In just over six months (January 2020), Microsoft will officially end support for their beloved Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008. That means that systems running these operating systems will no longer receive any security updates. That also means that your systems, network, and more importantly your DATA will be less secure and more vulnerable to loss or infiltration. 

If you have one/many computers with these operating systems, you have three choices:

1. Most cost effective solution – Upgrade the OS on the machine.  Some machines already have the minimum hardware needed to run the updated OS, and just need installation of appropriate Windows updated licenses for the machine and its planned purpose.  Make sure to run the appropriate prerequisite checks, and backup your data beforehand.

2. More expensive option – Upgrade your workstation/server hardware and purchase new licenses.  Pretty self explanatory here.  Maybe it’s time for a hardware refresh because that desktop/server has been running since Bush was in office, or simply because you’d like to get some more power for your user/data processing.  Either way, there is NEVER a bad time to upgrade hardware.  

3. Most expensive option – Do nothing and keep using Windows 7 or Server 2008. Whether you don’t have the budget, don’t think you need to upgrade, or don’t want to upgrade because you don’t like change…if you’re going this route you’re putting your entire company at risk. I cannot stress this enough. Again, you will not be getting any more security updates after that date.  No patches to new vulnerabilities.  No fixes to new items they find that need patched up.  You may have the greatest security platform ever invented, with the most hardened of network security policies in place, but it’s only a matter of time before something happens. How long can you function if a computer goes down? How about your entire network?

In this day and age it’s no longer a question of “if” you get breached, but when and how bad.  You need to do all you can to secure your systems, your network, and your data.  If you need help, seek it.  If not with us, please find some other company that knows what they’re doing.  We would love your business, but we care more about you, your users, and your stakeholders security.  

If you’d like more information, or maybe a quote for upgrading software/systems you have in place, please let us know. Don’t wait! Give yourself time to start making decisions and start planning now! We always have great deals on Windows 10 and Server 2019, so let us know how we can help!
Stay safe…and updated…out there!
-Erik