Subsequent to last week’s blog post about the risks of running end of support software comes the following announcement from Microsoft. As of April 11, 2017, Exchange 2007 will no longer be a Microsoft supported platform.
Microsoft’s Support Policy indicates their engagement to support enterprise products for a minimum of 10 years.
What does End of Life / End of Support Mean?
Although Exchange 2007 won’t stop working, there are a few important things to consider if you decide to continue utilizing this platform. There will no longer be feature enhancements or security updates released from Microsoft. Newer hardware is not supported and will not be compatible with modern Outlook clients or browsers.
One major risk is this allows for hackers to find new exploits in the software. This is primarily because Microsoft will not provide patching to end of life products. Unfortunately if you become infected, Microsoft will not be able to offer support in troubleshooting the issue. Read more in our last blog post about the risks involved by not upgrading end of life / support software.
Upgrade Exchange 2007 to Office 365
Centrality highly recommends upgrading to Office 365 for modern Exchange. Because Office 365 is a cloud-based solution, you get compatibility with newer devices and apps. Never worry about having to purchase the latest version of Exchange. You will always be on the latest and greatest version. It is also much more secure and has better compliance capabilities that adhere to industry standard regulations. Lastly, Office 365 is less prone to failure with guaranteed 99% uptime, while also being easier to recover. With 50 GB mailbox, shared calendaring and contacts, and built-in anti-spam and anti-malware Exchange Online is a great solution for any organization.
See the Infographic below for more benefits that Office 365 offers in replacing end of support Exchange.
