Like every year for technology, 2019 will continue to see changes. Not just because 2019 is anything special, but because it’s also right before 2020. We see trends continuing that large software companies are forcing smaller companies into a cloud-based model (think Amazon and Microsoft), web applications that are hosted in the cloud are the targets of cyber criminals, and some major technology will end its last full year of support and needs to be migrated. The last item is especially of note, because it will cost businesses thousands of dollars to mitigate this risk, so start planning now. We’ll look at the last item first, then trends, and the risks associated.
Costly Replacements Coming
In January 2020, Microsoft will be ending support for all Windows 7 and Server 2008 (SP1 & SP2) operating systems as well as exchange 2010. These will no longer receive security patches or updates.
What does this mean for you? Any of these systems will pose a serious vulnerability to you and your business. For any Windows 7 machine you have, you either need to replace, upgrade, isolate or trash the computer. Below is a breakdown of the costs you should expect.
Costs per computer:
• Upgrade to Windows 10: $200 license + 1 hour of tech labor.
• Replace: $1,000 per computer (varies greatly), plus setup time.
• Isolate: Disable internet access, 1 hour or so of setup time. This option may render the computer useless for modern workers.
• Trash: Wipe the hard drive and recycle the computer, about 30 minutes per computer.
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