On October 10, 2023, Microsoft will be ending their support for all editions of Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2. Knowing key dates for the lifecycle of Microsoft's operating systems can help you make informed decision about when to upgrade you hardware systems. Even though it's still months from now, it's imperative you take the right steps now to prepare for this major change. But don't panic! We've got you covered on your next steps.
Windows Server 2012 reached its mainstream support end date over four years ago, in October 2018, but Microsoft pushed back the end date for extended support for five more years to allow customers to migrate to newer, under-support Windows Server versions. And the day has come, we've reached that end date. In 7 months, Microsoft is issuing an end of support for Windows Server 2012 and its R2 affiliate.
This is of paramount importance that you need to make a change NOW. So what should you do? You have a couple options.
Microsoft Azure is a cloud-based environment. Elements of Azure were included in the 2012 servers (called Windows Azure at the time) but really 2012 servers were designed to support both an on-premise (physical) infrastructure alongside a cloud-based one.
By migrating your systems to the cloud you receive three-fold benefits:
Can you upgrade your Windows Server 2012 R2 to the newest Windows system? The short answer is yes. But there are a few caveats.
You can't just upgrade your systems to the most recent Windows 2022. There are too many larger processor, memory, and disk space updates in between your 2012 system and the current one. Your largely outdated environment would need a tune up before it could handle the most recent Windows Server. Instead, you would need to update incrementally. Although, you should be aware that you don't have to update all the way to 2022. Keeping your systems functioning through Windows 2019 would put you in good shape (until the next End of Support announcement, that is!).
While this is our least favorite option, you can remain in your 2012 environment for a little longer (but at an additional cost). For anyone who either can't meet the deadline or have agreed-upon subscriptions licenses that prevent you from migrating to the cloud or upgrading your systems, can purchase Extended Security Updates for Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 that will last three more years.
There are some pre-requisites and criteria, but if this is the option you want to choose, you can learn more here.
If none of the above suit your fancy, you have some more strenuous but available options:
One of the primary reasons we're telling you about this now is because time is of the essence during the next 7 months. There are a lot of things to consider before any sort of change like migrations or upgrades can take place. Whether you've chosen to migrate or upgrade your servers, here are a few things to keeping mind before transitioning:
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That was a lot. I know. My head has been spinning with researching this since the announcement last week. But honestly, it's worth the work to make sure we're keeping our systems running as smoothly as possible.
Still, if you need help or are uncertain about which route to take, let us help you. Contact us for assistance with migrations, solutions, or with any questions you have about this Microsoft update. Let us make this transition as easy as possible! Talk soon!