It's likely that enterprises will skip Windows 8 in the same way they skipped Windows Vista (hopefully not for the same reasons), and focus on Windows 7. But many enterprises are having a hard time focusing.

Says Prowess CEO Suzuki: "We're finding one of two things: businesses aren't approaching Windows 7 migration in the most efficient way, or they are postponing it all together because they aren't confident they have the right strategy to get it done."

With that in mind, Prowess offers five strategic tips for staying focused on Windows 7 migrations despite Windows XP and Windows 8 distractions.

Realize that every business is different and there is no set timetable for migration. Look at your OS systems and determine if you can and need to upgrade. With Windows XP licenses expiring and Windows 8 just around the corner, do you have the necessary OS resources to support a growing and evolving workforce? If not, it may be time to put a migration plan in place.

You need to plan ahead at least a month or two, and in larger organizations possibly several months, to get the deployment plan defined, refined, and locked down. You'll need to assess hardware and application compatibility and readiness.