Start planning to replace your Windows Server 2012 now!

Is it time you thought about replacing your windows server 2012?

mark from m3 Networks talks us through why we might need to give our trusty old reliable operating system some consideration!

If you're still using Windows Server 2012 (a lot of people are!) then you need to listen to this episode...

Windows Server 2012 has been around for a while (not quite ten years) and it's now becoming officially obsolete.

What's the difference between mainstream support and extended support from Microsoft?

Mark talks us through everything we need to know about the operating system's support options in this episode.

There are different aspects of it that will impact on different businesses, in different ways.

Regardless of the support agreement you have with Microsoft, Mark can talk you through your options. Scroll to find the link to book a chat.

What's going to happen to customer support once the extended support ends?

The burning question.

Will you be left hung out to dry, or will there be options available to you?

Well, Mark seems to think it's something you definitely need to be aware of.

"Well, the most important thing to remember about this is that once it's expired, the product will almost entirely be unprotected by Microsoft.

Microsoft will not release any security, updates and fixes, which means that your 2012 server is a sitting duck effectively."

During this episode of the Techcess technology podcast, Mark explains what we can expect to happen from Microsoft, following their end of life phasing of Windows Server 2012, including:

What this move will mean for most Windows Server 2012 users
What you can do if you currently still have Windows Server 2012
Mark's suggestion for how you can prepare for the changes coming to the Windows Server 2012 software

(Want to download your free copy of m3's IT services buyer's guide that Mark mentions in the episode?)

You can do that by clicking here:

https://m3networks.co.uk/buyersguide

Click this is you're hard of hearing and want to just download and read the episode as a PDF:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/techcess/Techcess_51_Start_planning_to_replace_your_Windows_Server_2012_now.pdf

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Episode transcript preview

You would have probably already seen the link to the PDF above.

Here's a very quick sneak preview of that transcript of episode 51

"Start planning to replace your Windows Server 2012 now

Techcess Episode 51 transcript

In today's episode of Techcess, I'm gonna be telling you everything you need to know about Windows Server 2012, and that it's going 'end of life', which means that it's coming to an end. And if you are still using windows server 2012, you need to listen to this episode so that you are informed and can make decisions before it gets too late, and you find out that your server's no longer receiving updates.

Windows server 2012 and Server 2012 R2, or release two, are going end of life.

So Windows Server 2012 R2 was released actually not in 2012 at all it was released in October, 2013.

And the end of life roadmap from Microsoft actually began with the end of mainstream support, which was back in October, 2018. And currently we are in the extended support phase, which goes on until October 20, 23. So we've got just over a year left before we go out of the extended support phase. And after 2023 in October businesses still using Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 will no longer receive any critical security updates in patches.

So of course we recommend that you update your operating system before then. And to be honest, Given how long this server operating system's been around, it's probably not just an updated operating system. It's probably a hardware replacement of your server, or probably now is the time to have a discussion with your IT provider about, should we move to the cloud either fully to the cloud or in a hybrid cloud situation?"

Scroll down to read the full transcript on the bottom of this page or click the link above to get a printable version!

Want to get more 'Techcess' in your business?

Book a free chat with Mark!

Get more valuable technology insights from m3's blog pages, here.

Mark Riddell's technology podcast "Techcess" is an m3 Networks production. Mark and the team have created this podcast to help you and their clients understand how technology can help them in their industry and business, including helping them with cyber security solutions. To find out more about Mark Riddell and the rest of the m3 team, visit them here and follow them on Linkedin.

If you want to get in touch about technology or cyber security, just address an email directly at Mark here. He'll be very happy to hear from you.

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Start planning to replace your Windows Server 2012 now

Techcess Episode 51 transcript

Windows server 2012 and Server 2012 R2, or release two, are going end of life.

So Windows Server 2012 R2 was released actually not in 2012 at all it was released in October, 2013.

So let's just talk about the difference between mainstream support and extended support from Microsoft for one of their products. Now, mainstream support is essentially, this is when a product has just been released. And for the first five years of its lifespan, it's continually updated with new features, service packs, updates, fixes, you know, it gets the full works, right?

Microsoft are still effectively developing the platform after it's been released and Microsoft will also offer things like real time support, you know, so you phone support during this phase and the earlier you invest in, you know, a product that's just been released the longer you're gonna get that mainstream support.

So if you buy the product, the minute it comes out, you've got five years of, the best support you're gonna get for that product. Extended support covers the latter five years of the product support. You get the mainstream support for five years and then it goes into extended support.

And that's the phase we're in right now. So it's no longer the focus of Microsoft anymore and likely, and which it has several times been succeeded by, another product. So we've had Server 20 12, then Server 2016, S erver 2019. And you know, we're looking at server 2022 now. So it's been around for a long time.

It's had a lot of shelf life and you tend to find that a lot of businesses have probably moved on from it, but just like our customers, there'll be a lot of businesses out there that still have old 2012 servers that need to be replaced. So, you know, you'll still get your security updates and, patches for critical things.

That's literally all you're getting right now, but non-security hot fixes will not be delivered unless you have a separate, extended support agreement with Microsoft, which is something that comes at cost and you have to pay.

What's gonna happen when extended support ends? Well, the most important thing to remember about this is that once it's expired, the product will almost entirely be unprotected by Microsoft.

Microsoft will not release any security, updates and fixes, which means that your 2012 server is a sitting duck effectively, completely open to any new security vulnerabilities that come out after October, 2020. So you're not getting any patches for key exploits and things, and you won't even be able to pay for support anymore.

You can during the extended support, the product is simply, unsupported going forward. So the problem then that creates for businesses, it's almost certain that cyber attackers are already starting to gear up for this. They'll be waiting patiently for the products expend extended support to end next.

And like I said, it's just over a year away at which point they'll be doing all they can to find exploits. And the first thing they'll do, which is not that difficult is to find out which businesses are still using server 2012. So if you're still using this operating system by the end of October next year, you are gonna find yourself a sitting duck to lots of new cyber security attacks that come out then, because this is effectively what cyber criminals do, you know?

They exploit situations, right? So you're exposing your data and you're exposing your network to potential breaches. So what should any business out there who's still using server 2012 do about it? Well, of course it comes down to a lot of the things that I say in the podcast, which is simply to take action.

You know, you need to start planning for this now because you want to make sure that you're ahead of the game here. Especially if you are thinking about, moving to the cloud and you're not just replacing the server like for like, that's a fairly simple thing to do. You know, we have a server and replace it for a new one with new hardware, new software.

However, when you come to these kind of big milestones in IT, you really want to be having the discussions about should we move to the cloud now? Is it the time for us to do this? Is it possible for us to do this and then looking at what your options are? A lot of businesses are finding that a hybrid cloud environment is more suitable rather than full cloud.

And of course, the only way you're gonna know this is to have these conversations with your IT provider. Right now. And to be honest, if you're running server 2012, I would be expecting your IT company to be reaching out to you and having these conversations, because they won't know that this is on the horizon and you don't want to find out that they've got fifty customers with server 2012 that need to be replaced in the next year, because you know, you can do the maths quite easily to realise replacing fifty servers or migrating fifty businesses to the cloud, depending the size of your IT company, of course, and what resources they have but that's not something that can just be done overnight. And these are big jobs that you need to plan in advance. Okay. So the sooner you start the ball rolling then the better and the easier it's gonna be for you.

Like I said, if your IT company hasn't been in touch with you yet, or we'll be probably expecting a lot of IT companies to be reaching out to their customers by the end of this year, once there's less than 12 months to go in terms of the support.

And assuming of course that, your, IT company's on the ball with this, right. And they're being proactive. And they're thinking about this ahead of time, but you don't wanna find out that you get to, you know, September. next year, and you've only got a month left to go of support.

Because of course, as I probably am expecting here that, getting server hardware may become difficult then because there'll be lots of people rushing it out the door at the last minute to try and replace their server that's going out support. So yeah, sooner you do it, the easier it is for you, and you can assess all your options properly instead of being forced in to make a decision right at the last minute.

Of course I'm here. If you want to reach out to me to have that chat, any m3 Networks customers listening to this who have Server 2012, which is a few, we will be reaching out in the coming weeks to have those discussions with all you guys, but anyone out there who isn't working with m3 Networks who wants to have a chat about what their options are and, you know, ask me any questions about their business and about what's right for them, then that's what I'm here for.

So please reach out. So I hope you've enjoyed this episode of Techcess.

Take care, and we'll see you in the next episode.

Techcess is a podcast from m3 Networks

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