What is End-of-Support (EOS)?
Microsoft is making progress with ensuring that user’s move to the Cloud is an easy one with flexibility and business continuity. As Server 2008 moves to End of Support on 14th January 2020, SNS Technologies endeavours to facilitate customers move through modern transformation in an easier and more profitable way.
Having already begun, with SQL Server and Mainstream Windows Server 2008 end-of-support already having ended as of July 2019, this version of Server will face compliance risks and security breaches once support ends completely. Companies currently running on Server 2008, without the regular security support and updates, are more vulnerable to cyberattacks and such that could completely expose customer and company data to theft and much less confidence in the company’s transparency as a whole.
With cyberattacks becoming ultra-modern and a lot more frequent, continuing to run data and applications on unsupported versions can give rise to many security and compliance risks.
Risks with running Windows Server 2008 beyond the support lifecycle
If you delay action to move to Azure or an in-support version, you not only miss out on added improved security and efficiency features that could make your move to the Cloud a lot easier, but it would then be imperative that you take the time to assess your options and base your decisions that will benefit and secure your organization above all else. With the correct understanding of the risks this would expose your business to, you can make sure your organization is protected and your infrastructure is safe with the correct strategies.
- Barrier with digital transformation: Continuing to run old systems has been identified as a key contributing factor towards why CIOs are not moving forward faster to adapt transformative technology like Cloud hosted products, artificial intelligence (AI), automation and Internet of Things (IoT).
- Software incompatibility: Having the latest Servers allow you access to usability, efficiency and security benefits. To continue using an unsupported product, you risk missing out on these core benefits, as well as their side benefits.
- Highway for Hackers: Due to the end of security support, businesses will now receive no security fixes, or critical bug resolution making their data sensitive to any hacker. Running an end-of-life product represents a significant risk to your security and data.
The upcoming end of support turning point brings about the greater opportunity to transform your business applications and infrastructure by taking utmost advantage of all that Cloud computing and the latest versions of SQL Server & Windows Server has to offer. Moving to Azure would ensure better performance, efficiency and regular security updates.
So, how do you avoid letting your applications and infrastructure go unprotected?
The Cloud Has You Covered!
Microsoft has made available two easy and cost effective options to help you upgrade and adapt to the innovative and transformational technologies you need to carry your organisation steadily.
Migrate Your Workload To Azure
Migrate to Azure and pay only for the resources that you consume. Enjoy an OpEx pricing strategy that allows you to pay on a monthly basis with a pay-as-you-go nature that easily saves you money.
3 Reasons to Move Your Server 2008 Workload To Azure
- Innovation: Embrace the many tools that Azure has to modernise your applications with Cloud innovation that lets you migrate with agility, increased performance and on a global scale. Maximise productivity with fully-managed Azure services that lets you focus company energies in pushing the business forward with implementing managed services, like Azure SQL Database, Azure Application Services and Azure IaaS.
- Paying Less: Azure is the most cost-effective for Windows 10 and SQL Server. You are able to reduce your infrastructure costs with free extended security updates, Azure Hybrid Benefits, and achieve optimized infrastructure.
- Security & Compliance: Azure carries the most trust with enterprises and allows you to counter cyberthreats with Azure's secure Cloud foundation. Minimize business risks by strengthening your advanced security and compliance posture and receive Azure allowances to easily meet compliance requirements with the most comprehensive Cloud certifications, as compared to any other Cloud provider.
Not quite ready to move away from Windows Server 2008?
We can help!
For environments that need to run Server 2008, due to your current workloads being incompatible with the latest in-support Windows Server version and SQL Server 2016, SNS Technologies can assist you with the option to bring your Server 2008 workload to Azure and receiving 3 years of extended support as part of the Azure Hybrid Benefit. This not only gives you 3 additional years of support, on both Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008, but grants you a longer period of time to ready your business for a later and greater version of Windows Server. By using your existing license, you easily save on additional costs when you choose to move or migrate your Windows Server workload to Azure at the end of the extended support period. Customers who do not move their workloads to Azure have the option to purchase extended support, whereas those who do, enjoy the 3 years of extended support for free.
