Businesses need to begin migration from WS03

With support for Windows Server 2003 ending, Angela Cross, HP’s UK and Ireland country manager for servers and software, explains why business must migrate now…

Microsoft’s decision to end support for Windows Server 2003 has been widely reported in the news. However, it’s important to note that Microsoft has been gradually halting support for this server since 2010 – a fact that hasn’t been a focal point of the recent media coverage.

With July’s final cut-off fast approaching, businesses must act fast as automatic fixes and updates will soon be a thing of the past.

There is no avoiding the need for change, but it does not have to be disruptive. Businesses need to act now in order to mitigate the inherent risk of running legacy infrastructures and unsupported, unsecure, non-compliant software. This warning is especially pertinent for enterprises that are still operating on old systems.

Serious consideration needs to be given in order to plan, design, implement, manage and support the transition quickly and cost-effectively. Enterprises that fall foul at this stage risk spending huge amounts on IT support for out-dated systems that can’t be supported long-term.

For forward-looking IT departments, the upgrade date can be viewed as an opportunity to modernise infrastructure, reduce expenses and improve the IT environment. As a matter of fact, through this process businesses can increase flexibility and improve customer experience and service levels of older applications. Businesses that migrate will have a chance to revisit their organisational processes and identify gaps, or even re-skill staff.

At HP, we understand that Windows Server 2003 migration is a compelling event, and that’s why we offer customers the right solution at the right price, with our most complete compute and services portfolio as well as the largest partner network in the industry. Together with Microsoft, we have launched a joint program to help both Enterprise customers and SMBs migrate from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2012R2.

HP’s initial investigation helps define the five Rs during the application assessment– replace/retire, revise, refactor, rebuild or rehost. From this you can assess your business risk, design the next generation of your solution and execute a managed migration to a suitable new environment.

To conclude, businesses need to transition promptly and they need to do it with confidence, using the right solution in order to drive infrastructure modernisation. HP has been partnering with Microsoft for 30 years now – this means that we have a great knowledge when it comes to Microsoft’s services and offerings and can provide reliability, warranty, support and services for all Microsoft solutions.