Executive Summary
Widows Server 2008 R2 offers extra access options. They include options such as dial-up remote access as well as modern DirectAccess technology. The new technology will provide Global Merchandise Corporation with a more advanced platform that has bigger band width; user and administration ease of use, greater compatibility as well as an advanced security option.
The report was prepared in order to establish the costs associated with deploying Global Merchandise Corporation computer system with a newer advanced Widows Server 2008 R2 operating system as well as adoption of widows 7 desktop. The move was aimed at upgrading the Global Merchandise security. The project is anticipated o cost approximately $ 197,500.
Global Merchandise Corporation will use about 110000 to purchase 20 units of Widows Server 2008 R2 at a cost of $ 5500 each. In addition, about $ 20,000 will be used to pay for the IT professionals who will foresee the changes needed. Moreover, the implementation of the new changes will entail the employees using new methods as well as procedures that they are not conversant with.
Subsequently, Global Merchandise Corporation will require training its workforce on using their new system in order for them to be in a position to use the new functions that are incorporated in widows 7 desktop. The training of the Global Merchandise Corporation employees is estimated to cost approximately 67500.
Despite the high costs that will be involved in this transformation, Merchandise Corporation is expected to enjoy the long term benefits that will accompany the change such improved protection of organizations information and intellectual property, reduced IT labor costs, reduced bandwidth costs as well as smoother connectivity.
Introduction
The 21st century has been noted by great advancement in technology and especially an enormous development in Information Technology (). Microsoft Corporation has not been left behind as it has introduced many great products into the market.
Widow Server 2008 R2 and Widow 7 desktop are some of its latest inventions that have tremendously improved IT. Widows Servers 2008 R2 as well as Widows 7 desktops have greatly enhanced performance, connectivity and system security.
Servers
The latest widow server 2008 R2 is more advanced than the Microsoft widow 2000 and Widow Server 2003. In Microsoft corporation a newer widow edition builds on the strength of the later version and incorporates new innovations in technology to offer an environment that is more reliable, productive and more connected. It offers newer and more efficient file print as well as improved web and other applications.
Widow 2008 server has a newer feature referred as DirectAccess that allows greater connectivity than the virtual Private Network that is associated with widow 2000 and 2003. DirectAccess is capable to set up associations to the system network every time it has internet connectivity even if they are located at port controlled firewall or at the back the web proxy. In addition, the presence of DirectAccess feature in widow server 2008 makes the administrators tasks easier.
The availability of the DirectAccess feature makes the administrator to have more control over the computers that are connected to the organization’s network. Thus, the administrator can straightforwardly bring up to date Group Policy or software on the systems each time it connects to the internet. DirectAccess enables him/her to update the system software even to the systems that are not logged on.
Widow Server has more advanced security features than widow Server 2000 and 2003. DirectAccess present in Widow Server 2008 uses IPv6 which supports multifactor authentication that is more effective than IPSec present in Widow Server 2000 and 2003. IPSec authentication is only restricted to the user and the computers. Despite DirectAccess using IPv6, client systems are able to connect to the widow 2008 server on the organization network via the IPv4 Internet.
In addition, DirectAccess separates internet traffics and intranet traffics to enhance the performance and security of the network. The separation makes it possible to restrict internet communications passing through the internal network. Moreover, Widow Sever 2008 R2 permit the administrator to manage which applications relays with the internet and those interior subnets computers they can hook up to.
This not capability is not possible with Widow Server 2000 and 2003. DirectAccess have two IPSec tunnels that are designed to enhance its security. One of the IPSec is an Encapsulating Security Payload. It employs a computer account and a computer certificate authentication to get admission to DNS servers as well as get access of the domain controllers. It is also used to get access to management servers like Network Access Protection and software update.
This IPsec tunnel helps to manage the system even when the workstations are not logged on. The other IPSec tunnel employs a computer certificate and user credential to obtain authentication using Kerberos. This helps the users to have the access of the company’s applications and resources from the network. Moreover Widow Server 2008 R2 provides end-to-end IPSec encryption that is very secure (Shinder, 2010).
Linux is another very effective Widow Server. That is the reason why the management had opted to include it as one of its preferred operating system. Nevertheless, the company should consider to upgrade their servers from Widow 2000 , 2003 and Linux server in order to enjoy the DirectAccess feature that accompany Widow Server 2008 R2. Thus, Widow Server 2008 R2 is known to provide greater connectivity, performance as well as protection over Widow Server 2000, 2003 and the Linux Server.
In addition, the company should consider doing away with the Linux servers and replace them with Widow Server 2008 R2 in order to increase compatibility of the network devices as the entire network will now be comprised of devices that share similar technology. This will greatly help to enhance security, performance and connectivity of the network (Williamson, 2009).
Widow 7 Desktop
Widow 2000 and widow XP are very popular desktops that have been highly embraced by many corporate as well as personal computer users. The Global Merchandise Corporation is not an exceptional; it has over 90% of its desktop computers running on widow 2000 and widow XP. The management should consider upgrading its XP and widow 2000 desktop computers with Widow 7.
The change will help the company to enhance its performance and also reinforce the security of its network. Global Merchandise Corporation should immediately consider replacing those desktops that runs with widow 2000 since they are outdated and are no longer supported by Microsoft Corporation This is because Microsoft Corporation terminated the support of widow 2000 in the year 2010.
This means that those computers that operate with widow 2000 do no longer receive security alerts as well as other updates that Microsoft Corporation provides occasionally to enhance the security as well as the performance of its systems (North, 2010). Moreover, Global Merchandise Corporation should consider replacing widow XP.
The reason why it should consider replacing widow XP is because Microsoft Corporation will stop supporting widow XP in the year 2014. Therefore after the year 2014, the corporation will get into a big problem when it gets into a situation where 90% of its desktops will be running on software that are not supported by Microsoft Corporation if it does not update them.
This will make the corporation to greatly compromise the performance and security of its network.In addition, Global Merchandise Corporation should consider upgrading its system to newer and more efficient Widows 7 software desktop. Widows 7 has a more appealing and interactive interface with an improved task bar that enables users to arrange objects on the task bar according to one’s accord with added functionalities.
This helps users to avoid having cluttered desktops. In addition, Widows 7 desktop has improved networking features. Thus, Widow 7 desktop has made networking to become livelier as well as friendlier. Now, the administrator is able to set a network quite easier as well as share files and information more easily. Furthermore, Widow 7 desktop includes more advanced network security facilities that reinforce corporate networks from vulnerability to hackers (Alam, 2011).
Budget Required To Change Global Merchandise Corporation Network to widow 2008 R2 server
Server Related Costs
Global Merchandise Corporation will buy 20 Widows server 2008 R2 at a cost of $ 5,500 each.
Internal Labor Cost
The organization is estimated to use approximately 200 man-hours for IT engineering time on for implementing DirectAccess and BranchCache for the whole organizations infrastructures.
Training Related Costs
The organization will undergo an extra cost to train the workforce on how to run the new system. The employees will not be trained on how to use the new Operating System, but will be trained on how to use widows 7 as a result of its new features.
Total Costs
The total cost to upgrade the Global Merchandise Corporation is will be high approximately $ 197,500. The amount of money will be used to upgrade the 2000, 2003 widow server and Linux server with widow 2008 server that is better in performance , connectivity as well as in security.
Similarly, some of the money reflected in the budget will be used to buy appropriate software and hardware required to transform the existing XP and widow 2000 desktops to widow 7 desktops as well as configuring the existing network to accommodate the new changes. Moreover, some money will be used to pay for the IT-labor required for transforming the organization’s network.
Furthermore, there will be some extra money that will be used for training the employees to use widows 7. Nevertheless, despite the high costs associated with this change, the long term benefits are bigger in terms of improved performance and reduced costs of operations that will associated with the new system.
Reference List
Alam, S. (2011). Advantages of Windows 7. New York: Prentice Hall
North, J. (2010). The Total Economical Impact of Widows 7.New York: Prentice Hall.Shinder,D. (2010). Windows Server 2008 R2 Remote Access Options: Enterprise Security. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Williamson, T. (2009). Common Operating System. New York: Prentice Hall