Dell Offers Migration Services For Deploying Windows Vista

Dell on Tuesday launched migration services for organizations planning to switch to Windows Vista on 2,500 or more client computers.

Dell's Client Migration Solution helps customers determine hardware and application compatibility, and then helps them plan, deploy, and manage the migration. The package includes software tools to help automate the transition.

"Customers are migrating to Windows Vista, and they've asked Dell to provide services to simplify the process for them," Steve Meyer, VP of Global Services for Dell, said in a statement. "In response, Dell is delivering a new integrated solution that combines focused, upfront planning with industry-leading processes and tools to streamline setup, minimize onsite and manual intervention, and drive complexity out of the process, helping customers reclaim time and money."

Dell claims its tools and migration strategy, which the company says is based on best practices gleaned from "millions of deployments," can reduce migration costs by up to 62% and desk-side time and labor by up to 88%. Among the migration challenges Dell addresses are network utilization, application compatibility, and end-user downtime.

Dell is offering the new service initially in the United States, Europe, and Canada. Pricing is based on the customer's needs and client environment. The portfolio is also available on a limited basis in Latin America. Dell plans to make the service available in the Asia-Pacific region and Japan later this year.

Dell in February revamped its services and support offerings as part of the company's commitment to triple its services business within three years. The overhaul, called ProSupport, gives customers more options to tailor services to fit their needs. Rather than take a one-size-fits-all approach, Dell has put together packages of options for each category of customer: small and medium-sized businesses, large businesses, government, education, and health care and life sciences.