Microsoft End of Support: Your Get Out of Jail Card

Announcing RAMP: Your Rapid Azure Migration Plan

Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 are no longer supported by Microsoft. Despite this, many businesses continue to rely on these products, which is fraught with risk. Read on for how to quickly get yourself out of the hole you might be in.

Microsoft’s end of support for many of its popular products remains a hot topic. And unfortunately, the coronavirus has compounded the problem for many businesses. Here, we nail two products: Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008.

By conservative estimates, around a third of UK organisations are running their workloads and applications on unsupported operating systems and database servers. If this applies to your organisation, then you’ll have your reasons, be they technical, practical or perhaps even emotional.

Your Get Out of Jail Card  

We understand that a wholesale change programme is daunting, especially on top of an already packed day job.  Migrating your apps and workloads to Microsoft Azure will buy you time. By taking this step, you'll get to keep what you know and love (or tolerate) and extend their support by three years. This way, you can maintain the status quo and take a phased, manageable approach to modernisation.

To collect your get out of jail card, fast-forward to the end of this blog.

When Did Microsoft End Support for Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008?

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 (and 2008 R2) reached the end of support on the 14^th of January 2020. Support for SQL Server 2008 (and 2008 R2) ended on the 9^th of July 2019.

What Does Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 End of Support Mean?

Formal support and security fixes have ceased, leaving users at increased operational risk and more vulnerable to cybercrime. It’s also unlikely you’ll be compliant with your organisation’s obligations, e.g. the GDPR, or legislation pertinent to your sector.

You can read more here: Microsoft End of Support – What You Need to Know.

What’s Worrying You?

When we talk with potential clients about migrating to Microsoft Azure, they tell us their biggest concerns are spiralling and hidden costs, a shortage of skills, and fears around security. Let’s break these down, one at a time:  

• Costs. You’ll be moving from a CapEx to an OpEx model, which can feel unpredictable. We can help you right-size and optimise your cloud workloads. Moreover, we can help you manage your costs, giving you the comfort of an expected, monthly pay-as-you-consume sum.

• Skills. There’s no dressing this up; cloud migration and management call for a distinct skill set. Take a risk-free approach by outsourcing to a specialist like us and learn from them. A quality cloud partner will be happy to upskill and coach your IT pros, and they’ll gain experience while working alongside a safe pair of hands. And if you decide to go it alone later, you’ll be in a stronger position to make the leap.

• Security. It’s a myth that your on-premise data centre is more secure than the cloud. Azure has more security certifications than any other cloud provider and is the most compliant public cloud option in the world; 3 reasons why Azure’s infrastructure is secure.

We can address these points in more depth, and answer other concerns you have, over a free half-day workshop - get your free Cloud Viability Assessment. Read on for more information. 

Your Next Steps

Free Cloud Viability Assessment

We offer two flavours of a Cloud Viability Assessment. The first - let’s call it vanilla – includes:

• A half-day discovery and strategy workshop.
• Key application identification.
• Addressing your governance, compliance and regulatory needs.

Please don’t underestimate the value of this free assessment; you’ll be enjoying the time of qualified consultants with years of experience in cloud migration – not a sales team.

Slots are limited, so book now to avoid delays. Click here for your free Cloud Viability Assessment.

Comprehensive Cloud Viability Assessment

Let’s call this vanilla plus a chocolate flake. Our chargeable Cloud Viability Assessment gives you everything listed above, plus:

• Technical analysis, toolset identification and tool-based analysis.
• Policy review; an appraisal of your compliance and requirement documentation.
• User engagement; staff questionnaires and interviews.
• Your cloud roadmap and migration schedule.

To learn more and enquire click here: Comprehensive Cloud Viability Assessment.

Your Get Out of Jail Card: RAMP

We’re excited to announce RAMP – your fully managed Rapid Azure Migration Plan. For a one-off fee, we’ll migrate your infrastructure to the Azure cloud, manage your risks and reduce your technical complexities. In just six weeks’ your end of support woes will be over.

For full details, download your 6-page PDF here: IT Lab’s RAMP service. You can also contact us through the Microsoft Azure Marketplace - Migrate Your Windows/SQL Server 2008 in six weeks with RAMP and we'll be in touch.