Microsoft support. If you’re one of the lucky ones, you’ve never had to call them or email them. When businesses reach out to the Microsoft support team, it is usually viewed as the last resort. The Microsoft support team is who you lean all after your previous attempts to repair your problem did not pan out.  However, what could be worse than talking to a member of the support team and hearing the words, “Your device is currently unsupported”. After you hear these words, you are left to determine what you have to do next.

Windows Server is the driving force behind Microsoft’s operating system line-up. While Windows gets recognition and praise, Windows Server works extremely hard in the background, especially for businesses. If you have an on-site network based on a Windows network, there’s a good chance that the network is running a Windows Server.

End-of-Life Nearing for Windows Server 2012

Typically, server operating systems have long lifecycles, but businesses can easily miss the key dates indicating the end of mainstream support. With this in mind, let’s consider one particular version of Microsoft’s server OS, Windows Server 2012 R2, and its upcoming “true” end-of-life status. If you do not already know, Microsoft has announced a major change that will be affecting their Windows 2012 Servers. Businesses trust Windows Server to run their business-critical and mission-critical workloads.

The end-of-life for Windows 2003 Server came into effect in July of 2015. The Windows 2008 Server ended its support in January of 2015 and all remaining support ended in January 2020. Windows 2012 Server also ended support in January 2020. Up next is Windows 2012 Server. Windows 2012 Server will be ending sales, support, monitoring, and updates in 2023. Microsoft’s obsolescence date has been set for October 10, 2023. Although this date may make you feel that you do not have to worry about this right now, we recommend that you take action rather than later. You do not want the end-of-life date to sneak up on you.

Preparing for End-of-Life for Windows Server 2012

Preparing for the end-of-life or end-of-support for Windows Server 2012 should be of immediate urgency to businesses. It has become evident that the end-of-life rollercoaster will continue to extend across a range of systems as we enter the coming years. Therefore, long-term preparation is needed at every stage. You do not want to wait until the end of support comes into effect. Making the transition is going to take some time, so it is better to make the transition at your own pace.

With the right resources and solutions in place, achievable objectives and goals can be met within a short timeframe. This move will require businesses to act immediately to ensure proper preparation. Urgency is the name of the game, and businesses that take proactive steps will be able to make a seamless transition into the next server.

After the end-of-life date has passed, it will become increasingly more dangerous to continue running your business on an outdated Windows Server. There will never again be an update or security patch released for Windows Server 2012 after October 10, 2023. This means your network will be vulnerable to attacks because it can easily be infiltrated by malicious actors.

Upgrading to Windows Server is a worthwhile investment for your business for the following reasons:

• Enhanced security
• Better productivity and less downtime
• More reliability and flexibility
• More applications and features

A more powerful and reliable server can offer your business better performance and scalability, allowing your business to have the resources and flexibility it needs in a server. As your business grows and excels into the future, you need to operate on a server that can meet your business’s current needs and future growth plans.

SystemsNet can put together a detailed plan to minimize disruption as much as possible and address all your Windows Server concerns. Contact us today for more information.