LA CPAs: Ready for Windows Server 2003 End of Life?

Author: Craig Pollack Date: Jun 16, 2015 Topics: _CPA and Accountant Blogs
LA CPAs: Ready for Windows Server 2003 End of Life?

Is your Los Angeles CPA firm ready for Windows Server 2003 End of Life (EOL)?

If your accounting firm has been delaying the upgrade of your Windows Server software, July 14th should be a red-letter date on your calendar. After that date, there will be no more security patches for Windows Server 2003.

Putting off an upgrade or migration could leave your business vulnerable to hackers, malware, or server viruses. Similar to the Windows XP situation in early 2014, the Windows Server 2003 End of Life should be taken seriously.

Microsoft is encouraging clients still on Windows Server 2003 to either upgrade their data center server software to Windows Server 2012 R2 or take advantage of cloud services such as Office 365 or Microsoft Azure.

Industry analysts from IDC agree:

  • The migration of applications from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2012 R2 is much easier than moving programs from Windows XP to Windows 8.
  • There have been multiple upgrades since Server 2003. If you have been clinging to the antiquated 2003 Server OS, you are placing the security of your information at risk, and are gambling on being non-compliant and vulnerable to legal action for data loss.
  • There haven’t been any non-security patches since 2010, so you are missing out on application compatibility, and many other benefits that cloud or Windows Server 2012 R2 offers.

There are millions of servers still running in data centers by companies holding out on starting their upgrade or migration, who will all be at risk from opportunistic hackers. At FPA, we started talking about the Windows Server 2003 End of Life date back in February. The temptation to delay moving may be due to cost, yet there are cost savings benefits you can realize through migrating. Some of these include:

  • Avoiding costly aging hardware maintenance
  • Not incurring penalties or paying high costs of non-compliance to standards like PCI
  • Keeping up with the latest versions of your applications and security systems
  • Mitigating risks such as data loss and maintaining the security updates for appliances like Intrusion Prevention Systems, firewalls, and endpoint protection software.

Making decisions on the right deployment strategy and the most fitting licensing package is best defined with the help of an experienced professional who has been down the migration path before.

At FPA, we’ve helped many Southern California accounting firms migrate their applications and information assets to Windows Server 2012 R2, Microsoft Azure, and Office 365.

 

Is your Los Angeles CPA firm still running Windows Server 2003? What are your plans for migration? Share your thoughts in the section for Comments below.

 

If you’re looking to make the best of the Windows Server 2003 End of Life deadline for your LA CPA firm, learn how FPA Technology Services can help.

 

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Author

Craig Pollack

Craig Pollack

Craig is the Founder & CEO of FPA Technology Services, Inc. Craig provides the strategy and direction for FPA, ensuring its clients, business owners, and key decision makers leverage technology as efficiently and effectively as possible. With over 30 years of experience building the preeminent IT Service Provider in the Southern California area, Craig is one of the area’s leading authorities on how small to mid-sized businesses can best leverage and secure their technology to achieve their business objectives.

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