Operations

Let’s build on your earlier assessment of operational readiness and deployment plan to close any gaps. To get your operations ready for Windows 11, we recommend the following tasks and deliverables.

Implement RACI roles

As you work on closing the gaps to prepare your estate for Windows 11 upgrade, involve all the stakeholders you’ve identified in your roles and responsibilities and RACI tables. Across the tasks in this module, keep these charts close to assign the tasks to the appropriate owners and to notify others. Consider a way to keep track of key stakeholder approvals and follow-ups.

[Optional] Set up a Proof of Concept (PoC) lab environment

In the Plan module you decided whether you would perform an optional PoC, and which functionality you want to validate: Windows 11 features, apps, tools, or processes.

The PoC might be as simple as downloading and installing Windows 11 on a number of test devices, enabling you to review the new features of Windows 11 and to validate some critical business apps. Or you might also use it to validate that your infrastructure and deployment processes are ready for Windows 11 by deploying the update using your deployment tools.

If your PoC will validate deployment tools, processes, and configurations, then you must wait for those Prepare tasks to be completed before you can complete your PoC.

At a high level, your PoC tasks could be:

1. Identify a group of users or devices to receive Windows 11.
2. Identify which apps you want to test.
3. Deploy the update to devices.
4. Implement security baselines.
5. Implement configuration updates.
6. Validate the deployment process.
7. Deploy and/or test applications.
8. Validate connectivity to organizational resources.
9. Determine deployment readiness based on the results of the PoC.

Also consider enrolling some PoC devices in the Windows Insider Program for Business to get early sight of new Windows features before they're released, forming an ongoing PoC.

Update the deployment plan, assigning devices to rings

In the Plan module, you’ve considered a ring-based approach to OS updates. This approach enables you to stay current with less effort and less effect on productivity. Have you already established the rings for your Windows 11 deployment? Have you opted for a traditional Test-First-Fast-Broad ring structure or created custom rings with multiple deployment phases?

Review your deployment plan to confirm that the number of rings and planned dates still meet your requirements.

If you performed a PoC, do the results have an impact on your deployment plan?

Finally, you'll populate your deployment rings using the groups of devices identified in the Devices section (below). Aligning with your deployment plan for Windows 11, assign devices to deployment rings.

Sign off and update procedural documentation

Document your operational decisions and any remaining to-do items before deploying Windows 11. This procedural documentation will help the entire team track and report on deployment preparation, and have a detailed plan for a future deployment. Once the tasks for operational preparation are complete, make sure you get appropriate approvals on these deliverables.