Legacy IT is difficult to support and creates various barriers within an organisation. Computer software and hardware isn’t designed to last forever.
Just like a can of beans on a supermarket shelf, they tend to have a best before and a use by date. Anything that is becoming outdated and no longer supported is known as a legacy product. They are usually no longer supported, no longer available to buy and tend to be creeping towards the use by date.
Dangers of running legacy products
It really is risky to run anything on legacy products. It may look cheaper in the short term, but the dangers are very real and will cost you a lot more in the long run.
Security risks: When Microsoft announced the end of life date for Windows 7, Server 2008 and 2008 R2, the team also stated that after January 14th 2020, these products will no longer receive security updates and fixes won’t be issued. If you are running on any one of these after that date, you are putting your business at risk of a cyber-attack. Do you want to be responsible for that?
Reliability: Legacy products are prone to breakdowns and are normally out-of-warranty so not only will it cost you money, but it will cost you in downtime for your business as well. Can you afford to lose productivity hours because of this?
Incompatibility: Applications and updates are designed to work best on newer models. Microsoft have already said they won’t roll out updates for their EOL products, again putting your business at risk, but it also means your system will be running on outdated applications which could impact productivity.
What can you do to prepare?
- Firstly, take an inventory of what systems you already have. Find out what needs to be upgraded or even replaced.
- Have a date in mind when you want everything to be completed. Don’t leave it until the last minute otherwise you are putting unnecessary pressure on your IT provider or in-house team. Some computers can’t handle Windows 10 so you may need to order in new machines.
- Train your team. Make sure they understand how to use the new systems and give them a chance to get comfortable with them.
Want to find out how we can help? Call us on 0330 400 5465.