Parallel Universe Windows Migration as a Service

Rewind a few years and I was carrying out a series of test projects for a UK-based ISV client, AppDNA, whose focus was the analysis of application compatibility when migrating between different versions of Windows and IE respectively and, indeed, possibly concurrently – the ultimate double whammy.

The point was that, in order to do this manually, you ideally needed several parallel universes and an infinite team of advanced lifeforms within each, dedicated to the task. Otherwise, before you’ve generated the results from one migration analysis, the version you needed to migrate to had already moved on. So, said product automated all the Arcturan MegaDonkey work (thanks, Douglas Adams) and made the impossible possible (without the need for an Infinite Improbability Drive).

And that concept was clearly based on good foundations as the company sold to Citrix for rather a lot of money. Now, we do appear to have a case of parallel universes as one of the founders of the previous company has re-emerged as a founder of Rimo3, a UK-based ISV whose focus in is the area of application compliance and compatibility when moving to Windows 10 (funnily enough).

What’s that I hear: “You mean to say – shock, horror – that not all Microsoft-addict enterprises have moved to the current Windows platform yet?” Well, no actually. To use a technical term, ‘shedloads’ of them haven’t yet thrown themselves to the lion that is effectively Windows as a Service, or at least have only partially done so. I guess the latter option is kind of like letting a shark bite one ankle off initially to see how painful it might be if you went the whole way.

So, enter Rimo3 which, no prizes for guessing here, automates the process of testing application compatibility and compliance for moving to Windows 10/WaaS. But this time the stakes are even higher since, with WaaS, Microsoft moves the proverbial goalposts every six months, so you have to reconfirm that all is well in the land of Happyappville twice a year. And this is ongoing – to the end of time, at least. And that’s a conservative estimate…

My life would therefore not be complete without getting my hands on “Son (or daughter) of AppDNA”. I – perchance – am at IP Expo tomorrow in the beautiful and not at all ugly and echo chamber like surroundings of ExCel in the very far East of London (same time zone as Singapore) where, by an astonishing coincidence, Rimo3 is being launched. So, I might happen upon the stand and claim my testing rights which, in turn, would lead to a Broadband-Testing report on “Son (or daughter) of…” Watch thee said space. In whichever parallel universe you currently exist…