As with anything technology related, software becomes superseded and eventually will reach the end of its serviceable life. That time is now rapidly approaching for a core-line of Microsoft software platforms, which are all approaching their 10th birthday.
Much like the cessation of support for Windows XP back in 2014, Microsoft will no longer provide updates & security patches to software that has reached the end of its serviceable life, ultimately driving users towards modern, far more secure platforms.
During 2020 the following all reach the end of their life, starting with Windows 7 in the January:
• Windows 7
• Small Business Server 2011
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• Exchange 2010
• Office 2010
What does this mean to my business?
With an enormous volume of businesses around the globe relying on at least one of these platforms, the chance of this being relevant to you & your business is very high.
As mentioned above, this change means that Microsoft will no longer be generating software patches and security updates, resulting in the systems being far less secure.
With the systems suddenly becoming vulnerable from cyber security threats, and therefore increasing their risk of attack & potential loss of personal data, they will become automatically non-compliant to GDPR legislation.
How can I find out if I’ll be affected?
If you have replaced the entirety of your IT system within the past 3-5 years, there’s a good chance you’re in the clear.
Those businesses using at least Windows 8 or 10 across their laptops & desktops, and operating with background cloud systems, such as Office 365 and Azure, will most likely have moved away entirely from the list of software being culled in 2020.
If you still rely on a server that’s older than 5-6 years, use little or no cloud services, and have PCs that are 4-5+ years old then there’s a strong chance that your business is at risk and needs to start planning & budgeting now for this change.
How can I find out whether we’re using this software in the office?
There are a few key signs to look out for in helping identify whether you are reliant on any of these software platforms.
What do I need to do?
Keeping ahead of such large-scale technology changes will not only protect your business, but ensure you can time & budget for the inevitable IT refresh project.
Planning ahead for both the disruption and cost will prevent you from getting caught out; rushing then to complete the work upon reaching the deadline, (or more dangerously), after the deadline when you’ll have become non-GDPR compliant and potentially at high-risk of, or worse, have already suffered from a cyber hack & loss of data.
Seek advice from IT professionals to plan & prepare. Get in touch today for free advice & guidance – firstly to identify if you are at risk, and help budget for the affected systems that will need upgrading / replacing, or how to implement cloud technology to keep your business ahead.
Need some support for peace of mind?
We can help. We offer free assessments to businesses across the South East, from our offices in Hemel Hempstead and Crawley.
Techsolve provides a full range of professional IT services, including a full suite of cyber security products, including support with Cyber Essentials and aiding compliance to GDPR from a technical perspective.
Please contact the team today on 0203 3 970 978 or [email protected].
