Support Ended July 14, 2015 for Windows Server 2003
It’s Time to Let Go…
It’s been the go-to, must-have workhorse for SMB’s. Windows Small Business Server 2003 has served gallantly, providing critical services like email, shared files, folders and printers, and SharePoint sites. Like its big brother, Windows Server 2003, it introduced cutting-edge services and set a high-water mark for availability and reliability. Sure, it wasn’t perfect – it had its quirks, but what operating system doesn’t? For better and worse, SBS 2003 has driven small businesses forward for over a decade. But now, it’s time to let it go.
Microsoft ended extended support for WinServer 2003 on July 14, 2015. What does this mean? No more security patches or updates. Sound ominous? It is. While your faithful old big iron server is still working happy and hard in the backroom, it is now more vulnerable than ever before. Hackers, thieves and ne’er-do-wells around the world are on the hunt every day, searching for unpatched, vulnerable machines they can exploit for their illicit craft.
Hopefully, the end of all support for SBS 2003 isn’t a complete surprise. Microsoft has been pushing details out for quite a while. If you’re like most other SMB’s, the IT workload is collateral duty, and you might not have had time to develop your SBS 2003 exit strategy. The two most common options for replacing SBS 2003 are:
- New server hardware with Windows Server Essentials
- Migrate to a cloud server
If you have any thoughts of migrating to the cloud, you’re not alone. In a December 2014 survey, VentureBeat.com found upwards of 68% of SMB’s surveyed had already moved to cloud services. More importantly, 51% reported spending less time supporting their IT infrastructure, 70% were able to reinvest the monetary savings from moving to the cloud into business development, and 94% found increased security for their valuable and sensitive business data by moving to the cloud.
If it’s time to say good-bye to your old friend, consider the cloud. And when your ready to have your questions answered, contact us. Ntelogic has a cloud server package to fit the needs and budget of any small business. Our cloud servers are highly secure, highly available and highly reliable. Your Ntelogic Cloud Server can be up and running in minutes, can be provisioned with a broad suite of business services like Internet Information Server, SharePoint Server and SQL Server, and with our Concierge Onboarding Service, you can relax while your migration is carefully handled by our experts.
Contact us today. We won’t tell your SBS 2003 machine you called.
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