Upgrade from Windows Server 2012 Before End-of-Life in 2023

Upgrading to a more robust version of Windows Server or migrating to Azure is crucial for maintaining the integrity and security of your organization’s operations. With cybercrime costs estimated to reach $8 trillion by 2023 and a staggering $10.5 trillion by 2025, as reported by the?2022 Official Cybercrime report?by Cybersecurity Ventures the risk of running on an outdated version of Windows Server cannot be overstated. Leaving your organization unprotected with an older version of Windows Server can cause serious harm and cause delays such as the following.

By October 2023, the extended support for Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 will reach an end-of-life. After this date, when security patches are no longer available, your company’s data and applications will be susceptible to vulnerabilities, putting your company at risk. It’s worth noting that the extended support for SQL Server 2012 has already expired as of July 2022.

Risks of not upgrading your Windows Server 2012 before its end-of-support

1. Compliance risks:?If your organization follows certain rules and regulations set by PCI, HIPAA or any other compliance agencies, then all the applications and computer systems you use must be supported by their respective vendors. When an operating system, like Windows Server, stops receiving support from its vendor, any application or workload that relies on it becomes unsupported as well. This means that your organization can no longer comply with the regulations and becomes?vulnerable to security threats.
2. End of supportability:?In the case of a cybersecurity threat, your organization will lose on-going support, leaving it vulnerable, with no possibility of assistance, or with a delayed response in case of an event.
3. Exposure to cyberattacks: Malicious individuals are ready to attack software that has reached its end-of-life. Failing to migrate or upgrade your end-of-life Windows Server in a timely manner could result in a lack of secure solutions once support has ended. Neglecting to safeguard your organization could result in financial losses, damage to reputation, and increased vulnerability to targeted attacks.
4. Loss of revenue:?In time-sensitive industries, any malfunctioning of your systems due to feature loss, lack of support, or cyber-attacks could result in downtime and subsequent revenue loss.

What are your upgrade options?

As the end-of-life for Windows Server 2012 approaches, we strongly advise organizations to start exploring their alternatives as soon as possible, in order to avert potential downtimes, security and compliance risks, or escalated costs associated with migrating to a new system at a later stage. Investing in the present and future success of your organization means migrating to a newer, more secure system. You’ll need to decide on the best approach for your organization, such as remaining on-premises data centers, partially migrating to the cloud with a hybrid solution, or fully migrating to Azure.

Option 1: Migrate Windows Server to Azure

Migrating your Windows Server 2012 to Microsoft’s Azure Cloud offers a multitude of benefits. With its powerful capabilities, it can greatly enhance your Windows Server operations. Here are some of the features and possibilities that you can take advantage of by utilizing Azure:

• Seamless migration of Windows Server 2012 to the cloud?will allow you to run your infrastructure with a cloud supported for Windows Server workloads.
• Operate easily across your hybrid environment and?extend your on-premises Windows Server datacenter to Azure or run your workloads on Azure to incorporate hybrid capabilities.
• Optimize costs?by leveraging cost-saving opportunities for Windows Server workloads that are exclusive to Azure.

Option 2: Upgrade to Windows Server 2022

With Windows Server 2022 now in preview, your organization can thrive with the help of the new advanced features, such as enhanced security, hybrid capabilities, and modernized application deployment via containers. This allows you to improve agility, scalability, and overall performance, leading to increased productivity.

Additionally, Windows Server 2022 provides hybrid capabilities that allow you to easily integrate on-premises infrastructure with cloud services like Azure, giving you flexibility and agility in deploying and managing workloads.

To make the migration process smoother, Microsoft has also introduced several improvements, such as Azure Automanage for Windows Server, which streamlines management tasks and improves efficiency, and Windows Admin Center in Azure, which enables seamless management of Windows Server deployed on Azure.

In addition, by migrating your Windows Server 2012 to Azure, your organization will acquire access to various services, such as:

• Azure SQL Database
• Azure Blob Storage
• Azure Cosmos DB
• Azure App Service
• Azure Functions
• Azure Event Grid?

Prepare to migrate or upgrade now for IT security and continuity

Now’s the time to start planning your migration from the soon to be unsupported Windows Server 2012. Waiting until the last minute could result in rush fees and other complications. By migrating to Azure or upgrading to a new version of Windows Server, you can ensure the security and compliance of your system while locking in pricing. This will provide peace of mind and prevent any issues that may arise from an outdated server.

If you’re unsure where to start or need assistance with planning, scoping, or migrating, we are here to help. Our team of experts can assist you to figure out the next steps for your organization and achieve your IT goals. Contact us today!

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