HUB TechMinutes

Microsoft is just days away from retiring not just one, but two of its most popular operating systems. The software giant has made a point to run a major campaign warning people who are still using Windows 7 that they are going to lose support after the January 14, 2020 deadline; but, as of this writing, there are still over a quarter of desktop users running the software. With the deadline looming, we thought we’d look at what this means for users and go through some of the options they have.

In days, Microsoft is pulling the plug on both Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. If your business still has to move away from this software, you need to act today. The consequences for not moving away from these titles can be absolutely dire for your business. Let’s take a look at your options.

Think about how much office technology has changed over just the last 10 years. Remember those bulky, 60-pound CRT monitors? Remember thinking a 32” screen was a TV, not a computer monitor? While you more than likely have replaced those old computer monitors, what is the status of your computer hardware? If you purchased your computer at the same time as that monitor, your hardware is also extremely outdated. How do you know exactly how old your computer is, and when it’s nearing retirement?

Whenever a Windows operating system reaches its End of Support or End of Life, there is always a period of chaos where companies are scrambling to react in time. Is your business one of them? If you fail to take proactive measures by implementing new software solutions before the end of support date, you could be exposing your business to unprecedented danger--especially considering how popular Windows 7 is with the user base.

As time passes, your business will need to be able to grow and develop its use of technology through thoughtful investments and improvements. To do so, it helps to calculate the returns you can anticipate seeing from these investments. For this week’s tip, we’ll go over how to do so.