This Post Originally appeared on HP Technology at Work Blog
Microsoft will be pulling the plug on “Patch Tuesdays” for Windows Server 2003 in less than a year, when it ends security updates, support, and technical content updates on July 14, 2015. A product’s end-of-life can be expensive, disruptive, and full of risk—and have a dramatic impact on your business. The sunsetting of Windows Server 2003 is no exception. Without any more updates or patches from Microsoft, your organization’s infrastructure will be less stable and secure.
Various issues might arise when Microsoft ends its support of Windows Server 2003. After support ends, your organization may not meet industry-wide compliance standards and regulations, resulting in lost business, paying high transaction fees and penalties, or failing compliance audits. Maintenance costs for legacy hardware are likely to increase, and those maintenance costs can add up quickly—so staying put will probably cost more in the end.
Four phases of migration
Now is the time to start planning your migration to the new server OS and the applications that run on it. A migration also represents a chance to modernize your way of business and consider newer technologies like cloud computing.
To handle the technical considerations associated with this migration, HP recommends a four-phase approach: discovery, assessment, targeting, and migration.
- Discovery: This critical phase determines where the servers are, what services and applications they are running, and whether they are ISV or custom applications. This first step is especially crucial because it will serve as the foundation for identifying and developing an effective migration program.
- Assessment: Once you have reliable data about what your systems are, what they are running, and a good profile of workloads, it’s time to rationalize and prioritize the work effort.
- Targeting: In the decade since Microsoft Server 2003 was first released, much has changed. Many options are available now that weren’t before, so a migration provides the opportunity to reevaluate the best mix of solutions.
- Migration: Provided no corners are cut along the way, executing the migration is the generally the easiest stage. If you’ve done your planning well through discovery, assessment, and targeting, migration should go smoothly.
HP can help you with your migration roadmap
With the HP Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Migration Program, partners can transition more cost-effectively, quickly, and confidently. HP has the expertise and infrastructure to help you realize the business value inherent in converged technology, modernize your infrastructure, reduce risk, and migrate smoothly. Learn more about getting started on your journey to Windows 2012 Server and how HP can partner with you every step of the way.
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Migration from Windows Server 2003
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 migration technical considerations video