Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise end of support is no longer a distant milestone—it’s a current reality. With nearly half of deployed enterprise devices still on Windows 10, , those devices will quickly become a liability. A liability? How? Security risks. At a minimum, Windows 11 mitigates advanced firmware attacks as its core security features are enabled by hardware enablers such as the Trusted Ģ������Ƶ Module (TPM) 2.0 chip and Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), the replacement for the Basic Input/Basic Output (BIOS) hardware initialization technology that’s been in existence for close to 50 years. Along with a supported CPU, these hardware enablers allow Windows 11 Enterprise to support Virtualization-Based Security (VBS), which Windows 10 cannot. VBS, along with the hardware enablers, protects against hackers targeting kernel injection of malicious code or to access sensitive data in memory.

While some organizations are already charting a confident course toward modernization, others remain anchored to the familiarity of Windows 10—often paralyzed by the scale and complexity of the transition. Questions abound: Will our applications still work? How can I efficiently identify which devices can handle the upgrade? How can we migrate thousands of devices without bringing operations to a halt, and how can we do this methodically without causing end-user experience, and therefore business productivity, to descend into chaos?

These are valid concerns—but hesitation comes at a price. ESUs are expensive. Security vulnerabilities multiply. Compliance risks loom. The choice isn’t simply when to migrate—it’s how to do it intelligently and efficiently.

The Migration Challenge: A Complex Enterprise Gauntlet

Migrating from Windows 10 to 11 is not a patch or a product refresh—it’s a full-scale operational transformation. IT teams must inventory every device, validate hardware readiness, and rigorously test application compatibility. Each phase consumes time, budget, and focus that could otherwise fuel innovation.

And then comes the rollout. Device refreshes, re-imaging, seamless user transitions—each a potential disruption to business continuity. Without clear visibility into performance and user experience, even well-planned migrations can stumble. The result? Downtime, user frustration, and mounting costs.

Remaining on Windows 10 post–end of support is a non-starter. This isn’t just a technology challenge. It’s a business risk!

Ģ������Ƶ Aternity: Your Strategic Compass

Enter Ģ������Ƶ Aternity, your trusted guide through this transformation. Aternity turns migration complexity into clarity by giving IT teams a unified, data-driven view of the digital employee experience—before, during, and after the move to Windows 11.

Aternity doesn’t wait for problems to surface; it predicts them. It monitors device health, application performance, and user experience in real time, flagging compatibility issues and performance degradation before they impact productivity. It’s proactive IT intelligence at its finest.

With Aternity’s insights, you can confidently answer the tough questions:

• Which devices are truly ready?
• Which applications need attention?
• Which users should migrate first?

This precision, including Ģ������Ƶ IQ-Assist GenAI insights, turns migration from guesswork into a strategic rollout—streamlined, prioritized, and with user experience measured every step of the way.

The Business Value: From Risk to ROI

With Aternity, migration becomes more than survival; it becomes a springboard for improvement.

• Mitigate Risk: Identify and resolve issues before they impact users or operations.
• Accelerate Rollout: Leverage data to sequence migrations efficiently and minimize downtime.
• Enhance Experience: Ensure applications perform flawlessly on Windows 11, boosting employee satisfaction and productivity.
• Optimize Costs: Avoid unnecessary hardware refreshes and reduce help desk burden through proactive insight.
• Fortify Security: Achieve full compliance and a stronger security posture by operating on a supported platform.

Most importantly, your IT team transforms from reactive and manual device migration management into strategic enablers—driving modernization with confidence, efficiency, and measurable success.

The Time for Action Is Now

Windows 10’s end of support isn’t a distant deadline—it’s now! With Ģ������Ƶ Aternity, you can turn vulnerability into tangible value by managing risk and unlocking performance gains, cost savings, and efficiency across your organization.

See how Ģ������Ƶ Aternity can transform your Windows 11 migration into a seamless, secure, and value-driven journey. Watch this brief video demonstration to learn how, and click the link below to request your full demo today!

Explore: Request your personalized Aternity demo today.

Stop Docking Nightmares: Gain Crystal-Clear Visibility into Intel® Thunderbolt Performance with Ģ������Ƶ Aternity

Intel® Thunderbolt-enabled docking stations are common in today’s hybrid work environments. Providing seamless connectivity with a single cable, Thunderbolt peripheral connectivity simplifies connections for power, displays, peripherals, and networks, which is pivotal for end-user productivity.

For instance, my four-monitor setup enables seamless operation of blog writing, video editing, collaboration calls on Teams, and email, all running concurrently. However, when docking station or peripheral performance falters, it creates frustrating bottlenecks for employees and complex troubleshooting headaches for IT.

You know the scenario: monitors going dark unexpectedly, lagging peripherals, dropped connections. These aren’t just minor annoyances; they’re productivity killers. For IT support, diagnosing these Thunderbolt dock issues often means navigating a frustrating lack of data, resulting in lengthy resolution times. Is the problem the dock, the laptop, a driver, the peripheral, or the cable? Without the right tools, it’s just guesswork.

The Challenge: Why Intel® Thunderbolt Dock Issues Drain IT Resources and Impact DEX

Despite their importance, Thunderbolt docking stations often represent a significant IT visibility gap. When users report problems, IT teams are left without the detailed data they need to quickly diagnose the issue. This lack of insight makes it difficult to determine the root cause, resulting in longer troubleshooting times, increased frustration, and a degraded digital employee experience.

Common challenges include:

• Lack of Performance Data: Traditional monitoring tools cannot provide specific metrics on the health of Thunderbolt-connected peripherals or their impact on the user experience.
• Time-Consuming Troubleshooting: Support teams expend valuable hours attempting to replicate issues or cycling through generic fixes, resulting in a high Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) for peripheral or docking station problems.
• Negative Digital Employee Experience (DEX): Persistent Thunderbolt connectivity issues lead to user frustration, reduced productivity, and ultimately impact overall employee satisfaction.
• Inconsistent Performance: The difficulty in understanding why identical setups perform differently makes it hard to standardize or guarantee a reliable Thunderbolt peripheral or docking station experience.

The Solution: Ģ������Ƶ Aternity for Granular Intel® Thunderbolt Visibility

Ģ������Ƶ, , delivers a powerful solution. Ģ������Ƶ Aternity now provides specific, actionable insights into Intel® Thunderbolt docking station performance and health, with below-the-OS telemetry measured directly from the employee’s device.

By combining Intel’s specialized below-the-OS visibility with Aternity’s leading DEX analytics, IT can finally eliminate the black box around device performance and connectivity:

• Monitor Dock-Specific Health: Track connection status, identify specific Thunderbolt errors, and assess performance metrics tied directly to the dock interface.
• Correlate Dock Issues with User Experience: Directly link poor application response times or system hangs to underlying Thunderbolt dock performance problems.
• Accelerate Root Cause Analysis: Rapidly pinpoint whether the dock is the source of user complaints, dramatically cutting down Thunderbolt troubleshooting time.
• Proactively Identify Trends: Detect widespread issues related to specific Thunderbolt dock models, firmware, or drivers across your user base.

This targeted Thunderbolt visibility transforms IT support from reactive guessing to proactive, data-driven problem-solving.

Unique Business Value: Optimizing Performance and Reducing Costs

Integrating Aternity for Intel® Thunderbolt monitoring delivers measurable benefits that go far beyond faster troubleshooting. By combining below-the-OS telemetry with advanced DEX analytics, IT teams gain a powerful toolkit to enhance user satisfaction, reduce operational costs, and make smarter hardware decisions. These advantages include:

• Enhanced Digital Employee Experience (DEX): Minimize disruptions and ensure seamless productivity by quickly resolving Thunderbolt dock connectivity issues.
• Reduced IT Support Costs: Significantly lower the time and resources spent diagnosing elusive docking station performance problems.
• Data-Driven Hardware Strategy: Utilize performance insights to make informed decisions about Thunderbolt dock procurement and standardization.
• Improved IT Efficiency: Empower support teams to resolve issues faster, improving their credibility and freeing them for strategic tasks.

See Aternity’s Intel® Thunderbolt Monitoring in Action

Ready to eliminate the Thunderbolt dock blind spot and elevate your Digital Employee Experience? Stop guessing and start seeing. Reading about it is one thing but seeing how Aternity delivers this crucial Thunderbolt dock visibility is key. Watch this brief video demonstration to learn precisely how Ģ������Ƶ Aternity provides essential visibility into Intel® Thunderbolt docking station performance.

Take the Next Step

For further details on the Ģ������Ƶ and Intel® technology collaboration and how it enhances DEX, visit our page, riverbed.com/Intel, and read the official announcement: Ģ������Ƶ and Intel® Enhance DEX.

Challenges IT teams face in device refresh planning

IT Operations teams must weigh multiple factors when determining the right time for a device refresh. Relying solely on age-based refresh cycles can lead to inefficiencies and unnecessary costs. Key considerations include:

• Budget Constraints and Misaligned Priorities: Justifying the cost of new devices when existing ones still function, albeit underperforming, is a persistent challenge. Balancing financial limitations with the necessity to maintain efficiency often leads to reactive decision-making, rather than proactive planning.
• Diverse Hardware Needs and Usage Patterns: Roles within an organization require varying levels of computing power, making it difficult to standardize refresh cycles. Over-provisioning leads to wasted resources while under-provisioning hinders productivity.
• Unpredictable Lifespans and Logistical Issues: Hardware ages inconsistently, and unexpected failures can disrupt refresh plans and inflate costs. Accurate tracking of devices, their specifications, and warranty statuses is another challenge, often compounded by logistical hurdles in remote or hybrid work setups.
• Employee Perception vs. Technical Assessments: Employees’ experiences with their devices don’t always align with IT’s technical evaluations. Some employees may feel their devices are slow, while IT data suggests otherwise. Others may work on devices that technically meet specifications but hinder productivity. Quantifying these experiences and making data-driven refresh decisions is no easy task.

Being forced into a technology refresh due to undesirable circumstances is no walk in the park. At a minimum, enterprises need a proactive strategy to align tech needs with business goals, but what if there was a solution to maximize savings while maintaining an ideal end-user experience?

Remove the guesswork with Aternity Smart Device Refresh

Is your IT team struggling to balance employee experience with the rising costs and complexities of refreshing devices? You’re not alone. Outdated devices slow productivity, frustrate employees, and create a flood of IT support tickets. Ģ������Ƶ solves the challenges related to reducing IT Infrastructure costs, and a powerful way to start reducing these costs is by empowering IT with the intelligence needed to make astute device refresh decisions.

Aternity Smart Device Refresh takes a more innovative, data-driven approach. It collects real-time performance and health data across your entire device fleet, correlating it with user experience to identify which devices should be replaced, upgraded, or retained. Instead of relying on age-based cycles or guesswork, IT teams can make refresh decisions based on actual performance insights.

With the Smart Device Scenario Library, you can define refresh policies that align with business priorities, evaluate key factors such as device performance, hardware specs, application behavior, and warranty status, and immediately see the impact of different refresh strategies. The Action Planner then helps streamline execution by providing a structured, actionable plan.

Learn more

Read the IT Asset Cost Reduction Solution Brief to learn more about the cost reduction strategies Ģ������Ƶ can actualize for your business. Aternity Smart Device Refresh is AIOps in action, optimizing employee experience while controlling IT budgets. Say goodbye to unnecessary upgrades and ineffective refresh cycles—watch the demo video below to understand how Aternity simplifies device management.

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