How to Prepare for Windows 7 End-of-Life
CYBERSECURITY, COMPLIANCE
On January 14, 2020, Microsoft will cease supporting its ten-year old workhorse of an operating system, just as it did in 2014 with XP, Window 7’s highly popular predecessor. Like before, affected businesses can either upgrade to Windows 10 or fend for themselves against cyberattacks, with no further updates or security patches. Abandoning support for aging software is common among vendors, who typically alert customers well in advance. Still, nearly 70% of businesses worldwide rely on Windows 7. While millions of enterprises will be impacted, not all will respond in like manner. Some will use cost and inconvenience to justify their (unadvisable) decision to postpone the upgrade.Others will work with an IT Managed Services Provider (MSP) like TeamLogic IT to responsibly tackle the transition head on. Here are a few steps you can take to ensure a successful move.
1) Identify all machines that need to be upgraded or replaced, including legacy systems, which may be a messy patchwork of old code and time-worn add-ons.
2) Prioritize upgrades and develop a budget and timeline.
3) Assess security implications, including whether measures are needed to isolate critical systems from Windows 7 machines that can’t be updated.
4) Plan your employee training program, including session content and leaders. Finally, ask your MSP about the new Windows as a Service (WaaS) model, which Microsoft has introduced to minimize the upheaval of future OS upgrades. Upgrades are no slam dunk.
TeamLogic IT Plano, a Team of IT Support consultants, offers premium IT services in the Dallas-Fort worth Metropolitan Area. Our IT services range from basic IT support to advanced security support for small- and medium-sized businesses. Contact TeamLogic IT Plano, one of the best IT Consulting Company in the Dallas-Fort worth Metropolitan Area.
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