Korean Air Rolls Out Windows 7 Enterprise as Part of Business Growth Plan

Windows 7 Enterprise and the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack will offer airline flexibility and efficiency to build its business.

REDMOND, Wash. — Korean Air today announced that it has retired Windows XP and is rolling out Windows 7 Enterprise companywide, with plans to be 100 percent deployed by the end of 2011. The decision came as part of the airline’s bid to establish a common IT platform that improves business efficiency and provides greater flexibility with a modern operating system.

Korean Air has nearly 19,000 employees, with flights to 115 cities around the world. It is also one of the world’s top 20 airlines, operating almost 400 flights per day. The airline was on Windows XP for nearly 10 years and needed to streamline processes; Windows 7 Enterprise provides Korean Air with improved security, performance and PC management. Korean Air’s Information System Department has begun developing an enterprise resource planning solution that will coordinate efforts across the company’s disparate office locations. Korean Air also is working on a project that will align its financial reporting with internationally recognized standards.

“Executives at Korean Air laid out a path for growth that will keep us in a position of leadership throughout the Asia Pacific region and points beyond. But meeting our objectives required an overhaul of our IT systems,” said Chung Pilmoon, general manager of Korean Air Information System Department. “Moving to Windows 7 provides us with the ability to deliver consistent IT standards and tools across the company without compromising our desire for greater efficiency.”

A critical part of the Information System Department’s efforts includes the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) for Software Assurance, a suite of technologies that is available to customers enrolled in Microsoft Software Assurance. MDOP will help Korean Air’s Information System Department achieve benefits in the following areas:

• Easier IT management. By virtualizing its IT environment, Korean Air’s IT personnel will be able to install and update Windows 7 and application software across the company without having to physically touch each computer.

• Effective policy control. The ability to enforce IT policies companywide will give IT greater control of the information that employees can access. With this control in place, employees will be able to access email and critical information from their smartphones without compromising network security.

• Reduced support costs. MDOP’s Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset will make it easier and quicker to troubleshoot technical issues and helps employees stay productive with less downtime.

• Improved oversight. MDOP’s Microsoft Asset Inventory Service will give IT the tools to see what is installed in its environment and thus to ensure that employee-installed software will not compromise network performance and security. Asset Inventory Service also will make it easier for the IT department to track the status of software licenses.

Together, Windows 7 Enterprise and MDOP will provide Korean Air with a stable, flexible and modern platform to help it continue to grow its business effectively.

“Korean Air’s deployment of Windows 7 Enterprise and MDOP is a great example of how technology can streamline internal processes and free up time for employees to focus on what’s ahead,” Pilmoon said. “With these technologies in place, the company will be on a trajectory toward market expansion and greater operational excellence.”

More information on Windows for the Enterprise is available at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/enterprise/default.aspx.

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