As you may be aware, Microsoft will be ending their support for Windows Server 2008, 2008R2, and Windows 7 on January 14, 2020.
What does End of Support mean for you?
After January 14, 2020, Microsoft will no longer be providing new security updates, non-security hotfixes, free or paid assisted support options, or online technical content updates for Windows Server 2008, 2008R2 or Windows 7. Having an unsupported operating system on your network carries potential risks such as;
- Being open to hackers and malicious software due to holes and vulnerabilities in your computer's security because of security patches and updates will no longer be offered on these platforms.
- Not meeting industry compliance requirements such as HIPAA and PCI DSS due to unsupported server and desktop operating systems.
- Users who experience a critical application or desktop support issue can no longer receive technical support to resolve their issues.
Microsoft statements on ending their support lifecycle for Server 2008 and Windows 7 after January 14, 2020:
If you have Windows 2008 or 2008R2 Servers and/or Windows 7 computers, consider taking these steps;
- Servers running Windows 2008 or 2008 R2 and computers running Windows 7 are likely older machines and should be replaced. In many cases, it is not cost effective or technically possible to upgrade machines with these operating systems to a newer version. If your machine is newer than 2 years old, we may be able to upgrade the operating system without replacing the entire machine.
- If you are going to be replacing Windows 7 computers, you may want to consider replacing your Office 2010 license for the current version. Microsoft will be discontinuing support on Office 2010 as of October 12, 2020.
- If you are a client with NETcare Essentials or NETcare Complete, please be aware that devices with a discontinued operating system will no longer be eligible for coverage.
If you don't know what type of operating system you have, or are not sure about what actions to take, please don't hesitate to contact your Account Manager at 203.242.1111 or our technical support team at 800.711.5557. We would be glad to review your options with you and help you come up with a replacement plan for your Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7 computers.