When a piece of software or hardware reaches its End of Life (EoL) or End of Service (EoS), it no longer receives technical support from the manufacturer. Unsupported technologies have no routine internal security measures and do not benefit from manufacturer support. In today’s post, we’ll discuss 4 practical steps to take when hardware and software expire.
There are steps you can take to protect your business against the risks associated with end-of-life software and hardware.
Table of Contents
Practical Steps
Although there may be a sufficiently large list of practical steps, the four most impactful ones are:
Prioritize security
Organizations should prioritize the implementation of security measures once they have identified end-of-life software and hardware. Work with a reputable vendor who can provide the tools and protocols necessary to protect your data. Also, create a plan to keep any potential security risks at a minimum.
This might include augmenting existing security measures, such as adding two-factor authentication to accounts and monitoring high risk areas more closely. By following these safety measures, your organization can protect its data from threats.
Measure productivity
As your software/hardware nears its expiration date, it’s important to measure productivity so that business isn’t negatively impacted. Here are a few things you can do to minimize any negative impact on your organization:
- Keep track of the software/hardware performance. This will help you identify if any issues escalate.
- Ensure employees who use it are aware of its status. This will help them be more receptive if there are any problems.
- Have a contingency plan in case the software/hardware completely fails. This will help you avoid any major disruptions to your organization.
Evaluate long-term needs
When planning for the future, it’s important to consider whether your systems will continue working years from now. Identify your objectives and the systems that are crucial to reaching them.
Evaluating the risks of using EoL systems is a vital step when deciding whether to upgrade. What are the consequences of continuing to use an outdated system? What are the chances the consequences will happen, and how severe would they be?
Taking these factors into account can help you make the right decision for your organization, ensuring that you have systems in place to support your goals.
Test compatibility before migration
The EoL date for a system can be months or years in the future; however, planning for the migration should begin well before that date. By taking this step, you can avoid any possible disruptions that may occur during the migration process.
Testing compatibility is one of the first steps in a new system’s installation. You must ensure all your data and applications can be transferred to the new system. Setting up a test environment and running some tests is the best way to accomplish this.
It must be clear by now that EoL/EoS software and hardware can pose several risks to your organization. If you don’t have the time and resources to implement all these solutions on your own, enlisting outside help can be a good idea.
Still struggling with outdated hardware and software? As always, we’re here to help.
