Planning for Deployment
Planning for Deployment |
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The following are recommended deployment documents that you can create as a part of your project plan.
Overview of the Current Networking Environment Include a high-level description of the current networking environment, including network infrastructure, hardware, policies, number and types of users, and geographic locations.
Deployment Design Detail how the transition to Windows 2000 will take place, including the upgrade and migration strategy for your servers and client computers; where, when, and how these upgrades will take place; and who will be involved. Take existing systems and applications into account, such as the impact an operating system change will have on existing applications, and storage and hardware capabilities.
Gap Analysis Address the specific gaps between your existing environment and the project goal. Then list the specific changes that are required to support the project goals. For more information, see "Conducting a Gap Analysis" earlier in this chapter.
Capacity Plan Identify the issues and contingencies that you will address to ensure that there is sufficient hardware and network capacity for the Windows 2000 features you will deploy (for example, the replication traffic created by the Active Directory or remote operating system installation). You want to be sure that vital services are not degraded during or after rollout. For more information, see "Capacity Planning" later in this chapter.
Risk Assessment Identify the risks in your plan and develop contingency plans for dealing with those risks. Reevaluate your deployment plan continually and make a formal evaluation after you complete each phase of the project. For more information, see "Risk Assessment" later in this chapter.
Problem Escalation Plan Specify an escalation path that people in your organization can use to resolve and escalate issues as needed. Match the types of problems or situations to the people who can best address them. An escalation process enables the team to focus on getting the problem solved.
Pilot Plan Identify the goals and objectives for the servers and clients that will participate in the first rollout, which features you will deploy, and what mechanisms you will use to gather feedback from pilot participants. For more information about preparing for and conducting a pilot, see, "Conducting Your Windows 2000 Pilot" in this book.
Testing and Deployment Strategies Plan how you will test and deploy Windows 2000. For more information, see "Testing and Piloting Windows 2000" earlier in this chapter.