Protect Your Business When Microsoft Stops Supporting These Products

You might have heard that Microsoft is ending support of some of its software. This means they will no longer provide upgrades, patching, security updates or accept warranty claims.

What does this mean for you or your business?

It means that any new security vulnerabilities will not be patched. Continuing to run software that Microsoft has stopped supporting is akin to inviting hackers into your home and allowing them to access all your personal information, passwords and trade secrets.

In addition to the IT security concerns, there are other considerations for your business when running software that is no longer supported:

• If you are working in a regulated industry, it is likely that running unsupported software constitutes a compliance violation.
• Running unsupported software will cost you more money over time to fix software issues that come up as you will end up having to pay outside contractors to fix them.
• Using unsupported products sets you behind the competition who are using state-of-the-art technology to set themselves apart. Simply put, it’s a barrier for the digital transformation of your business.
• Using unsupported software means that your company is losing out on the functionality and efficiency that companies like Microsoft provide when they upgrade their software to make it easier for their products to integrate with other programs.

Here are some upcoming products that Microsoft is ending support for:

Microsoft generally provides 10 years of total support for its products: five years of mainstream support and then an additional five years of extended support at an additional cost (There are a few exceptions to this rule). Either way, once the extended support has ended, the product will be EOL (end of life).

If you are interested in learning more about what products Microsoft will no longer support, read this fact sheet or talk to an expert to learn more about how we can help you develop a plan to upgrade your IT infrastructure.

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