As Microsoft® winds down its support of Windows embedded CE and Windows Mobile, a decision deadline is looming for most enterprises. They must choose a new operating system for their mobile handheld tracking devices or be exposed to major security risks and no ability to add new applications.
In Q4 of 2017, nearly 5 of every 6 smart devices purchased are running an Android Operating System (OS). Apple iOS came in a distant second with 14% of the market share. Windows Mobile devices didn’t fair nearly so. Less than 1 of every 1,000 smart devices purchased coming equipped with a Windows OS. Source: IDC, May 2017.
Migrating to a new OS involves transferring large quantities of critical data, retooling and upgrading applications to run on the new OS and upgrading to hardware that takes full advantage of the new operating system. Unless your company has an in-house IT team specialized in mobile computer hardware refreshes & operating system upgrades, this effort an be an extremely expensive & time consuming endeavor with no guaranteed results that everything is configured properly. That’s because of the nuances and unique requirements of mobile computers such as designating a user and/or a device profile, enrolling an Android device on a network, and “hardening” the devices to have the highest level of security.
Most importantly, the primary way your company will be affected by this mobile computer revolution is the very real security risks that result from running unsupported legacy operating systems.
In 2017 the Department of Homeland Security wrote a paper titled “Study on Mobile Device Security.” This paper defines a cyber security threat model in addition to current mitigations and defenses methods to help protect mobile computer devices, networks, and intellectual property. Three of the most effective ways to ensure your systems are secure it to always install security updates when available, seek a clear security commitment from device vendors and/or mobile carriers, and decommission legacy devices that are no longer supported with security updates. To read the full paper click the button below.
Unfortunately, Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away. When 2020 finally comes any companies still running legacy Windows Mobile deices will be open to major security risks with no more security patches. Not to mention the lost opportunity to improve your business by upgrading your OS, apps, and devices. Competitors who’ve completed the migration will have a big advantage against companies still using the legacy devices of the old world.
Very few people have ever had to migrate their business devices from Windows to Android before. Microsoft Windows has dominated the business world for decades so therefore it’s not immediately obvious to know the what, who, when, where, why, and hows of a Android deployment/migration. In fact, the sudden announcement from Microsoft of the End of Life/End of Support dates doesn’t give as much time to learn how to perform the migration.
For projects of this size and scope learning on the job can get very costly, very quickly. This is precisely where Lowry can help as a trusted partner to advise which devices are best for your company, making sure all your applications re-purposed to work in Android and installed on the new devices, securely enrolling the new devices on your network, testing the devices with real use cases upon completion and everything else in between.
Lowry Solutions help is your trusted partner to advise which devices are best for your company, making sure all your applications re-purposed to work in Android and installed on the new devices, securely enrolling the new devices on your network, testing the devices with real use cases upon completion and everything else in between. Our process helps streamline the migration process:
1. Scoping and Planning | 2. Design and Implementation | 3. Testing & Validation | 4. Pilot, Training and Support
Accelerate productivity through modernization with our proprietary solutions for Terminal and Compact applications. We start the engagement with a Modernization Assessment. During the assessment we take the legacy application code and determine the best course of action for that specific application.
Lowry Solutions has exclusive capabilities to improve user experience for businesses, leading to increased adoption and efficiency.
A detailed understanding of how and where you use mobile devices will help you frame up the size, scope, and complexity of a technology refresh. This also sets the framework for determining which areas of your business are impacted and how you will want to prioritize from a timing perspective.
The next step in the process is to understand how many mobile devices you have to support the above use cases, what Operating System (OS) they are currently running, which applications are required, and what accessories are needed for a successful migration.
Review connectivity test results and upgraded screens for approval. then create followed by a connectivity test. Customer then performs a User Acceptance Test (UAT) to be reviewed with Lowry.
After all testing is completed, a pilot deployment will be conducted in a working environment. Lowry Support and maintenance commitments are established. This includes 1-on-1 or group training, an on-site Lowry representative for support during pilot, and continued optimization focusing on operation results.
Companies are migrating to a new OS not just by necessity. They’re also getting the additional benefits of improvements in productivity, efficiently, and business performance that come from running a modern OS on the latest mobile technologies.
Lowry Solutions is your best-in-class partner with the experience and knowledge required to help businesses find the right OS migration path and bring that plan to life. From the initial assessment to training users on the newly deployed devices, Lowry is here to assist your company in every step of the journey.
