On 14th January 2020 we said goodbye to Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 support.
Microsoft stated that this means there will be no additional:
- Free security updates on-premises
- Non-security updates
- Free support options
- Online technical content update.
Please see the following articles for further information:
What does this mean if I use the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 support?
Anyone using these platforms should be aware that Microsoft will no longer provide any support or updates for them. Although they will continue to run, it will leave machines vulnerable to potential security risks and hacking.
Microsoft are encouraging all users to upgrade, but it’s not as straight forward as that for everyone.
What if I can’t / am not ready to upgrade?
BBC News stated that “some companies rely heavily on applications that only work with Windows 7.”
Rik Ferguson, Vice-President of Security Research at Trend Micro, said “for businesses, it is not always easy to upgrade to a newer operating system. There may be business-critical applications that will not run on newer operating systems, or there may be significant costs associated with upgrading those applications.”
“Places like hospitals and factories may have equipment that is designed to run exclusively on Windows 7,” Mr Ferguson continued.
Not only that, but the time it can take to upgrade means it’s not just a piece of cake, and some businesses using Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 may not have been able to meet the end-of-support deadline.
In circumstances like these, Microsoft is offering Extended Security Updates on a per device basis, where the updates will be available until 2023.
However, it doesn’t come at a low cost. Fees range from $25 to $200 per device and increase each year, so for those organisations with lots of computers, the expense will climb quickly.
What should I do now that Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 support has ended?
Where possible, your IT department/provider should plan to upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10.
For anyone using Windows Server 2008, Microsoft are also recommending that they migrate to Microsoft Azure, or for environments other than Azure, upgrade to the latest version before the deadline.
Further information
If you’re unsure of what next steps your business should take, we’re here to give you advice. Talk to us to see how we can help.
- Tel: +44 (0)1992 661244
- Email: enquiries@avrion.co.uk
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