Before You Update Or Upgrade To The Latest Software - Part 4

If you have compatible/supported non-live production workstations which you can use to test and evaluate major software updates/upgrades before deploying those updates/upgrades to live production workstations, this would be the ideal way to go. You can also choose to purchase new hardware to test/evaluate new software as it can offer you a best case scenario for testing purposes but generally, this option will work best for businesses that either have it within their operating budget to purchase new hardware and/or intend to upgrade existing hardware regardless (you’re not spending on new hardware solely for testing/evaluation purposes).

Alternatively, a virtual environment can be used to test and evaluate major software updates/upgrades. However, do keep in mind that virtual environments are not an apples-to-apples match with a native environment so you may not get a true gauge of overall performance but you should still be able to identify general compatibility issues and any potential bugs/issues that may arise from deploying the major software updates/upgrades.

The recent releases of macOS Monterey and Microsoft Windows 11 are examples of major operating system upgrades which should be properly tested and evaluated before being deployed in a live production environment.

Furthermore, you should perform thorough research into the hardware, software and other key applications/systems (including hosted/cloud services) your business uses to determine if they will be fully compatible and supported.