Renew or Not Renew

You’re prepared, at least mentally, to begin your migration to Windows 10 because you’ve read “What Does Windows End of Life Mean to My Business?” and “Getting Ahead of Windows End of Life”. Is your hardware ready, though? How you handle the network (by yourself, as-needed support, or with a managed service) will impact the upgrade. The following items should help you decide whether to keep your computer or replace it for a Windows 10 migration.

Do It Yourself

If you own all your equipment and deal with IT issues in-house, then you want to start planning on migrating your devices now. The good news is that Windows 10 is highly compatible with just about every PC out there. If you run into trouble, it’s likely an application vendor incompatibility issue, not Microsoft itself. So, you’ll want to contact the vendor directly. When you have that handled, upgrading from 7 to 10 is as simple as running the ISO file from Microsoft.com, from a USB, or a DVD. The bad news is that it will take a lot of time migrating every PC in your business. You’ll also face a backlog of Microsoft customer service support if you run into any issues. Remember, almost 70% of the world’s computers are still running Windows 7. It’s a guarantee that others run into some issues and need support as well.

Managed Service Provider (MSP)

If you are with a managed service provider, you should be fine. In fact, you probably already have a plan in place from your most recent business review. Over the course of the next few months, your IT company will ensure software compatibility with all of your line of business applications and contact any necessary vendors. Once they’re sure everything will go smoothly, they will schedule a time with you to come out and run the update. This is also a good time to consider any hardware upgrades that you’ve been needing. All new PCs automatically come with Windows 10, alleviating any upgrade issues now or in the next three years or so. The best part of it is that you don’t have to do anything. No downtime for your business, no extra IT work for you, and no worries.

If you’re on a full managed services agreement, the upgrade should be covered. Any hardware replacement is handled on a new monthly payment plan when you set up a Hardware as a Service (HaaS) agreement. If you’re on an as-needed or break/fix model, you’ll presumably pay for the time required to complete the upgrade. Either way, your IT company will have you completely in hand. Just remember this, your service provider will soon be booked solid assisting other clients that need to migrate. Scheduling now is very important, so you’re not left waiting.

Time to Get a Contract?

Are you reading this blog as someone planning to do this upgrade on your own? Maybe you have now decided that you don’t have the time or desire to do so. It’s time to contact us. We’ll take care of you through Windows 7 end of life and well beyond.