The purpose of this memo is to relay the Water Resources Division (WRD) preliminary plans for the deployment of Windows 2000, the next operating system for NT.

Windows NT 4.0 is still fairly new to many within WRD. WRD is now preparing for the impending release of Microsofts next version of the operating system, Windows 2000. This new version of the operating system is more stable, powerful, and comprehensive than its predecessors. A successful transition to Windows 2000 will require a complete and thorough plan.

Windows 2000 is the continuation of the NT family of operating systems and is not the replacement for Windows 95 and Windows 98. These versions of Windows will be replaced by what Microsoft has code named "Millennium". Millennium represents Microsoft's effort to having only one Windows operating system for all users, home or office.

WRD is participating on a bureau wide team that will establish standards and guidelines for the transition to Windows 2000. Within WRD the NT Technical Advisory Committee (NT TAC) will guide the division's transition. There are two aspects to the deployment of Windows 2000; desktop and server.

Desktop

• As new systems are ordered they will start to ship with Windows 2000 starting February 17, 2000.
• The Windows 2000 Professional version of the operating system, which is the replacement for Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, will blend nicely into an existing Windows NT 4.0 environment.
• Implementation of Windows 2000 Professional will be acceptable once the NT TAC publishes installation procedures. These procedures will be available by the end of February 2000.
• Any new system ordered with Windows 2000 Professional pre-loaded should be configured per the NT TAC procedures for Windows 2000 Professional. Following these procedures will ensure that the system is configured properly for our environment and applications.

Server

• System Administrator's (SAs) should NOT deploy any server versions of Windows 2000 at this time.
• Should a new system come in with any server version of Windows 2000 please reload with Windows NT 4.0.
• The current plan for the division is to be ready for server deployments beginning October 1, 2000.

PLANS & ACTIVITIES

• Currently NT TAC members are attending training courses and establishing test systems for Windows 2000. The NT TAC is working to gain proficiency with the operating system over the upcoming months. NT TAC will also be establishing test sites in each region with non-TAC members. These test sites will review and test the instructions that the NT TAC develops for Windows 2000. If your site is interested in being a test site please contact Chuck O'Hara, Chair of the NT TAC, cgohara@usgs.gov, (601)-933-2923.
• As an immediate task, NT TAC will develop instructions and recommendations for installing and configuring Windows 2000 Professional on notebook and desktop systems.
• NT TAC and members of the bureaus transition team are preparing to conduct training sessions this June at the ITEM 2000 conference in Chicago. Sessions will cover USGS standards, deployment strategies, UNIX integration, and server administration.
• The training being offered at ITEM 2000 will supplement, but is not intended to replace training received from an outside source. The DIS Office and the Regional Computer Specialists strongly recommend that SAs receive additional training in Windows 2000 Server some time after ITEM 2000. While the integration of Windows 2000 Professional into our current networks should be a straight forward task, the migration of our domains to Windows 2000 Server will be a complex and challenging task. It is here that the SAs should focus most of their attention and training. The NT TAC will make recommendations on suggested vendor courses.
• The temptation will be to start using Windows 2000 as soon as it is available. The NT TAC is asking for your assistance in making the transition a smooth one by working with the NT TAC and by following their plan of not implementing any of the server versions of Windows 2000 Server. The NT TAC will not be able to support such efforts until they become proficient in the proper use and management of this new operating system. There are many issues regarding how best to deploy the server versions of the operating system that need to be resolved. Premature implementation of a server version of Windows 2000 will result in a system that will need to be reloaded once these issues have been worked out, tested and published.

LICENSING

Currently WRD is participating with the other divisions in discussions with Microsoft about purchasing an enterprise license for Windows 2000 and the Terminal Services (formally WTS). It is anticipated at this time that these discussions will not produce a contract until October of 2000. The issue of licensing along with establishing procedures for the server version both contribute to the October 2000 date we have set for deployment of the server version of the operating system.

Additional information about Windows 2000 can be found on the WEB. A good site to read is http://microsoft.com/windows2000/guide.

For further information please contact Susan Trapanese, Chief System Support Unit, Distributed Information System Program Office at (703) 648-5632 (smtrapan@usgs.gov). Also, regularly check on the NT TACs web site for further updates ( http://nttac.usgs.gov/nt_tac).