In this section we discuss both goals in more detail. We indicate how the goals of 

both types of migration are different. Details for planning either a partial 

migration, pilot migration, or full migration are found in the rest of this book.

2.3.1  Pilot migration

The actual goal of the pilot migration is not that some client will be running the 

Linux operating system. The main goal of a pilot migration is answering the 

following question: How can we deploy across the organization with confidence?

A pilot migration has to target all types of usage models that will be included in an 

eventual full migration. All applications that are going to be considered in the 

migration have to be included in the pilot as well. This way the pilot can be seen 

as an information gathering exercise for the full migration.

The pilot migration should give answers to most of the following questions:

Can all applications still be used after migrating?

Are end users able to use the infrastructure of the organization as before the 

migration?

Are administrators still able to perform all their tasks after the migration?

Do the new infrastructure components, like terminal servers or consolidated 

Windows desktops, function as planned?

2.3.2  Full migration

In a full migration the migration methods that were tested in the pilot phase are 

used to successfully complete migration of all targeted desktops to the new 

configuration.

Goals of a full migration could include the following:

Increase the level of desktop client security.

Improve manageability of desktop clients.

Lower the overall total cost of ownership (TCO) of desktop clients.

Decrease dependency on a single software vendor.

Improve the life cycle of client hardware.

Comply with governmental regulations and/or strategies (for example, China 

has declared use of OSS as a strategic imperative).

Extent usage of Linux from servers to desktop to leverage existing experience 

and skills.

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Linux Client Migration Cookbook   A Practical Planning and Implementation Guide for Migrating to Desktop Linux