Tag Archives: End of Support

Windows 10 ESUs

Microsoft announce details of their Windows 10 Extended Security Updates program. Windows 10 reaches end of support on October 14, 2025 at which point 3 years of ESUs will be available for commercial and education customers.

They’ll cost $61 per device for commercial customers (https://bit.ly/3ArI2So) and $1 per device for education customers (https://bit.ly/3YTPL52), with prices doubling for year 2 and again for year 3. Customers running Windows 10 in Azure Virtual Desktop will be entitled to free ESUs.

In addition, there’s a new ESU program for consumers (https://bit.ly/4htLXi6) which is a 1-year option costing $30 per device.

Exchange Server 2019 CUs and end of Mainstream Support

Exchange Server 2019 reached end of Mainstream Support on 9 January, 2024 which means that you wouldn’t normally expect any non-security updates to be released after that date. However, there are still two more Cumulative Updates planned – find out more from the Exchange Team here: https://bit.ly/3On7goF,

Windows 8.1 End of Support

Microsoft remind us that Windows 8.1 reached End of Support on 10 January, 2023 at which point software updates are no longer provided. It’s also worth noting that Microsoft will not be offering Extended Security Updates for Windows 8.1.

Find a useful article with a whole host of FAQs and links to further information here: https://bit.ly/3GvzpFn.

SQL Server 2012 End-of-Support options

SQL Server 2012 comes to the end of support on 12 July, 2022 when no more security patches will be issued. Customers might upgrade to a newer version of SQL Server at this time, or perhaps purchase Extended Security Updates, or move to Azure where security patches are free.

You can find a useful article comparing the options, including moving to AWS, here: https://bit.ly/3NsSkmJ.

Windows 7 End of Support resources

Windows 7 reached End of Support on 14 January, 2020. Although Microsoft’s recommendation is to upgrade to Windows 10 or move to Windows Virtual Desktop in Azure, customers may purchase Extended Security Updates to continue to receive security updates for critical and important issues. There’s a useful article if you’re intending to deploy these ESUs here: http://bit.ly/39nxuk1, and the FAQ page for Windows 7 End of Support is updated for February 2020 here: http://bit.ly/38dkWeJ.

Windows 7 and Office 2010 End of Support FAQ

There’s an updated (July 2019) Windows 7 and Office 2010 End of Support FAQ. Use it to answer questions such as: which programs are the Extended Security Updates available in (currently EA/EAS/EES, but CSP too by the end of 2019); who’s eligible for free ESUs (EA/EAS customers with active Windows E5 or Microsoft 365 E5/E5 Security subscriptions); and in which Windows environments is Office 365 ProPlus supported (it depends, see pages 12/13).

Find this document, as usual, here: http://bitly/MSLicensingGuides.

Windows and SQL Server End of Support FAQ

Windows and SQL Server reach the end of mainstream support in July 2019 (SQL) and January 2020 (Windows). Customers who want to continue to run 2008/2008 R2 workloads will have the option of purchasing Extended Security Updates from 1 March, 2019.

There’s a new FAQ from Microsoft which is useful, and if you don’t want to read all 57 questions then focus on question  9 (pricing details), 34 (options for hosted environments), and 37 (how these ESUs will be delivered).

Find this FAQ in the Core Infrastructure section of our Licensing Guides emporium: http://bit.ly/MSLicensingGuides, and add it to your weekend reading list.