Customer Spotlight: Unum Cuts Windows 7 Deployment Time With System Center Configuration Manager and Microsoft Deployment Toolkit

Zero-touch deployment model saves money for employee-benefits company and helps maintain worker productivity during Windows 7 upgrade.


REDMOND, Wash. — — Unum Group, a provider of employee-benefits products and services, is deploying Windows 7 Enterprise using System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2 with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 integration. This plan will allow Unum to deploy Windows 7 and related business software on more than 11,000 workstations in the company within a one-year timeframe.

“Deploying a new operating system and Microsoft Office suites across the company used to take two to three years, but with Configuration Manager and the Deployment Toolkit, we will be done in less than a year,” said Blake Pease, assistant vice president at Unum. “We’re saving manpower and overtime dollars while ensuring employees can stay productive throughout the deployment process.”

Deploying Windows 7 at Unum seemed like a major challenge. How could 11,600 workstations be upgraded quickly without disrupting the productivity of Unum’s 10,000 employees? Using Configuration Manager and Deployment Toolkit 2010, Unum IT staff members were able to upgrade workstations during business hours with minimal impact on network resources or employees.

Deployment Toolkit 2010 also is helping Unum’s IT staff work more efficiently by eliminating the need to physically move hardware, work after hours, make manual upgrades or monitor workstation performance. IT personnel instead can stay focused on anticipating and resolving issues as they arise. The deployment is scheduled to be completed in early summer 2011.

Interested businesses can learn more about how Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 and System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2 can help them deploy Windows 7 Enterprise, much like Unum deployed (at maximum efficiency).

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