycle and the restore process all on the same PC or you can elect to completely migrate
to a new piece of hardware. All this is done automatically without the need for any custom scripting.
Get started today and download the product.
Installation and Setup Requirements
- Viewfinity User Migration Manager can be installed on Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 PC (AD member computers in your organization)
- You should be prepared to provide the user account which is a member of the Domain Admin group
- Microsoft .Net Framework 3.5 should be installed on the PC running Viewfinity User Migration Manager. Download here.
- You need to have the free Windows Automated Installation Kit AIK installed. Download here.
- A dedicated network share for storing collected user personality (data, OS and application settings)
Key Differences Inherent in Viewfinity User Migration
The key differences that Viewfinity's migration offers are simple and straightforward yet quite valuable. By providing centralized migration of multiple users and settings with wizard based capabilities for managing your Windows 7 migration project, you save time, money, and offer a non-disruptive, clean upgrade process for your end users. An analysis was conducted and, based on 1,000 PCs, indicated that IT administrators will spend up to 83% less time migrating users using the Viewfinity User Migration product.
Migration Best Practices Guidelines
1. Be Prepared! Assess Your Migration Readiness
Probably the most important step for a successful migration is to have a very thorough understanding of your current environment. You'll want an in-depth, concise inventory of all computers in your IT asset portfolio, including hardware, operating systems, applications with associated version information, and patches.
Viewfinity Systems Management provides free asset inventory and assessments reports to help you gauge your Windows 7 readiness. Using Viewfinity's Systems Management product, you can gather asset inventory for every computer within your domain, including PCs used by mobile workers. There is no need to setup an internal server to collect this information — Viewfinity Systems Management software is available via Viewfinity's cloud-computing platform thus the scan and collection process automatically begins the moment a PC connects to the Internet.
2. Consider a Straightforward Approach
In a few simple steps, Viewfinity User Migration captures user personal settings, application settings and user data files and performs the migration from Windows XP or Vista to Windows 7. No desk-side visits or remote desktop sessions are required. The migration process can be scheduled on multiple Active Directory user accounts and/or groups and are prompted to kick off according to the schedule. End users are provided with the option to perform the personality Collection and Restore process at their convenience without posing any limitations on daily activity.
3. A Centralized Approach for Migrating Multiple Users
Viewfinity User Migration tool works with Microsoft User State Migration (one-to-one) scripting tool and enhances it by adding easy to use, out-of-the-box automation that has the power of a scripting language. Using Viewfinity User Migration, administrators can create simultaneous migration projects for multiple AD users and monitor the results of the User Personality Collection process on the PCs as well as observe the Restore process for a central status monitoring console.
4. Time Savings is Key
Typically administrators spent a significant amount of time on post migration configuration tasks: establishing application settings, resetting the user's desktop look and feel and restoring personal files. We found a few tools that are available to automate some level of the one to one migration process, however, they still demand a fair amount of time commitment, from both administrator and end-user. Since we migrate all the elements: application settings, user settings, operation systems, and data files, there is very little manual labor involved. For any applications being migrated that require administrator rights, Viewfinity handles all of this behind the scenes using our Privilege Management features.
How does Viewfinity User Migration Work?
Migration of user personal settings/data from Windows XP, Vista to Windows 7 project is done from a central control and monitoring console and consists of 3 steps. Below is a very high-level outline of the various steps. More detailed information can be found in the Viewfinity User Migration User Guide.
- Create the migration project
The IT Administrator creates a Migration Project by specifying the settings, applications and data intended to be migrated and associates that project with AD users/groups.
- Collecting user settings/data
Once the Migration Project is established and set to run, the end users who have been scheduled for migration need to log into the PC from which they are migrating, and will be prompted for data/settings for the Collection process. The user has the option to start the Collection process or postpone. If the user postpones the Collection process, the next time they log in, they will be prompt to begin the Collection process.
- Restoring user settings/data
Upon the successful Collection of user data/settings, the Restore process will begin the next time the user logs into the Windows 7 PC. The user may elect to start the Restore process or postpone until a later time. The administrator does not need to take any additional steps on the end user PCs, such temporarily assigning local administrator rights to the end user accounts, as Viewfinity automatically handles any applications being migrated that require administrator rights.
Reporting
Administrators may monitor the status of any active migration project for any end users. Reports contain information such as status of user settings/data collection, the size of the collection as well as current status of the migration.
Future Capabilities & Feedback
While we support migration capabilities for many products, there may be some for which we have not yet accounted. We'd be happy to assist you with your migration needs for applications that are not part of our out-of-the-box capabilities. Simply contact us using the dialog box below (be sure to include your email address), provide us with the applications and OS settings you would like us to support, and we will get back to you regarding our ability to honor your request.
Other Viewfinity Products
Viewfinity Systems Management
Viewfinity Privilege Management