Lead Analyst: Michael Cherry [bio]
Contributing Analysts: Rob Helm, Peter Pawlak
Posted: Mar. 19, 2003

Compared to their predecessors, Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP make it considerably more practical for administrators to manage client PCs throughout their life cycle, including installing the operating system, deploying applications, centrally configuring and locking down each PC and its software, supporting users that roam between different PCs, restoring failed PCs, and migrating existing configurations to new PCs. Windows 2000 provided much of the architectural framework necessary to address many client PC management issues. However, in many ways it was a "version 1.0" technology. The complex and unforgiving nature of some Windows 2000 Server technologies—especially Active Directory and Group Policy—along with significant gaps in the accompanying management tool set meant that the Windows 2000 Server's PC client management features went unused by many customers.

This report provides an overview of the improvements in Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP that make it easier and more efficient to manage PCs, and therefore reduce the total cost of ownership of PC-based systems. It outlines incremental improvements and changes to Active Directory, Group Policy, IntelliMirror, and application installation technologies, all of which make it easier, more efficient, and safer for an administrator to manage the PCs in an organization. The report also identifies other Windows technologies and other features that can make it easier to initially deploy and subsequently maintain PCs, such as scripting, Terminal Services, and Remote Installation Services. Finally, it summarizes PC management factors organizations should consider when deciding when and how to migrate systems from Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 to Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP.