Microsoft has ending support for Windows XP and Office 2003 Back in 2002 Microsoft introduced a policy called the Support and Lifecycle policy. With this policy Microsoft provides more transparency and predictability of support for Microsoft products. As per this policy, Windows XP and Office 2003, receive a minimum of 10 years of support (5 years Mainstream Support and 5 years Extended Support), at the supported service pack level.But why is this important to you? Because Windows XP SP3 and Office 2003 will go out of support on April 8, 2014. If your business is currently using these soon to be outdated operation system and application, don't wait; migrate to a modern desktop ASAP.What does end of support mean to a Small Business?It means you should take action now. After April 8, 2014, there will be no new security updates, non-security hotfixes, free or paid assisted support options or online technical content updates. Running Windows XP SP3 and Office 2003 in your environment after their end of support date may expose your company to potential risks, such as: • Security & Compliance Risks: "Older software is easier to break into and over time, cybercriminals learn how to bypass mitigations," said Microsoft spokesperson Holly Stewart. "XP is no different. A good example is DEP (Data Execution Prevention) which was not commonly bypassed when it was released. The utility of that mitigation has degraded year over year." • Lack of Independent Software Vendor (ISV) & Hardware Manufacturers support:Get current with Windows and Office. This option has upside well beyond keeping you supported. It offers more flexibility to empower employees to be more productive, while increasing operational efficiency through improved PC security and management. It also enables your organization to take advantage of latest technology trends such as virtualization and the cloud.How do you begin you migration?Small to Medium Business: There are many options for small and medium businesses considering moving to a modern PC with the latest productivity and collaboration tools. If your current PC meets the system requirements for Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, you can buy Windows 7 Professional or Windows 8.1 Pro from a local retailer. If your PC does not meet system requirements, consider purchasing a new business PC with Windows 8.1 Pro. For help with migrating from Windows XP and Office 2003 contact us for a free one hour consultation. We have done many successful migration and we utilize time saving technical techniques for your business.
