If you’re a small or medium-sized business who is currently running Windows Server 2003, it’s time for an upgrade! In case you hadn’t heard, the software is reaching End of Support on the 14th July 2015.
Are you wondering what this means for you? Its quite simple – there will no longer be any patches or security updates, putting all your applications and your entire business at risk. Don’t worry, you are not alone, as experts have estimated that there are more than nine million machines in the UK reliant on Window Server 2003 and have warned that there will be serious implications for those who do not prepare.
If you are feeling lost and want help understanding what to do next, take a look at our easy steps to surviving end of life.
1.Understand what End of Support means for your business.
End of Support for Windows Server 2003 can have a dramatic impact on your business. It will mean no more updates or patches from Microsoft, which can result in a less stable and less secure infrastructure for your organisation.
2. Identify systems and applications currently running on Windows Server 2003
The next thing you need to do is discover and catalogue all of the software and workloads your organisation is running on Windows Server 2003. Once you have a catalogue, you will need to assess what you have by categorising and analysing your catalogued applications and workloads based on several factors such as type, criticality, complexity, and risk.
3. Identify your migration options
Target the right migration destination for each application and workload. Take the opportunity to learn how you can transform your infrastructure with the robust capabilities and services offered in Windows Server 2012 R2, Microsoft Azure, and Microsoft Office 365. Different workloads and applications logically lead to certain targets. Others could offer the possibility of migration to one or more of these destinations. Your choice will be driven by factors such as speed, ease of migration, cost, and desired functionality.
4. Start your migration
Synergy Technology recommend you to start planning your migration off of Windows Server 2003 and onto a platform that will provide you with the security and reliability that you’ve experienced over the last decade with Windows Server 2003. Delaying will only incur additional costs and will put your critical applications and workloads at risk.
If you would like more information on migrating from your current environment or simply want to ask a few more questions, now is the time to act!
Contact one of our experts on 0845 456 0050 and allow Synergy the opportunity to transform your infrastructure and open up a whole new world for your business.