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ISV: Nearly Half of Organizations Not Off Windows XP
AppSense is yet another independent software vendor sounding the Windows XP death knell.
The U.K.-based company, with offices in California and New York, estimates that about 45 percent of organizations haven't started migrations to Windows 7 or Windows 8, according to a recent blog post. The risks of not moving include paying for expensive custom support agreements with Microsoft (at about $200 per device) or braving security risks after April 8, 2014. That's the date when Windows XP's "extended support" ends and security patches for the operating system stop being delivered.
AppSense describes itself as a provider of user virtualization solutions and claims that its software separates out policies, preferences, settings and rights into a user layer. User "persona" and data get moved without disrupting the user experience during the migration, according to company literature. The Microsoft Gold Partner lays claim to being "the sole exclusive Microsoft Desktop Enablement Partner for user personalization."
Windows XP migrations are supported by AppSense's DesktopNow user virtualization software, as well as its DataNow tool, which facilitates the migration of distributed endpoints without requiring a virtual private network.
For other Windows XP Migration needs, AppSense works with partners. For overall assessment of the computing environment in preparation for a migration, the company works with Centrix Software and Lakeside Software. For sorting out application compatibility issues, it partners with Flexera Software.
The company has a new portal page for those considering Windows XP migrations. It includes links to a couple of white papers on why organizations should be alarmed about the impending end of Windows XP. Also included is a Forrester Research study that quantifies the economics of using the AppSense Management Suite.
About the Author
Kurt Mackie is senior news producer for 1105 Media's Converge360 group.