Like it or not, every Microsoft product that you own will eventually reach the end of its support lifecycle.
The lifecycle for a Microsoft product begins when it’s released and ends when support is discontinued. But, this does not mean that Microsoft will discontinue your support all at once.
There are actually two phases of support for Microsoft products – Mainstream and Extended. Each phase lasts for approximately five years.
- Mainstream Support is phase one of the Microsoft product lifecycle. This phase includes security updates, paid/free incident support, support charged on an hourly basis, warranty claims as well as the ability to request non-security updates.
- For business oriented products, Extended Support begins when Mainstream Support ends. Extended support includes paid support options and security updates at no additional cost. To get non-security related updates the user must purchase Extended Hotfix Support.
Why should you care about product lifecycle?
When your hardware or software reaches the end of extended support, you’re basically on your own. If new security vulnerabilities or bugs are found, Microsoft will not issue updates to fix them.
Of course, even after Extended support ends your software and devices will continue to work. Unfortunately, without updates, you’ll be vulnerable to virus and other intrusions. To avoid a disaster, you’ll need to take steps to upgrade or replace your system.
When you have a lot of devices and software packages, all on different lifecycles, it can be a challenge to track and plan for end of support. That’s where Future Link IT can help. We can plan, manage and update your Windows products so that you can focus on growing your business.
Call us to find out more about product support and how we can help manage