We reported earlier this month, that the end is near for Windows XP, as Microsoft ends support for the massively popular - but 12-year-old - windows operating system on April 8, 2014. Our last piece covered the announcement offered and a list of questions you should be addressing now to prepare. Now, we want to encourage you to join the transition with some actions you need to take now, to avoid eventual problems ranging from day-to-day (or longer) operation interruptions to major catastrophes.
A little planning - along with some help from the professionals at Anchor - could be all you need to get through the necessary migration relatively unscathed.
Don’t Wait!
As this support end of life draws near, it’s becoming more and more evident that waiting will likely cost your business dearly. The 2014 deadline may seem a long way off, a fact that creates dangerous opportunities for procrastination. After all, how many of your processes could possibly be dependent on a machine that is still running XP? What vital data - and how much - is still being stored on, processed by and accessed from a machine (or machines) running the old operating system? Do you even know for sure? Our experience in the tech landscape has shown us that many organizations often become so complacent in processes and procedures that they sometimes forget their various dependencies - until it’s too late.
Since the end of support includes a complete cease of updates, the security blocking these machines from malware, hacks, viruses, worms, etc. will be rendered almost immediately obsolete - opening them to a host of potential security breaches and overall havoc. Can you afford that?
To avoid that inevitable 3:00 AM cold sweat on April 7, 2014, make sure you've taken the time to account for all of these things. When the time comes for you to begin the migration, Anchor Network Systems can help you make it easy, painless and secure.
Resuscitate or Replace?
Once you've identified the machines that are currently running Windows XP, it’s time to decide exactly how to deal with them. Very often clients ask: Do we keep these machines, and merely upgrade the operating systems or do we replace them altogether? The answer will almost always be to replace the system rather than upgrade. Most every computer that has Windows XP on it is at least 3 years old and isn't worth upgrading because it’s half as fast as a new one. There are other reasons not to upgrade such as hardware and operating system compatibility issues, but speed and cost are the driving factors.
In the event that you require Windows XP to run a legacy business applications, you can certainly continue to do so. Computers that run XP will not cease to work on April 9th. That said if you are in this situation, it may be time to start evaluating alternative line of business applications that are staying current with today’s business computing technologies.
Come Up With a Plan, While You Still Have Time
According to a study conducted by VMware in April this year, more than 51% of businesses ranging in size from enterprise to SMB had still not migrated from Windows XP, a statistic in which you can’t afford to find your business. It may be hard to get your mind around how to handle issues that the migration may present - like downtime, loss of sensitive data, remote locations and other unforeseen failures - but the earlier these potentials are identified and planned for, the less likely they’re going to arise. Make it a point to consult Anchor soon to help you plan for this upcoming event, and to make the transition away from Windows XP as smooth, effective and inexpensive as possible.
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