Getting to Windows 11

• Windows 11 will be generally available on Oct. 5, 2021.
• Organizations have four years to retire devices that are not capable of running Windows 11 and deploy Windows 11 on supported devices throughout their organization.
• For the near term, customers should focus on determining which devices can run Windows 11 and preventing deployment tools from automatically upgrading capable devices.

With Windows 11 being generally available and with a fixed end-of-support date for Windows 10, organizations have a known window to complete a migration to the next major version of the Windows client OS. Significant changes to the minimum hardware requirements, as well as the same tools being key to deploying and servicing both Windows 10 and Windows 11, require organizations to begin planning for a smooth migration. First steps in any plan include determining the capability of existing devices to run Windows 11 and configuring deployment tools to control the upgrade process.

These Go to 11!

Although Microsoft has stated that “most devices purchased in the last 18 to 24 months will be compatible with Windows 11,” significant new minimum hardware requirements for devices running Windows 11 may require organizations to replace hardware. Such a migration may affect the amortization schedule organizations use for determining when to replace devices and may require changing acquisition plans. These new minimum hardware requirements are part of Microsoft’s efforts to ensure Windows 11 is secure and crashes less than Windows 10.