We looked at the difficulties posed by Windows Server 2012 reaching its End-of-Life (EOL) in our first blog post. Today, we'll delve more deeply into the effects of this incident itself and present effective strategies to avoid these dangers.
Quantifying the Risks
Businesses are subject to a number of hazards as a result of Microsoft’s end of support for Windows Server 2012. These include but are not limited to:
Security Threats
Without regular patches and upgrades, outdated software turns into a haven for fraudsters. According to a report, the average cost of a data breach rose from $3.86 million in 2020 to $4.24 million in 2022. This emphasizes the financial costs associated with data breaches, which can also result in a large loss of customer confidence and harm to your company's brand.
Operational Disruptions
Unsupported software can cause unexpected system failures and performance issues. According to IDC, the average cost of critical application failure per hour ranges from $500,000 to $1 million, a sobering statistic that emphasizes the importance of maintaining updated and supported software.
Regulatory Non-compliance
Compliance with regulations is a universal mandate across all sectors, crucial in mitigating risks associated with legal sanctions, financial losses, and reputational damage. However, maintaining compliance can be costly. When organizations hesitate in this regard, the financial consequences can be severe, potentially resulting in significant revenue losses. Therefore, adherence to regulatory standards is not only a legal requirement, but it's also an essential strategy for economic stability and sustainable growth.
Lack of Support
Without vendor support, businesses may struggle to resolve technical issues swiftly, which could result in prolonged system downtime and operational inefficiencies. Gartner estimates that the average cost of IT downtime is $5,600 per minute, which extrapolates to well over $300k per hour.
Mitigating the Risks with Visionet
To navigate these challenges, Visionet provides a comprehensive EOL support package:
Securing Your Infrastructure
We assist you in upgrading to a supported version of Windows Server, thereby removing the security flaws. This is crucial since, according to Cybint, human error (often employees failing to install updates), causes 95% of cybersecurity breaches.
Maintaining Operational Continuity
By ensuring your software is up-to-date, we help prevent unexpected system failures. This is crucial because, as previously mentioned, even an hour of downtime can be extremely costly.
Ensuring Compliance
Upgrading to supported software versions helps you comply with regulatory standards. This not only protects you from penalties but also preserves your reputation in the marketplace.
Providing Expert Support
Our continuous support model ensures that you get the expert technical assistance you need, when you need it, helping you keep systems running smoothly and efficiently.
Navigating the Transition: The Visionet Approach
We offer a structured EOL support package, designed to transition your business seamlessly through the Windows Server 2012 EOL. Our support package involves four key stages:
- Assessment: An in-depth analysis of your current server landscape, identifying key dependencies and potential challenges.
- Planning: We organize servers/applications, devising strategic wave group plans to ensure minimal business disruption.
- Execution: Depending on your unique requirements, we conduct an in-place upgrade or migration to a new Operating System Environment (OSE) or Virtual Machine (VM) on Azure.
- Continuous Support: Ongoing assistance post-migration through our managed services model, ensuring smooth operations and instant support.
The Visionet Advantage
Visionet, as an AMMP-certified Microsoft partner, brings exclusive benefits to your migration process. Our strategic, accelerated, and tool-based approach ensures a cost-effective transition with minimal disruption:
- Microsoft Funding: Visionet can offer Microsoft funding for Azure migration, an exclusive benefit due to our AMMP Partner Privilege. This can greatly reduce the financial burden of your transition.
- Strategic Approach: We have designed a comprehensive migration strategy that ensures the most optimized, user-friendly, and cost-effective approach for your business.
- Accelerated Transition: Our advanced tools for assessment and migration allow us to navigate your transition swiftly, saving your valuable time and resources.
Conclusion
Navigating the EOL of Windows Server 2012 can appear daunting, but it doesn't have to be. With Visionet's comprehensive EOL support, you can transform this challenge into an opportunity for growth and innovation, ensuring your business is equipped for the future.
Start your journey towards a more secure, compliant, and efficient future with Visionet today. Get in touch with us for more information.