End of Life Windows 7
Tallin Hamid, Tech Prodigy and the newest member of the Alltek family, tells us what Windows End of Life means for your business.
End of Life means that as of January 14, 2020, Microsoft will no longer support Windows 7. That means no paid support and no updates of any kind. This includes security updates; so if a new security exploit is discovered, Microsoft won’t fix it.
When new hardware come out like computers, motherboards, printers, or new-fangled USB devices, Microsoft won’t provide new drivers for them. Plus, they won’t guarantee that they will work with Windows 7.
Will There Be Problems With Keeping Windows 7 Pro?
Depending on the situation, there could be plenty of problems.
If your computer is used in a setting that requires compliance, (such as with HIPAA, FINRA, PCI-DSS, etc. ) after January 14th, your business will be non-compliant. If you’re non-compliant, this could create more problems for you and your company.
Will Our Computers Still Work After January 14th?
Yes, however when Microsoft drops support for the Windows 7 operating system, other vendors will do this too.
Your hardware and software vendors will quit supporting Windows 7. When anti-virus vendors stop issuing updates for Windows 7, (and they will), this will make your computer workstations susceptible to viruses.
Even though they still work, these computers should never be used in a business environment.
If We Have Layers of Security In Place Like Firewalls, Backups, etc., Are Operating System Updates Really That Important?
Absolutely! In fact, Microsoft considers them so important that for Windows 10, updates are mandatory.
The reason for this, and why layering is so important, is because bad actors and black-hat hackers continue to come up with new and better ways to get into your system. If they’re able to get a file in that exploits your operating system, this can be hard for anti-virus applications to detect.
Many Businesses Still Have Windows 7 In Place. What Options Do They Have?
If the business computers aren’t very old (like two years or so) and they came with Windows 7, you may be able to perform an in-place upgrade to Windows 10.
However, there are things that you should consider; primarily, compatibility with your existing applications and hardware. You can also do an in-place upgrade if you use Windows 8 or 8.11.
If your computer is much older than this, it will need to be replaced. This isn’t a bad thing because computers are so reasonably priced today. I’ve been at this for a long time, and I’m amazed at how much computing power you can get for your money today!
If your company has a lot of computers, you can also lease them. This provides tax advantages because you can write off the cost as an operating expense, rather than making capital expenditures.
What Benefits Would a New Operating System and Computer Bring To Our Business?
There are so many good things, but I’ll mention a few:
The big benefit is speed. Windows 10 is a lot faster. The operating system was designed to better use resources like RAM and CPU cycles, so it’s noticeably faster.
Windows 10 boots up faster, runs applications faster, responds faster and more smoothly to your keyboard and mouse action; it’s just faster!
Windows 10 is more secure than previous operating systems. Security is such a big thing nowadays… Microsoft has really made a lot of improvements in this regard. Security is implemented better throughout the entire system.
Updates are better now. One of the problems people have complained about over the years is that Windows updates all the time.
Updates are now more predictable and more manageable. Businesses can choose different update schedules that work best for them.
Great usability. Microsoft has adopted a mobile-first ideology for its products, and it really shows with Windows 10.
By integrating with cloud storage and cloud applications, like Microsoft One Drive and Office 365, you can use your programs and get to your files from anywhere.
Running Windows 10 with Microsoft Office 365 provides great capabilities for teams to work together across networks and the Internet.
Plus, Windows 10 has excellent integration with handheld devices; not just Microsoft devices, but Apple and Android devices as well.
Have more questions for Tallin? He’s always happy to help!
In the meantime, visit our Learning Center, where we post updated articles every month.
How Does Windows 10 Improve Security and Data Protection?