Effective July 14, 2015, Microsoft will be ending all support for Windows Server 2003. This means more than not being able to call a help line. Ending support means a lack of data security, making all of your data on a Windows 2003 server vulnerable to hackers.
Photo Credit: Microsoft
Without support, you will no longer receive security patches to ensure your system is protected. According to a video from Microsoft, there were 37 critical patches in 2013 alone and each year it has increased exponentially. After July 14, hackers will begin targeting Windows 2003 servers because they know the data will be more vulnerable without these patches.
Additionally, if companies choose to keep Windows 2003 after July, they will be incompliant. This means businesses will fail standard compliance audits from Microsoft. Lack of compliance with standards and regulations can be devastating to your business.
Now is the time to take steps to move your data to a new server. This can be a huge headache. MDL Technology agrees with Microsoft 2003’s recommendations migrate your data to the cloud. Microsoft recommends four of their cloud systems:
- System Center 2012 R2
- Microsoft Azure
- Office 365
- SQL Server 2014
After choosing, you need to create a migration plan for an easy and thorough transfer of your data. It helps if you also have a cloud data management plan in place as well. This can get tricky, so Microsoft recommends collaborating with the team in the office or using a service that does it all for you.
Here are a few additional tools that Microsoft has provided to help you in the decision making process. They have supplied a white paper about why it is important to upgrade to the latest technology for your business value. Microsoft has also provided an Assessment and Planning Toolkit to see which applications and workloads are running off the 2003 server. Lastly, you can find more information and details about the Windows Server 2003 end of service on the Microsoft website.
