Windows Vista has been with us for awhile now, and SP1 was released a few months ago to address a number of issues. 

Overall, sales have been less than predicted and reviews throughout the PC world have been less than stellar.  All of this may make you ask, as an IT professional “Should I skip Vista all together and just wait for Windows 7”?

Definitely a valid question, but in all honesty, even though I’m not a massive fan of Vista (I love some things and hate others) there are a number of reasons to deploy now and not wait until Windows 7.

1. Even though Widows 7 does promise some nice new features, it could very well be more than 18-24 months away.  Windows 7 is not even in beta at the moment, and given Microsoft’s release schedules and the fact they historically slip the closer they get to release date – we could be talking 18-24 months minimum before Windows 7 is available for public consumption.
2. IT professionals generally wait for Service Pack 1 (SP1) before deploying wide scale throughout an enterprise.  So now we’re talking an additional 12 months or so before an SP1 release of Windows 7.
3. Microsoft Vista incorporates a number of technologies that integrate much better with Windows Server 2008.  Upgrades from Vista to Windows 7 will go much smoother than an upgrade from XP to Windows 7 with regard to application compatibility, user acceptance, etc.
4. As pointed out by research firm Gartner, vendors may well stop supporting XP prior to Windows 7 being publicly available.  It’s hard to predict across the board, but considering XP’s age and position in its lifecycle; along with the realistic fact that a Windows 7 deployment may be 24-36 months away, many vendors may End of Life (EOL) support for XP prior to Windows 7.  This may or may not be an issue depending on your specific environment, but definitely something to consider.
5. Vista does have features that enterprises can leverage today.  Features such as streamlined imaging and deployment, better security, integrated search and whole disk encryption to name a few make Vista attractive in certain environments looking at third party options to fill those needs.

As with anything, your mileage may vary as it depends on your organization, budget and tolerance for risk.  In the end it all comes down to Return on Investment (ROI) and business need.  Weigh the options and see if Vista fits into your long term OS lifecycle.

What are your thoughts on deploying now or skipping Vista all together?  Leave a comment and share your thoughts.