Johannesburg, 16 Oct 2019
With the ever increasing risk of businesses getting hacked or falling victim to a ransomware attack, it is imperative that you keep your operating system up to date and optimised. Doing so ensures you receive the latest updates and patches for your system, which provides you with more protection and stability.
Microsoft has advised that as of 14 January 2020, there will no longer be support for Windows 7. But, what does this mean to you? How can Adept assist you in making a smooth transition that does not disrupt the day-to-day running of your business?
What's the deal?
In essence, should you have an issue with Windows 7 following this date, Microsoft will not be in a position to assist. Furthermore, it will not be releasing any further updates for Windows 7. Support for Office 2010 and Windows Server 2008 /R2 will also be terminated during the course of next year, as detailed below.
Microsoft product retirement schedule
| Product Name | End of Support Date |
|---|---|
| Windows 7 | 14 January 2020 |
| Office 2010 | 13 October 2020 |
| Windows Server 2008 /R2 | 14 January 2020 |
Being able to determine the impact of the decommissioning of these services on your business and the devices in your organisation is crucial; you need to know how you may be affected by it so you can plan and budget accordingly.
Our process for upgrading from Windows 7
Adept is always ready to help its clients prepare for tomorrow. That’s why it is encouraging all users who may be affected to take advantage of its team’s expertise to assist you to make a smooth transition.
Adept begins by meeting with you and fleshing out a high-level summary of all your workstations and systems, making use of any software whose support ends soon. Following this, Adept's solutions architects will develop a custom plan for your upgrades and accompanying tasks. This plan will take into consideration other software that you depend on, to ensure compatibility. What's more, Adept will also check that your hardware will be up to the task.
Things you need to consider
If you'd like to perform your own assessment, it's a good idea to keep the following in mind:
- You’ll need to know how many Windows 7 devices you have in your business that need to be replaced or upgraded before January 2020. If you are already an Adept client, Adept has your back, so just pop your account manager an e-mail and request a Windows 7 device Audit Report. If you're not yet an Adept client, the company is more than happy to assist.
- This year is racing away and 14 January 2020 will come sooner than you think. You might wish to budget and spread the purchases or upgrades over time to reduce disruption or impact financially, or you may have busier periods throughout the year where it would make sense to move to Windows 10 before or after the busy times to reduce business impact.
- Check your business applications like Sage, Accpac, Quickbooks, etc, to make sure they will be compatible with Windows 10, as this may be a reason that you have stayed with Windows 7 thus far. If this is the case, then you need to start the transition sooner rather than later, as there is a lot more involved than just PCs and laptops.
Update or replace
Modernising your systems is a key component in future-proofing your business. Keeping up to date with software is no exception. As always, newer software has greater hardware requirements. Both updates and replacements come with costs, so it's important to base the decision on the right criteria:
- Is the current hardware compatible with the new products?
- Are any hardware upgrades required to ensure the performance of the machine is optimal with the new products?
- What is the intended lifespan of the machine that needs to be upgraded? Is it approaching end-of-life too?
Contact Adept to find out how the company can help your business with a smooth transition from Windows 7 to Windows 10 or for assistance with your IT infrastructure.
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