Windows Server 2012 End of Life (Eol) – What does it mean?

Written by Shackleton Technologies

Windows Server 2012 End of Life

On 10th October 2023, Microsoft will end support for Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2.

With this End of Life (Eol) date creeping up on us, we thought we’d discuss the importance of maintaining an up to date, and supported, IT infrastructure.

Windows Server 2012 and Server 2012 R2

What you need to know…

Microsoft will no longer provide support for Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 as of 10th October 2023.

This means that any organisation, currently using these products, won’t receive technical assistance, bug fixes, or security updates, from Microsoft, from this date onwards.

Continuing to use unsupported software exposes your business to a variety of security vulnerabilities, including malware, phishing attacks, ransomware, and data breaches.

To safeguard your business, it’s highly recommended to replace your ‘End of Support’ (EOS) server with an upgraded, supported, replacement or migrate to a cloud hosted alternative where possible.

Next Steps…

Upgrading an End of Life (EoL) server is a crucial task to ensure the security, performance, and stability of an organisation’s IT infrastructure.

Here are three essential aspects an organisation should address when contemplating an upgrade for their EoL server:

Assessment and Planning

Inventory and Audit: Begin by listing all current servers and apps on the EoL server. Identify important apps, data, and services on the server.
Requirements Gathering: Define what the new server needs, like processing power, memory, storage, and how scalable it should be. Check if your existing applications will remain compatible with the Operating System (OS) of the new server, or if they’ll require updates.
- Depending on your requirements, you may even want to consider the possibilities of a cloud-based solution as a replacement. Discussions with an IT consultant, like us, would help you understand your options.
Budget and Resources: Discuss with your finance team how much money is available for the server upgrade. Consider costs for hardware, software licenses, migration assistance, and other required resources.

Selection and Implementation

Choosing the New Server: We’d advise working with an IT Expert, like Shackleton Technologies, along with your ‘requirements list’ to identify a new solution that fits your organisation’s needs. Considerations like; server type, performance standards, vendor reputation, and support options.
Moving Data: Plan how to move data from the old server to the new one with minimal downtime and data loss. Test this process before doing it for real. Your IT Provider will manage this process.
Backup and Recovery: Make backups of all important data and settings before moving anything. This way, if something goes wrong during the move, you can go back to the old setup.

Testing and Deployment

Testing: Thoroughly test the new server setup, including apps, services, and security settings. Do this in a safe testing environment to find and fix any problems before the new server goes live. Again, your IT Team or Provider should manage this for you.
User Testing: Get users to test apps and services on the new server. Fix any issues they find to make sure the switch is smooth.
Putting into Action: Use a clear plan to put the new server into use. Keep a close eye on it in the beginning to quickly solve any unexpected problems.

Advice from us

Bear in mind that upgrading an EoL server is not just about hardware replacement, but also involves software updates, security enhancements, and performance optimisations.

It’s important to involve relevant stakeholders, communicate the upgrade plan to the entire organisation, and have contingency plans in place in case of unforeseen challenges.

Need Further Information?

Contact Shackleton Technologies to discuss an IT strategy that’s aligned to your business goals.

Enquiries@shacktech.co.uk

#endoflifewindowsserver #windows2012 #windowsserver2012endoflife

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