End of software life

Not a member? Join Now. Already have a Spiceworks account? Log In. If you don't receive the email, please check your spam folder or have us send it again. IT pro with questions about Spiceworks? Contact Support. Need some help? Network inventory is essential for finding which platforms need updating. End-of-life software dangers: Security vulnerabilities: No more security fixes being issued by Microsoft means that Windows Server and Windows XP are now a minefield of security hazards.

For this reason alone, you should update ASAP. A firewall and anti-virus are not sufficient protection against unpatchable vulnerabilities, which hackers are quick to exploit. Software incompatibility: New applications are optimized for the most recent OSes. Compliance issues: Regulated industries like healthcare and e-commerce deal with lots of sensitive customer data. Entrusting your critical information to a decade-old OS or an unsecure application? In addition to security lapses, it could result in big fines, company shutdowns, or possible jail time.

High operating costs: The costs of maintaining and bug-fixing any post-EOL software can be steep. The expense of paying Microsoft to patch an EOL operating system can greatly exceed the price of simply replacing Windows Server What about the high cost of a mission-critical app failing? These are all things to consider. Consider that downtime alone could be more costly than an overdue upgrade.

Taking network inventory to identify EOL risks Risky EOL software, and out-of-warranty hardware could be hiding in the dark corners of your server room or in some underutilized VM that you never really touch. A network inventory application such as Spiceworks can help you: Automatically inventory your PCs, Macs, Windows and Linux servers, switches, etc. Looking for free network monitoring software? Log in to Spiceworks. Please rate your experience Yes No. Any additional feedback?

In this article. Azure Information Protection classic client. Azure Dev Spaces. Skype for Business Online. Dynamics Layout. Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager, Version Dynamics Business Central on-premises Modern Policy , release wave 2, version NET Core 2. Dynamics Business Central on-premises Modern Policy , release wave 1, version When a product is past the prime of its life, and new generations are available in a vendor's portfolio, the customer base migrates away from the product over time.

At certain "tipping points," the number of paying customers dwindles to below the level where it supports the costs of maintaining the product.

At this tipping point, the vendor may elect to set an EOL date for the product and incentivize customers to migrate to a new offering before that date. Your business benefits from having a current, well maintained, and supported software running your operations. Software vendors often create a new "Next Generation" product to replace older products in their portfolios. These products make use of the latest technology, tools, and innovations. These new products do not carry as much technical debt and often make use of technologies that allow developers to build enhancements faster for customers.

Software vendors want you to take advantage of this investment and invest less in "yesterday's" product. You'll get more modern software, functionality, and integrations than you had previously. So, what do you do when faced with an EOL date for your software product? Howe brings more than 21 years of product development and management experience to ECI. Technical Debt The moment we are born, we being to age. Financial Viability When a product is past the prime of its life, and new generations are available in a vendor's portfolio, the customer base migrates away from the product over time.

Talk with your software vendor about their recommended migration path. Consider Cloud subscription versions of your business software with upgrades, maintenance, operating systems, databases, and hardware included in the subscription.