In case you haven’t heard yet, Microsoft Server 2008 will reach what is called “end of life” in the new year. What that means is that all support for it will end on January 14, 2020.
If you’re currently using Microsoft Server 2008, then you need to prepare to migrate to something newer and properly supported – and quickly. But first thing’s first; how do you even know if you’re running Microsoft Server 2008?
How Can You Tell If You’re Running Microsoft Server 2008?
There are two very simple ways to determine what you’re running:
1. At the command prompt, type “winver”, which will tell you what version of Windows you are running.
– OR –
2. Right click on computer and select “Properties”. If you are running R2, it will say so. Otherwise, you are running R1.
In either case, you need to do something about it. Continuing to run Microsoft Server 2008 after end of life will cause serious problems for you and your business.
What Does End Of Life Mean For Microsoft Server 2008?
End of life means that Microsoft isn’t releasing any support, patches or upgrades for the program anymore. As such, the usability of Microsoft Server 2008 will degrade. There will be a loss of functionality and increased vulnerability.
Unless you’re really bad at planning ahead, you’ve likely got some plan in place to upgrade your systems before January 14.
But if not? You’re not just risking the problems that come from a lack of support…
- No free security updates on-premises
- No non-security updates
- No free support options
- No online technical content update
What Upgrade Options Do You Have?
Now that you’ve determined what you’re running, and that you have to upgrade, there are two options available to you:
- Windows Server/SQL Server: This is a good choice if you’re looking to remain on-premises, but remember, there isn’t a direct upgrade path without performing a clean install, which means you’ll need to upgrade to Windows Server 2012 first to preserve settings.
- Microsoft Azure: Microsoft Azure, the cloud computing service offered by Microsoft as a modern alternative to their older server operating systems. In addition to protecting you from an unsupported operating system, upgrading to Microsoft Azure will offer a number of benefits, such as three additional years of Critical and Important security updates at no additional charge, as well as the many features of Microsoft Azure.
Need A Hand With Migration?
Now that you know you need to migrate, don’t get too stressed about it – you don’t have to do it alone. The Hampton Road Communication Technologies Team can help.
We can evaluate your business’ needs and determine which current Microsoft option to which you should upgrade. We will help you plan the migration, avoiding any unnecessary downtime or errors, all in time for Microsoft Server 2008 end of life.
Remember, end of life is just a part of doing business – no matter what hardware or software you use, eventually it’ll reach the end of its life. Every Windows operating system has a lifecycle. It’s important that you stay up-to-date about essential End-of-Life dates.
This will help you make informed decisions about when to upgrade or make other changes to your software or hardware. Furthermore, we will help you make informed decisions about when to upgrade or make changes to your other software or hardware.
If you need help in managing end of life, allow us to assist – our team can assist in building a plan for migrating.