Hello everyone,
Windows XP Has Ended it’s Life Cycle
On the 8th of April 2014, Microsoft closed it’s doors to Windows XP after 12 years. It is very important that customers and partners of Microsoft migrate to a modern operating system such as Windows 8.1. Customers moving to a modern operating system will benefit from dramatically enhanced security, broad device choice for a mobile workforce, higher user productivity and a lower total cost of ownership through improved management capabilities.
Support for Office 2003 also ended on April 8, 2014. Even though you can still use Office 2003, it won’t benefit you as if something was to go wrong, an update or support will not be present anymore, meaning you are stuck with the issue and an alternate 3rd party solution is to be found if available. You are best to move to a newer version like Office 2013.
What should you do about XP?
You should upgrade. After April 8, 2014, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates or technical support for Windows XP. Security updates patch vulnerabilities that may be exploited by malware and other nasties and help keep users and their data safer. PCs running Windows XP after April 8, 2014, should not be considered to be protected, and it is important that you migrate to a current supported operating system – such as Windows 8.1 – so you can receive regular security updates to protect your computer/s from malicious attacks and not worry about compatibility issues with modern equipment.
For Home & Small Business, CPKN Computers is here to help!
We will do a full assessment of your current equipment and determine the best course of action. We will give you one of two ratings, Windows Upgrade Ready or Not Windows Upgrade Ready. If you are ready, we shall walk you through how the upgrade process will work, if you are not ready, we will list what is holding you back and give you the best advise on what to do to get the Upgrade Ready status.
So call us now for an assessment.
What Happens if you Stay with XP?
Well it’s simple, you will get yourself in trouble.
Running Windows XP SP3 in your environment after April 8, 2014 may expose you to potential risks, such as:
Security:
Without critical Windows XP security updates, your PC may become vulnerable to harmful viruses, spyware and other malicious software which can steal or damage your personal/business data and information. Anti-virus software will also not be able to fully protect you once Windows XP itself is unsupported.
Compliance:
Businesses that are governed by regulatory obligations such as HIPAA may find that they are no longer able to satisfy compliance requirements. More information on HHS’s view on the security requirements for information systems that contain electronic protected health information (e-PHI) can be found here (HHS HIPAA FAQ – Security Rule).
Lack of Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Support:
Many software vendors will no longer support their products running on Windows XP as they are unable to receive Windows XP updates. For example, the new Office takes advantage of the modern Windows and will not run on Windows XP.
Hardware Manufacturer support:
Most PC hardware manufacturers will stop supporting Windows XP on existing and new hardware. This will also mean that drivers required to run Windows XP on new hardware may not be available.
This makes life with Windows XP harder.
So what are you waiting for? Call or book online today and get an assessment to help you move into the future of Microsoft.
Any questions can also be posted under the comments.
Thanks for reading!
CPKN Computers Team
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