Michael Silver has come out with an analysis that already has the blogsphere buzzing with even more excitement about Windows 7. 

In it, he proclaims that “The first Service Pack for Windows 7 is not necessary for the operating system's stability and security readiness.”  He also states what I have found in talking about Windows 7 with our customers, and that is that many of you may not be prepared to deploy today.  That is something we are very focused on changing, through our focus on The Optimized Desktop.

In his view, it will take customers 12-18 months to prepare for the OS, which would make SP1 the release they will deploy.  I don’t agree with his timeline assertion, as I believe that we can significantly decrease that planning and piloting time if we are diligent in taking action now:

• It’s about desktop optimization and the benefits it returns to the business.  As good as Windows 7 RTM will be, we know that it’s not about the OS alone.  Know the IT benefits (compatibility, performance, security) and ROI (energy savings, virtualization) and factor those into your decisions.

Pilot Windows 7.  Assess your hardware profile and PC refresh plans against the hardware requirements for Vista/Win7.  If you own the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP), ask your Microsoft account team or Partner for assistance in piloting MED-V and APP-V as ways to decrease deployment and management costs while addressing compatibility concerncs.

 http://mediaproducts.gartner.com/reprints/microsoft/vol5/article2/article2.html