Stay Agile, Competitive with Windows Server 2012 For large enterprises, migrating to Windows Server 2012 before Microsoft officially ends support for Server 2003 on July 14, 2015 is a massive project. Hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of servers might have to be replaced as part of the move to a modern, cloud-enabling server OS—all while keeping both migrated and unmigrated employees connected to the network and the business running without any downtime. For small- and medium-sized businesses, a Server 2003 migration may be less complex, but it is no less critical. Once Microsoft pulls the plug, Server 2003 will be on borrowed time. That means bugs will go unpatched, updates will cease, and Microsoft tech support will vanish. It means the ancient, pre-cloud servers and applications that run on them—you know, the technology that supports your entire business—will be increasingly vulnerable to security breaches, functional glitches, compliance failure, and obsolescence. Not exactly a recipe for success, whether you’re a multinational corporation or a chain of regional clothing stores. In the modern digital economy, survival goes to the most agile and adaptable, the organizations that best leverage mobile, cloud, and big data. And none of them will be staying on Server 2003. Since it’s only a matter of when and not if, getting a plan in place early is key. Here are some EOS tips and tricks from real SMB IT Directors discussing their preparations for EOS. Make this an opportunity not a burden Reevaluate your data center needs from hardware to applications Get feedback within your IT community Look at Windows 2012 features and find a reason to move Gain executive support, scale properly, and forecast Setup a test environment, and test the server and applications Give yourself a timeline and develop a process—it won’t happen overnight Watch this video to hear directly from SMB IT Pros. Without a large (or sometimes any) IT staff, an SMB’s migration to Windows Server 2012 can be a real challenge. Which makes it all the more important that SMBs adopt best practices in the planning and execution of a Server 2003 migration. Practically, this requires working with an experienced migration software and services provider. A qualified migration software and services vendor can walk SMBs through the essential phases of migration planning, including determining the scope of the project, how many and what resources to allocate, a migration action blueprint, and the estimated cost. HP offers a Windows 2003 Migration Program specifically designed to help SMBs reduce the difficulty, duration, and risk of a move to Windows Server 2012. The program includes support for Server 2012, which offers enterprises virtualization, private cloud, modern data center, and modern applications functionality. SMBs that cling to legacy server hardware and software are doing more than taking a great risk: They’re ensuring their eventual doom because the rest of the world—including their competitors—will be leveraging modern servers and server platforms. By migrating to a server that cloud-optimizes their business, SMBs can stay flexible, agile—and alive. With the end of support date for Windows Server 2003 fast approaching, there’s never been a better time to plan your data center transformation. Our experts have designed this helpful tool to get you started on the right upgrade path for your unique environment, applications, and workloads. Related content brandpost Sponsored by Connection Creating a Truly Immersive, Connected Fan Experience By Tim Allen Oct 04, 2017 1 min Consumer Electronics brandpost Sponsored by Connection 6 Reasons to Modernize with Intel® and Microsoft By Dave Olivier Sep 28, 2017 4 mins Enterprise Applications brandpost Sponsored by Connection Simplified Global IT Procurement By Jamal Khan Sep 22, 2017 1 min Technology Industry brandpost Sponsored by Connection Funding Education Technology for Students with Disabilities How technology can support students with disabilitiesrn By Lisa Trisciani Sep 13, 2017 1 min Technology Industry Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe