Windows 7 support is coming to an end on January 14th, 2020, and most businesses have already made the switch to Windows 10 to avoid the impacts associated with Windows 7 End of Life.
Beginning on that date in January, Microsoft will no longer provide support—including critical security updates—for the users of Windows 7 OS. Microsoft often pushes old operating systems into obsolescence so they can focus on providing more robust support for their newer operating system, in this case Windows 10.
But though many companies have already migrated to Windows 10, some businesses—perhaps for fear of changing decade-old practices or moving operations and data to the cloud—are resisting the upgrade. It’s important for these businesses to realize that without continued security updates, your company’s IT systems will be at high risk of a data breach, which can cost your company hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars in cleanup fees, legal fines, and ransomware costs.
Regular OS updates help to keep your computers protected against hackers, and they also help your computers operate as efficiently as possible. Given that efficiency is very important to companies, in terms of saving both time and money, you should make it your priority to upgrade your IT systems from Windows 7 to Windows 10 before January 14th.
Here’s what you need to know about Windows 7 End of Life and the upgrade to Windows 10:
What will Windows 7 End of Life entail?
In terms of when it will happen when Windows 7 reaches its End of Life date, users won’t be unable to continue using the operating system. However, as mentioned, support will cease to be offered by Microsoft, putting your business in a precarious security situation.
This includes companies of all industries, especially those who are required by law to adhere to certain cybersecurity regulations. Some of these organizations include healthcare practices who must adhere to HIPAA regulations, financial institutions that must follow FFIEC guidelines, and virtually every other business (any company who uses credit card information), which are required to follow PCI DSS laws.
When you upgrade to Windows 10, however, you’ll gain full support of Microsoft’s customer service team, and you’ll get regular security updates that protect your data against even the most advanced modern threats—a true upgrade from all other Windows operating systems. As a business, you should be using an OS which offers the latest in efficiency and protection, and Windows 10 fits the bill.
What should you do if you don’t have time to upgrade?
If you don’t have time to upgrade, which may likely be the case if you’re just beginning the upgrade now, that doesn’t mean you should shrug your shoulders and forget it.
Though it may seem too complex to execute within the next few weeks, it’s worth the effort to begin the upgrade now to avoid serious security risks next year. Hackers are keen to the lack of security updates Windows 7 will succumb to in January, so your systems will quickly become a target for advanced cyberattacks if you fail to upgrade.
Luckily, you don’t have to migrate your entire office to a new OS on your own—which is welcome news to those companies who have put off the upgrade until now. With the help of a Managed Service Provider (MSP), you can correctly install Windows 10 on your IT systems in a time-efficient and cost-efficient manner.
How LYFE Networks can help
LYFE Networks is one of the top-rated Managed IT Service Companies in Los Angeles and is well-versed in software and operating system upgrades. We make sure to implement the migration in phases to ensure we can complete testing on some devices to address potential challenges and to maintain productivity throughout the process. While the upgrade is critical, we know that maintaining regular business operations is, too.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business achieve a Windows 10 upgrade quickly and correctly to prevent security threats from infiltrating your systems.