Support For Windows 2003 Server draws to an end

In a release from United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team it was announced that Microsoft would be ending its support for Windows 2003 Server from July 14th 2015. If you haven’t already done so I would suggest  now is the tme to start addressing this and take a hard look at your current and future needs and what Operating system would best suit you.If you need any help please contact us on +44 (0)1624 620469 or visit www.blueshell.im. Please find the alert below

National Cyber Awareness System: TA14-310A: Microsoft Ending Support for Windows Server 2003 Operating System 11/10/2014 07:19 AM EST Original release date: November 10, 2014 Systems Affected Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system Overview Microsoft is ending support for the Windows Server 2003 operating system on July 14, 2015.[1] After this date, this product will no longer receive: Security patches that help protect PCs from harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software Assisted technical support from Microsoft Software and content updates Description All software products have a lifecycle. End of support refers to the date when Microsoft will no longer provide automatic fixes, updates, or online technical assistance.[2] As of July 2014, there were 12 million physical servers worldwide still running Windows Server 2003.[3] Impact Computer systems running unsupported software are exposed to an elevated risk to cybersecurity dangers, such as malicious attacks or electronic data loss. Users may also encounter problems with software and hardware compatibility since new software applications and hardware devices may not be built for Windows Server 2003. Organizations that are governed by regulatory obligations may find they are no longer able to satisfy compliance requirements while running Windows Server 2003. Solution Computers running the Windows Server 2003 operating system will continue to work after support ends. However, using unsupported software may increase the risks of viruses and other security threats. Negative consequences could include loss of confidentiality, integrity, and or availability of data, system resources and business assets. The Microsoft “Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy FAQ” page offers additional details.[2] Users have the option to upgrade to a currently supported operating system or other cloud-based services. There are software vendors and service providers in the marketplace who offer assistance in migrating from Windows Server 2003 to a currently supported operating system or SaaS (software as a service) / IaaS (infrastructure as a service) products and services.[4,5] US-CERT does not endorse or support any particular product or vendor. References [1] Microsoft Product Lifecycle Listing [2] Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy FAQ [3] Redmond Magazine, Prepare for Windows Server 2003’s End of Support [4] Windows Server 2003 Migration Support [5] TechTarget, Weighing next steps following Windows Server 2003 end-of-life Revision History November 10, 2014: Initial Release