It's no surprise that technology is evolving with every passing day and Microsoft servers are no exception. A decade has passed since the shift from 32-bit to 64-bit happened, and now we're witnessing the era of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and more.
But as this technology has evolved so much over the past decade, Windows' SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2, as well as the Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2, will stop receiving extended support come July 9, 2019, and January 14, 2020, respectively.
What this means for users is that they will no longer receive regular security updates. And while this may not seem like much, it's important to remember that cyber attacks are becoming more and more sophisticated and dangerous, wreaking havoc on businesses, big and small.
And while the 2008 family of Windows products did hold their own, it's time to move on to the most current versions. In doing so, you will experience better overall performance and efficiency, as well as an increase in systems security and continued compliance with governmental regulations such as the European Union's GDPR.
Microsoft Azure is a cloud-computing software that provides users with software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS). It's capable of supporting different programming languages, Microsoft-specific tools, and frameworks, as well as third-party applications and systems.
You can take this end of support offered by Microsoft to its Windows Server 2008 and an opportunity to transform and modernize your application stack by moving it to the cloud. To help with the transition, Extended Security Updates will be available for three more years after the end of support deadline. It will give you more time to plan your path, which includes upgrading to newer versions of the software.
As for the apps and data that you use on-premises, it's best that you upgrade to the latest version of Windows Server and SQL Server. It will provide you with the best available security and the possibility for innovation.
Keep in mind that today's server infrastructure is hyper-converged. These types of solutions will deliver far better security features, as well as to boost overall performance at a cost-efficient rate. By making use of the Windows Server Software Defined solutions as your data center or Azure Stack as a hybrid cloud solution, you can take advantage of these benefits.
As for the on-premise servers that will require more time to upgrade, you can take advantage of the Extended Security Updates for three more years, at a cost. This option, however, is only available for users who have a Software Assurance or Subscription licenses under an Enterprise Agreement. These can be purchased annually to cover only those servers that will require the updates as you continue your migration to Azure.
A better alternative is to start this process as soon as possible and not wait until the last minute to do so. This way, you can avoid paying the extra cost for the continued protection. Together with Managed Solution, you can make this happen seamlessly and with no interruption to your day-to-day process.
As many of us know, Microsoft will stop its service and security support for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020. Those remaining with this system after that time will do so without any improved updates or security. There is, however, the option for those using Windows 7 Pro and Windows 7 Enterprise to extend their security updates for the next three years, but it will come at a cost. The price will be based on the number of devices and will increase with every passing year.
But aside from the fact that older versions of Windows will no longer have this support, there are other reasons why businesses should migrate their operations on Windows 10. Below is a rundown of some of the most important reasons that will benefit organizations, big and small.
With Windows 10, users will experience a significant boost in system security. On the one hand, this newest version of Windows is great at detecting and preventing ransomware, which locks up the user's data on the computer. Windows 10 also comes equipped with Windows Defender Exploit Guard, which excels at detecting and removing malware.
Similarly, there's the option to subscribe to Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection, which is a cloud-based service for managing all security threats across your organization. On Windows 10 Enterprise and Professional, you'll also have access to Windows Defender Application Guard, which lets you use the Edge browser in a virtual machine. And if you unknowingly contract malware, it won't infect your network or computer since it will confine in that virtual machine.
By making use of the Unified Update Platform (UUP), Windows 10's Update tool will significantly streamline the update process. To put it simply, the UUP will scan your computer and detect what updates your system needs. It will only download and install those specific updates, meaning that your computer will not have to download the entire package. It can reduce the need for extra storage space and installation time by up to 35%.
Those who already use Windows 10 know that it comes with an app store. It lets you find the software you need and allows them to run in their sandboxes. It means that they are more secure than their previous counterparts and are integrated with the system, offering you notifications via the Action Center.
Windows 10 also comes equipped with better and more powerful apps of its own such as Calendar, Mail, People, Maps, Photos, Videos, etc. These work equally as well in full-screen, by using touch, or with the traditional mouse and keyboard. Also, you will not have to install different apps for the various devices you are using.
Windows Autopilot allows businesses to set up their system configurations in the cloud, which can then download onto any Windows 10 computer. Every time you add a new device to the company's network, it will automatically configure to the business design setting. These settings can be for the entire organization or tailor-made for every individual department, position, employee, etc. Ultimately, the managing, configuration, and resetting of your company's devices will be completed in only a fraction of the time, and a more secure environment.
While this list of benefits presented here is not exhaustive, it nevertheless, showcases some of the reasons why businesses should migrate to Windows 10 soon. If you are looking to make the transition but don't know where to start, Managed Solution will help you out. Contact our accredited professionals for more information and let's get started today!
If you are still running SQL Server 2008 or 2008 R2, then it's essential for you to know that Windows will stop providing extended support as of July 9, 2019. For the companies that miss the deadline, they will be facing severe security and data loss risks, among others.
Once the deadline has passed, Windows will no longer provide any further security updates, leaving your systems vulnerable to cyber-attacks. It's also important to know that these attacks are becoming ever more sophisticated with every passing day and by not having access to these regular updates, you will be at high risk of data loss, ransomware, malware, and other similar issues.
Also, you may have to deal with a sharp drop in customers as a result of your systems being out-of-date. Statistics indicate that over 20% of businesses lose customers as a direct result of security attacks, while a further 30% will experience a loss of revenue because of it.
It will affect your company's reputation. If you are a victim to data loss, your company will be held accountable to your shareholders, investors, customers, and the general public, which will brand your organization as one that's not to be trusted with sensitive information. It is particularly important for companies operating in the financial and healthcare industries.
Lastly, operating on outdated systems will also mean that you could be in breach of various compliance requirements such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Running on these systems past July 9, 2019, will draw maintenance costs in terms of legacy servers, firewalls, intrusion systems, and other similar tools.
What you need to do in this situation is to move your SQL Server 2008, and 2008 R2 deployments to Azure SQL Database Managed Instance. It will involve no application code changes and an almost nonexistent downtime. It is a fully managed database-as-a-service, which makes use of the best service-level agreements (SLAs) and which doesn't require any future upgrades.
You can also use your existing licenses as well as the Azure Hybrid Benefit to save when migrating to either the Azure Virtual Machines or to Azure SQL Database Managed Instance.
If this migration is not possible for the time being, say if you have a piece of software installed on the server which can only work on the 2008 version, then Microsoft is offering its paid Extended Security Updates option. It will be made available for the following three years after the deadline to all customers with an Enterprise Agreement (EA, EAS or SCE) who purchased SQL Server with active Software Assurance or as part of a subscription.
Nevertheless, this option comes at a quite considerable cost - somewhere around 75% of the price of a fully licensed version of SQL Server. Do keep in mind, however, that this option can be purchased for only those servers that need them. Additionally, the updates will be extended annually, meaning that you can gradually reduce these costs by proceeding with the migration.
The best way to avoid the risks associated with the SQL Server 2008 or 2008 R2 end-of-life is by upgrading your systems to the latest versions. Together with Managed Solution, you will be able to see this happen in no time.
Windows 2008 Server is a server operating system produced by Microsoft that was released in February 2008. It is the successor of Windows Server 2008 and predecessor of Windows 2008 R2 released in October 2009.
With technology evolving at an ever-increasing rate, it's crucial for organizations to keep their systems up-to-date on all the changes continually. To that end, many are aware that on July 9, 2019, Windows will stop providing extended support for its SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2. Similarly, on January 14, 2020, the extended support for Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2 will also end.
This end of support implies that you will no longer receive regular security updates. And even though many people view these regular updates as nothing more than annoyances, they are, nevertheless, critical for your system security. Cyber-attacks are becoming more frequent and more sophisticated with every passing day, meaning that an unsupported system with leave you and your business vulnerable to system infection, malware, ransomware, and other such cyber-attacks. Similarly, it can also take you out of compliance with industry regulations such as the EU's own General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The disruption is an opportunity in disguise. End of support for Windows Server 2008 will allow you to take advantage of cloud technology such as Windows' own Azure. This cloud-based solution will enable your organization to scale up or down more quickly, save on computer power, pay for only what you use, have access to better innovation opportunities, among other such benefits.
It's not wise to wait and transition only when the end of support comes into effect. Making the transition will take some time, and it's better to make it at your pace rather than being rushed by circumstance. Three steps involve a successful migration from Windows Server 2008 to Azure. These include the Assessment Phase, the Migration Phase, and the Optimization Phase.
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The Microsoft Tech for Social Impact team
The Tech for Social Impact team within Microsoft Philanthropies is dedicated to making world-class cloud technology accessible and affordable, so that nonprofit organizations can better connect people, processes and technology to help solve the world’s most challenging issues.
Since 2002, Managed Solution has been working with small and large Non-Profits to help them leverage all that technology has to offer at a reasonable cost.
What this means for Non-Profits working with Managed Solution
Thanks to updates from Microsoft, Non-Profits now have access to predictable pricing with standardized discounts across cloud and on-premises products that provides the transparency required for effective IT planning. The discounts are from 60 to 75 percent off commercial pricing. In addition, we also offer InstantOffice for Non-Profits. Your InstantOffice pay as you go licensing could now be bundled with a complete end-to-end support offering, a true business in a box solution. We offer services that alert users to potential threats and disturbances with our monitoring offering, or U.S. based help desk services for end users.
Here’s what this means for you:
And here’s how you can purchase:
Managed Solution is excited about taking their Non-Profit involvement and support capabilities to the next level by being one of of Microsoft TSI’s preferred partners.
About Managed Solution
As a relationship-driven organization, Managed Solution collaborates with Non-Profits to customize the perfect mix of software, hardware, and IT services. We deliver a flexible technology solution that evolves and adapts to meet our customers’ needs and exceed their expectations at every stage of the business cycle.
Susan Kurvuilla, CEO at Managed Solution: “As a local provider of technology services and solutions, we feel strongly about being involved in the community and we are excited to be able to serve Non-Profits with the latest technology in order to maximize their impact.”
Non-Profits play an incredibly important role in addressing the world’s toughest challenges — whether providing education opportunities to young people in underserved communities, offering shelter and food to the displaced or homeless, or delivering healthcare and medicine to remote populations. And we’re proud to support them any way we can.
Additionally, Managed Solution employees love to support the community with giving back in a variety of ways through the year.
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SharePoint is a web-based collaboration platform, used by staff members across all levels of the organization. It functions on the company's intranet. The platform acts as a secure place where users can share, store, organize, and access data from numerous mobile devices. It facilitates and streamlines team and cross-departmental collaboration, as well as document storage and retrieval, all within the confines of enterprise-grade security and compliance.
Thanks to its easy-to-use features and low maintenance requirements, SharePoint has become a go-to platform for diverse organizations around the world. With various customizable capabilities, SharePoint offers an almost unmatched level of flexibility to those that use it, which allows for easy scalability, and an increase of productivity, in the process.
Nevertheless, it has a high degree of customization, and many organizations aren't fully aware of all its features or what SharePoint can do for them or use the platform to its full capacity. Since every company is, more or less, unique, each can use and customize SharePoint to best suit their needs. That said, here are some ways it can help you increase productivity across your organization.
Thanks to its new app, SharePoint can be accessed by users even when they're not in the office. So, if your businesses have employees that work remotely or are usually in the field, they can still use SharePoint to work with the same level of coordination as those who would, otherwise, be all located in the same office.
When companies start using SharePoint, they usually do so by first utilizing its basic features. But as time goes on and users become accustomed to the platform, they can personalize it as the business develops. Similarly, they can tailor the platform's features so that it best suits the organization's processes and means of operation.
Having too many unnecessary features or access to unnecessary files and data can at times overwhelm and distract the users, decreasing their overall productivity. SharePoint does take this factor into account, allowing organizations to tailor the interface for every level, department, or each employee.
Some fear that SharePoint will only add another level of complexity to their already intricate TechStack. Luckily, however, this is not the case with SharePoint. It was specifically designed to integrate with a wide variety of other software, web applications, RSS, WSRPs, email, and all sorts of commercial software and cloud applications. It implies that there are far fewer technical glitches, less downtime, and more productivity.
Collecting, storing, and sharing data is all fine and good, but as long as you are not adequately analyzing it, that information is next to useless. By making use of SharePoint's analytics tools, you can investigate and discover any potential issues that may be affecting the productivity of a given department, problems in collaboration, etc. You can use that information to generate the best possible solutions to fix those problems.
SharePoint is a great tool to improve a company's productivity. It all depends on how well you know how to use it and how best you customize it to fit your organization's needs. If you need any help in optimizing your company's performance, Managed Solution is at your service. Our professional consultants will answer any questions that you may have. Contact us today!
For those of us that don't know, SharePoint is a web-based system used for collaboration. It makes use of list databases, workflow applications, and other features as a means of enabling teams to work better together. SharePoint also gives businesses the ability to control access to information and automate various workflow processes.
SharePoint can increase productivity and visibility for IT workers across all levels of the organization. Features center around the company's private network, allowing for secure sharing, workflow collaboration, and content management, among other such features.
Due to its easy maintenance and use, SharePoint is a favorite with many businesses, big and small. Similarly, the platform also offers a high degree of flexibility and scalability, allowing companies to increase productivity and get a high ROI, based on their individual needs.
Also, SharePoint Online, which is the Microsoft Cloud version of the platform, has additional integration capabilities with other cloud applications such as Microsoft 365 or Office 365.
SharePoint truly shines when employees work together on ad-hoc projects or when they want to establish standard business processes regarding data sharing, data recording, or document publishing. It's many features that also include co-authoring, versioning, or security controls, allow users to do more work on only a fraction of the time, all the while maintaining the quality of their product.
On a similar note, SharePoint makes it easy to add metadata so that users can quickly and easily understand the origins and purpose of a document without having to open it. Likewise, it also allows for the easy creation of custom databases, as well as the recording of numerous documents, which can them be integrated into business processes and workflows.
Once the metadata and content are on the platform, SharePoint can automate specific workflows such as the processing of end-user information, enabling record disposition through content lifecycle tools, and the disposal of data based on various business policies.
When it comes to uploading documents, users can either share it with other users or utilize OneDrive as personal storage where nobody else has access to. They can later share that document with others by granting them access. These workflow features, as well as others, can control how documents are being shared between them, as well as how they use that information within the organization.
When you start using SharePoint, it's always better to learn a few basic tasks that will help you familiarize yourself with the platform and form some foundational skills. It's essential to remember that SharePoint holds a central role in a Microsoft-dominated environment, streamlining operations for everyone from the C-suite, all the way to customer service.
The best way to learn SharePoint is to start using it simply. The more practice you have with its essential features, the easier it will be to navigate. Some training courses will help you solidify the platform's fundamental principles and tasks. Even though the platform is intuitive and easy to use, it's numerous features that allow for more flexibility also increase its complexity. It means that, after you've mastered the basics, there remain many other ways to utilize it. Only with practice and use, will you take full advantage of what it has to offer.
Don't let this discourage you, however, since the benefits are well worth the effort. Most Fortune 500 companies have used SharePoint and for a good reason. If you want to learn more about SharePoint and how to use it, feel free to visit our website or contact us directly.
Traditionally, collaboration tools divide into numerous silos, based mostly on the type of communication which they are involved. When it comes to the Microsoft environment, for instance, Skype for Business is for real-time communication; Outlook is for messaging; SharePoint is for document and data sharing. All of these tools provide for all the communication an organization needs to function correctly.
The problem, however, is that all of them are separate programs that need to run independently and you continually have to flip between them. Likewise, the information is organized differently with each of them. Emails, for instance, are arranged by date, Skype messages are by person, while SharePoint is by teams or projects.
Microsoft Teams, on the other hand, manages to align all of these tools under one roof. It becomes particularly useful when it comes to team communication.
When it comes to SharePoint and Teams, they both organize team sites based on project, topic, or organization. Microsoft Teams has SharePoint team sites associated with it. It means that every channel in Teams is related to a folder in the SharePoint document library. Also, every document sent outside of Teams is also stored in the sender's OneDrive business folder.
There are several advantages to storing your Teams documents in SharePoint and OneDrive. For starters, it's easy to sync all files for a Team on OneDrive since it works for both Windows and Mac. Also, SharePoint allows previews for more than 300 file types, which can also display in the Teams file tab.
SharePoint has a series of comprehensive data governance and compliance features such as automatic classification and labeling, data loss prevention, document retention policies, etc. These are also transferred to Teams documents when used together. What's more, users don't necessarily have to leave Teams to work on their SharePoint files since these will appear in their Files tab.
When you add SharePoint pages as tabs in Teams, you will have a much easier time when building a custom website than you would with your typical approach. It is because all of the information that's on a team site home page will also appear here, making it the best of both SharePoint and Teams on the same interface.
You can also put an entire document in a tab, which can prove useful when you share a presentation or want to track information in a spreadsheet that available to the whole team. Similarly, you can use SharePoint Framework web parts as tabs in Teams. It allows for their seamless reuse and allows SharePoint developers to be in easy reach of Teams tab development.
Say, you are at a new stage of a project, or you want to emphasize a particular piece of news. Most often, this type of information will be misplaced in the Teams conversation thread, and people will lose track of them. To counteract this, you can use the News web part on a SharePoint page to make sure that this doesn't happen. SharePoint sites will include a publishing system for news pages. These appear on the web parts, Hub sites, the home page, the SharePoint app, and in Teams.
These are some of the best practices when leveraging SharePoint and Microsoft Teams. If, however, you need help, our consulting services team is at the ready. Sign up for our webinar to learn hands-on how you can best leverage these tools.
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