What’s happening?

As of 14 January 2020, Microsoft is no longer supporting Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008. We don’t need to tell you that support means security. Please continue to read this article if you want to know what this means to your business, the risks of not upgrading and what your options are.

If your business is still running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008, it’s crucial that you plan for life without Microsoft support and update to new technologies before the end of life date on 14th January 2020. Check out > 5 reasons why you should migrate servers running Windows Server 2008 to Azure.

What does this mean to your business?

As unsupported products, Microsoft won’t be releasing any more technical updates, bug fixes or security patches  for either Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 after the 14th January 2020.

Simply speaking it makes you vulnerable. It means you’re instantly at risk of cyber-crime. Without security updates you lose your first line of defence, there’s no protection from hackers and your business could balance on an unsupported server. This could result in 20% loss of customers and 30% loss of revenue in the event of a cyber-attack, not to mention reputational damage where the impact could be priceless. Add to the mix that you’ll risk not being GDPR compliant and this opens up a whole different element of risk.

It is also important to be aware that there could be cost implications amongst all of this if you do not modernise your IT. If you chose not to upgrade then you are leaving yourself open to unexpected maintenance costs for ageing and EOL hardware.

However, this isn’t all bad news. New changes bring opportunities to transform and this is no exception. New technologies can help your business innovate and evolve to reach a whole new audience.

To summarise your windows 7 and server 2008 EOL risks; Security, Compliance and Maintenance costs.

What are my options?

With time ticking away you will need to move fast to avoid some of the risks. The good news is that it isn’t too late.

Windows 7
Upgrade to Windows 10. Windows 10 offers enhanced functionality and much improved integration with cloud services such as Office 365. The latest operating system from Micorosft also benefits from enterprise-grade security, allowing your business to benefit from built-in security features that help protect you from malicious threats.

Windows Server 2008
Upgrade to Windows server 2016 or 2019. Alternatively, take this opportunity to fully modernise your infrastructure and make your move to the cloud with Managed IaaS Azure services.

As unsupported products, Microsoft won’t be releasing any more technical updates, bug fixes or security patches  for either Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 after the 14th January 2020.

Simply speaking it makes you vulnerable. It means you’re instantly at risk of cyber-crime. Without security updates you lose your first line of defence, there’s no protection from hackers and your business could balance on an unsupported server. This could result in 20% loss of customers and 30% loss of revenue in the event of a cyber-attack, not to mention reputational damage where the impact could be priceless. Add to the mix that you’ll risk not being GDPR compliant and this opens up a whole different element of risk.

It is also important to be aware that there could be cost implications amongst all of this if you do not modernise your IT. If you chose not to upgrade then you are leaving yourself open to unexpected maintenance costs for ageing and EOL hardware.

However, this isn’t all bad news. New changes bring opportunities to transform and this is no exception. New technologies can help your business innovate and evolve to reach a whole new audience.

Why choose Kalamazoo IT?

Bruce Lee said ‘Be like Water’, be fluid and adapt to change. Embrace it and take strength from it. That’s how we’ve evolved alongside technology over the years – since 1886 – and continue to do so. We’re ready to manage your move with expertise, resource and dedication nationwide.

How can we help you?

We can save you valuable time and resource. We’ll help you Assess, Migrate and Optimise your operating systems. Before migration we’ll determine your workload and recommend the best options to suit your business needs, Windows 10 upgrades, Office 365 migrations and IaaS with Azure.

Can you afford to leave your systems unprotected?

Stay secure, keep compliant and make your next move with us. Download our top tips.