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Posted 31st August 2023
Business technology continues to advance, change is both inevitable and essential to creating the right IT infrastructure to meet modern requirements for all companies. This means that even stalwarts like Windows Server 2012 can’t stick around forever. As from the 10th October 2023, it will reach End of Life and no longer receive security updates, non-security updates, bug fixes, technical support from Microsoft or online technical content updates.
What will happen if your organisation is still running workloads using Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2? What replaces it? Here BCN gives you the essential answers and offers the advice and actions necessary to ensure that transitions and updates to your new solutions and infrastructure are as smooth and simple as possible.
The most important thing to remember here is that taking no action is not an option. Failing to act would put your organisation at serious risk and make all business essential data vulnerable. BCN is here to help guide you through your options and ensure you remain updated and informed along the way.
Your next step will be dependent on the individual requirements of your organisation and at BCN we’d be happy to help you decide your next move. Let’s take a look at three options…
Migrating to a modern infrastructure on Microsoft Azure will always be the logical next step for existing Windows Server 2012 users. It represents the most secure, versatile and future-ready solution through a bespoke combination of on-premises, hybrid and multi-cloud platforms. Azure offers the ability for the most intelligent apps and latest technologies to genuinely transform your work processes and elevate efficiency across the board. This is a wonderful opportunity to assess and develop your infrastructure, introduce new benefits such as the power of AI, and drive your company forward with added value at every step. Read more on the benefits here.
There may be occasions where a full migration to Azure is not right for your organisation at this point in your journey. Where this is the case, Azure can still be your new home in a different way. BCN will arrange for your existing infrastructure to be moved over to Azure in its current form. Although this won’t open up the full power of Azure, it does allow you to benefit from Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Server 2012, free of charge, to allow for secure transition and ongoing maintenance.
You can also investigate updating your solution to Windows Server 2022. This means that you will be leveraging your existing infrastructure, but running your business workloads on the upgraded Windows Operating System. BCN can undertake a hardware review to ensure there are no limitations, and provide a scope of works to perform an in-place upgrade with minimal disruption.
As a last resort rather than a long term fix… if you need time beyond October to decide on the right way forward, then we can also help you plan for the purchase of Extended Security Updates for Server 2012 to keep everything safe and supported. Its important to weigh up the cost of Extended Security Updates (ESUs) in the longer term versus positive action today to make a change that is more future proof. At BCN we wouldn’t recommended this option.
Aside from assessing the risk and insecurity by doing nothing here we’d also recommend weighing up the pros and cons of a strategic migration vs tactical lift and shift.
Contact us today through your account manager or click here to arrange an initial assessment and action plan for Windows Server 2012 End of Life.
