When is it time to upgrade your computer hardware or software? A lot of vendors would like you to believe the answer to that question is “as soon as we have something new for you to buy.” However, you shouldn’t plop down your hard-earned money for new IT products until it makes economic and business sense to do so. That means determining if and when an investment will pay dividends in terms of added productivity, better customer service, solving an ongoing problem or reducing your risk.
Of course, almost any upgrade in technology offers the opportunity for at least a little improvement in how tasks and processes are completed. Yet other investments in your business may be a better bet for the near future-you simply have to weigh your options and check your budget. Besides, there’s usually nothing wrong with squeezing every bit of value out of the previous edition of your technology before acquiring the latest version.
Unfortunately, IT manufacturers tend to get a little impatient with customers who hang on to solutions “too long” and they eventually push users into upgrades by ending support services or no longer providing software patches. We saw that play out in 2013 with the “sunsetting” of the beloved Microsoft XP operating system. On that note and in about eight months (July 14, 2015 to be exact), business owners of almost eight million servers that rely on Windows Server 2003 will similarly see the end of Microsoft support for this network operating system.
Without the updates and security patches that Microsoft has been providing, Windows Server 2003 users will be vulnerable to cyber-attacks as well as data breaches and loss. Companies might no longer be in compliance with HIPPA, PCI, and other regulations. Plus there’s still the loss of efficiency that comes from using technology that’s more than a decade old. With all that in mind, Microsoft is ready to set up their customers with Windows Server 2012 R2 and of course, we at SynchroNet are ready to assist you.
It’s estimated that 60% of businesses running Windows Server 2003 have no plan in place for making the upgrade. We won’t let you be in this vulnerable group, so we’ll be working with you in the coming months to help you prepare and carry out the transition to Windows Server 2012 R2 in the least disruptive and most cost-effective fashion possible…ensuring you begin maximizing ROI from Day One.
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