As you may know Microsoft has announced the date for Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 End of Life: January 14, 2020. This means after 11 years in production, Microsoft will no longer update or support the operating system after that date.
Since 2015, Windows 7 has been in an ‘extended support’ phase. During the extended support phase, the operating system has been patched and updated to make sure security issues and bugs are fixed. When Windows 7 enters its End of Life, this support will end.
When Windows reaches its End of Life phase on January 14, 2020, Microsoft will stop releasing updates and patches for the operating system. It’s likely that it also won’t offer help and support if you encounter any problems.
Windows will not stop working on January 14, 2020. So the good news is that you’re not going to wake up on January 15 to find your Windows 7 PC no longer boots up. However, Windows won’t be patched for any new viruses or security problems once it enters End of Life, and this leaves you extremely vulnerable to any emerging threats. If you need to meet compliancy regulations )doctors, dentists, attorneys, etc.), you will not be compliant. Once out of compliance, you may be fined. Whether you have a compliancy requirement or not, once Windows security updates end, it is more likely you will be a victim of an attack or a hacking attempt.
So, while Windows will continue to work after January 14 2020, your primary engineer has already been making plans to upgrade to Windows 10, or possibly replacing systems that are older. For servers, we would be updating you to the latest version you are able to use.
For PCs, upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10 does have some benefits. Most programs that are still supported will have been updated to work on Windows 10 as well. The layout and interface are similar to Windows 7, so you shouldn’t find it too hard to adjust. If you use programs that no longer are updated, please be sure to let us know so we can review options. Servers are unable to be upgraded in the same way leaving only limited options.
For contract clients, your account manager has already provided you with pricing in your annual budget. We will be following up with you over the next few months to review options and discuss the best plan. If you have any questions in advance please be sure to reach out to your account manager.
If you have any questions please contact your primary technician or reach out to our office @ 203-431-8324 or support@southridgetech.com.
