Now is the time to create a Windows Server 2003 migration plan
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- Published: Thursday, 15 January 2015 09:12
On July 14th 2015 Microsoft is scheduled to end support for Windows Server 2003. This means no more updates or patches from Microsoft, which can result in a less stable and less secure infrastructure for organizations that have not yet transitioned to Windows Server 2012 R2. A surprisingly large number – analysts estimate as much as 60 percent – of organizations have not yet created a migration plan. According to Logicalis US, which has been assisting clients in the assessment, design, planning, migration and deployment activities related to this transition, there are five significant reasons why doing nothing can spell disaster.
“With the kinds of legacy workloads being run and the mission critical data stored on Windows Server 2003 systems, this migration is an absolute necessity. Doing nothing could result in real business continuity issues and the unwelcome publicity which goes hand-in-hand with downtime and security breaches. At a minimum, customers should inventory their applications and understand their interdependencies with each other and the underlying infrastructure.
Five reasons to create a Windows Server 2003 migration plan
1. Manage dependencies. Today’s application environment is interdependent. Understanding whether the upgrade of an application to comply with Windows Server 2012 will also require a database upgrade is critical to understating the complete scope of work and associated vulnerabilities. Furthermore, homegrown applications may require recompiles and upgrades to libraries.
2. Improve security. As security patches and hot fixes will no longer be available, exiting infrastructure and applications will be vulnerable to future security threats and downtime.
3. Maintain compliance. Outdated software could threaten to create compliance risks.
4. Seize opportunity. Organizations could use this opportunity to take advantage of modern IT infrastructure, management tools, cloud, and application modernization options.
5. Save money. Fees for a custom support agreement after Windows Server 2003 End of Support, if available, will likely escalate rapidly.
More details about this issue can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/server-cloud/products/windows-server-2003/
