Microsoft will end support for Windows Server 2003 next year

Sep 18, 2014 13:21 GMT  ·  By

Windows Server 2003 support will come to an end on April 14, 2015, and security experts warn that the world could get through another “Windows XP moment” unless organizations running it prepare for the transition to another platform.

Microsoft ended Windows XP support on April 8, and although the company warned that sticking to an unsupported operating system was a very risky decision, approximately 25 percent of the desktop computers worldwide were still running it.

That’s very likely to happen with Windows Server 2003 as well, as only a few companies have until now expressed their intention to upgrade.

As a result, David Mayer, practice director, Microsoft Solutions for Insight Enterprises, said in a statement for ChannelNomics that Windows Server 2003 end of support could affect even more people because it’s running on servers critical for business operations.

Many US companies still running it

Microsoft isn’t talking about the end of support of Windows Server 2003 as much as it did for Windows XP, but there’s no doubt that organizations that are yet to upgrade must be aware of the approaching milestone.

Mayer warns that security risks are getting bigger as we approach the deadline, so Windows Server 2003 customers have no other choice than to upgrade.

“When Microsoft ended support for Windows XP in April, about one quarter of U.S. businesses were still using the operating system, which caused a series of operational issues and potential security challenges,” he said.

“While XP was primarily a desktop issue, Server 2003 end of service affects entire servers, with the potential to have widespread impact on many more business operations.”

Can Windows Server 2003 remain secure after EOL?

The short answer is no. Securing Windows Server 2003 is much more difficult than it is for Windows XP, as many security vendors continue providing support for the 13-year-old platform for desktop computers.

Windows Server 2003 customers, however, need to act really fast and upgrading is not only the only option, but also the way to keep data secure.

“There isn’t one solution for all businesses,” Mayer added. “Based on our experience, we’re seeing this issue cut across all industries and company sizes, and every business may need to budget time, finances and human resources to address it.”

“Whether the businesses we work with choose to replace servers, upgrade software or migrate to the cloud, there are critical decisions to be made that could take a good part of the coming year to address.”

Of course, it all comes down to the way Microsoft manages this critical moment, but be sure that the company will soon begin notifying customers that end of support is quickly approaching.