It’s a bit like saying farewell to a dear old friend. Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you’ve known them for so long, come to rely on them, integrated them in to your daily life.
Yet sadly, after 12 years, that is what’s happening to Windows Server 2003. Microsoft has read Server 2003 its last writes with a final security fix on 14th July.
So what does that mean for businesses still using Server 2003? Well, let’s break it down in to a few simpler chunks:
– As time goes on, any vulnerabilities to the software won’t be resolved, thus putting any data stored in jeopardy. Some businesses will have critical information on these systems, and any breach could have serious repercussions if data protection is breached.
– Déjà vu? It only feels like a few months ago that we went through this with Windows XP so whoever controls the purse strings may be suffering from IT upgrade fatigue. With servers and back-end systems out of sight, this can seem low priority compared to staring at the familiar XP desktop. Will it take a serious problem for this to change?
– Integrated = stuck. If your company runs programmes that need 32-bit architecture then perhaps you’re trapped in that in-between position where you need to re-think entire systems and day-to-day operations.
So what happens next? The ostrich approach can’t work indefinitely, and each workplace will have a different solution(s). Many businesses will move directly to the Cloud, either entirely, or as a hybrid approach. Combining the Cloud and hardware may allow older systems to remain on Server 2003 whilst everything else moves over to Windows Server 2012 R2 and / or virtual space.
Contact is if you would like to discuss migrating from Server 2003.
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