‘Windows 11 is the secure basis for further innovative steps’
19 Sep 2024
The switch to the Windows 11 operating system has begun at Messe Frankfurt. Dr Andreas Winckler, Chief of Information Technology, explains how the implementation is taking shape, which changes the roll-out entails and why the project is being implemented.
The roll-out of Windows 11 is running smoothly.
The new Windows 11 operating system is currently being installed on all laptops and computers here at the company. How is the process going? Are there any challenges during implementation?
The project will now pick up speed in autumn, i.e. over the next few weeks, and will be implemented for all employees at the Frankfurt site. All notebooks in our subsidiaries will also be converted. I can say in advance that the H4 notebooks have already been updated to Windows 11. This has enabled us to ensure that no teething troubles creep in. We have now seen that everything is running smoothly. Of course, it is an extensive project to convert all computers at Messe Frankfurt to the new operating system. But we are well prepared.
Which team at Messe Frankfurt is primarily realising the project?
This is a task of our Workplace Management team. The team provides comprehensive IT workplace solutions for Messe Frankfurt employees and their service partners at the Frankfurt site and is therefore responsible for personal work equipment - especially for our notebooks. We have purchased support from our partner, who also operates the service desk, so that we can complete the complex project quickly.
The roll-out of Windows 11 is running smoothly.
’It is an extensive project to convert all computers at Messe Frankfurt to the new operating system, but we are well prepared.’
Why is Windows 11 being installed at this point in time? What is the reason for this changeover?
All software has a life cycle. Software manufacturers regularly bring out maintenance and new releases. On the one hand, this is done in order to implement functional enhancements, and on the other hand to close security gaps or eliminate weak points in the performance of the operating system. This can be realised in stages over time with any software. At some point, however, a major change has to be implemented in order to lay a proper foundation again.
Microsoft has announced that Windows 10 maintenance will end in October next year. And without maintenance, we will not receive any security patches from software manufacturers that correct errors in operating systems or programmes. Security gaps would then remain open, making affected systems easy prey for attackers. As a company, we cannot afford the security risk of working without maintenance. That is why we are now starting the roll-out of Windows 11, as both the notebooks at the workstations and many built-in computers on the premises, which employees generally don't even notice, need to be updated.
The project roll-out of Windows 11 is a task of our Workplace Management.
What changes or improvements will there be with the introduction of Windows 11?
Basically, everything remains the same. The changes mainly concern the look and feel of the menu structure. However, this does not interfere with the familiar functionalities, and no fundamental new features need to be learnt. Users will not notice much of the change in their everyday work. I am also sure that many colleagues have already switched to Windows 11 at home and are therefore already familiar with this new version.
What further steps are still to come on the IT side?
Further innovation steps for our daily Microsoft tools such as Outlook, Word and Excel are planned for next year, and we are talking about switching to the ‘M365’ package, where M stands for Microsoft. This package also includes our future Teams video conferencing platform, which will replace Webex in summer 2025. The new software package will provide us with a wealth of new possibilities, including the basis for using Microsoft's AI tool ‘Copilot’. The prerequisite for all of this is the switch to the new Windows 11 operating system, which we are now using.
Who should I contact if I have further questions about the roll-out?
All colleagues at Messe Frankfurt can find an article on the changeover with the most important FAQs on our intranet, which provides good guidance. If personal support is required, colleagues are welcome to contact our IT support team.
Dr Winckler, thank you very much for talking to us!
The project roll-out of Windows 11 is a task of our Workplace Management.
