On July 14, 2015, Microsoft will be terminating its extended support on all versions of Windows Server 2003/R2. After that date, when a problem or error occurs on the service, the technology company will not repair customer issues.
While many organizations have left the system behind, there are still over 11 millions Windows Server 2003 systems still running, according to Microsoft. A good chunk of them do not plan on migrating over, either. But does that mean it’s smart to stick with Windows 2003 Server after Microsoft pulls the plug on the system’s support?
How Windows 2003 Can Hurt Your Business
Lose Business
– Many companies will be forced to leave their current IT partners, as they won’t want to work with them lacking HIPAA compliancy. Not to mention, small businesses may be forced to cut back due to increased spending on a handful of reasons that we’ll get into during the bullet points below.
Maintenance Fees
– A company with a regular defense system for its servers will be forced to purchase pricy external firewalls. This can cost a pretty penny, as the cost of supporting a post-end life server runs for an estimated $200,000, according to TechNet. This fact alone makes it worth researching the amount of time it would take using outdated equipment before purchasing a new server would become cheaper.
Endless Bugs
– Even though Windows Server 2003 will not stop working all together on July 14, nobody will be there to exterminate your bugs that arise. This makes your company susceptible to enormous issues that cannot be repaired in the short or long term.
External Hardware Headaches
– Upcoming software and hardware that is released via Windows and its associates will not be required to collaborate with Windows Server 2003/R2. In order to complete tasks that used to be remedial, it may take an extreme amount of time compared to previous experiences.
Other Compliancy Concerns
– A variety of industry-wise standards, such as PCI, SOX & Dodd-Frank, will be yanked from Windows Server 2003/R2 owners, as well.
What’s the Alternative? Windows Server 2012
– This HIPAA-compliant system gives customers a modern IT infrastructure, including virtualization capabilities.
– Running the latest software on new server hardware enables you to have more-powerful servers that are fully supported.
– With new hardware, customers can reduce operational costs, such as power consumption.
– Adding HP branded Windows Server 2012 R2 enables customers to use their new hardware to its full threshold, while reducing their server footprint and simplifying management.
If there’s anything that you should come away with after reading this piece, it’s that users who continue to utilize Windows Server 2003 past July 14 will risk security breaches, non-compliancy issues and bypass the long-term cost savings of today’s top-of-the-line servers. There is no way that one will end up saving money by not upgrading their server.
Upgrade Today with Digerati Group!
Helpful Windows Server 2003 Resources
– Microsoft has an official Support Lifecycle Policy FAQ that you can find on its website in addition to a list of end support for its successor operating systems.
– Windows Server 2008 support ends on January 14, 2020 and Windows Server 2012 support finishes on January 10, 2023.
