End-of-support from major technology providers like Microsoft can bring complex and urgent challenges, especially when businesses rely heavily on cloud-based infrastructure, platforms, and applications to stay competitive. That’s why Derive Technologies, your trusted partner for IT integrated solutions and digital infrastructure, dives deep into the implications and consequences of Microsoft's October 2025 deadline for Windows 10 to help you make informed decisions about your IT environment.
What happens when Windows 10 support ends? When a Microsoft product reaches its 'extended support end date,' it signals the end of patches, security updates, and official support from Microsoft. Without an additional purchase, any businesses using products that have reached this stage face greater vulnerability and increased risk to their security and compliance posture. These risks can have dramatic effects on productivity and the health of your organization and will only escalate over time. That’s why it’s so crucial that businesses take proactive steps right now.
Microsoft's decision to end support for older products is based on a commitment to advancing newer and better technologies that provide enhanced user interfaces, security capabilities, and more. While their innovation helps drive the industry forward and provide a more modernized, future-ready solution, it also means that businesses need to remain vigilant in managing their technology infrastructure.
Microsoft announced the end of support for Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 on October 10, 2023. If you need to dig deeper into the support milestones for your Microsoft products, you can visit this helpful Microsoft Support Lifecycle webpage for more personalized information.
Ensuring your workplace and IT infrastructure are as up-to-date as possible is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity in order to maintain the strongest defenses against cyberattacks and keep your operations more efficient and productive. Upgrading your workloads to the latest Windows Desktop, Server, or Application versions can go miles in keeping your business seamless and protected. The most important aspect is migrating to an in-support operating system for older desktop devices to enable continuous updates and improved security features. However, if technical constraints prevent modernization, you still have two core options: relocating your workloads to Azure or moving your applications and data to a new, up-to-date server. Doing nothing is technically also an option, but it comes with dramatically heightened cybersecurity risks and limited support if your systems or applications fail.
If you are running Windows 8 or an older version of Windows 10, we strongly advise migrating to the latest Windows 11 build, and frankly, as quickly as possible. Windows 11 offers enhanced security, productivity, and management capabilities, and a migration timeline for most businesses ranges from a few months to a year. Time is of the essence! If upgrading to Windows 11 is not feasible, consider migrating your older Windows workloads to Azure through Azure Virtual Desktop or Windows 365.
Every business is unique; unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all migration strategy. The decision to migrate to Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) or Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) environments for your application workloads or migrate to Microsoft Azure for Extended Security Updates for three years depends on a number of variables that require deep assessment. Upgrading your office or data center servers to the latest Windows Server version is also an option, although it involves considerable costs and responsibilities. We recommend upgrading workloads and migrating them directly to Azure.
Derive Technologies has a track record of helping numerous organizations modernize and transition to the cloud. Our managed cloud services portfolio includes Azure Public Cloud and Hybrid Cloud solutions, meaning there’s a customizable solution for any and every organization. If you need guidance or support, don't hesitate to contact us today for expert Windows migration assistance.
Will Microsoft really stop supporting Windows 10? Yes. Windows 11 is moving to a single yearly update cycle, with support maintained for the current and previous two feature updates before retirement.
How long will Windows 10 be supported enterprise? Keep in mind that Windows 10's end of life is scheduled for October 14, 2025. Derive Technologies is actively working with organizations to facilitate the transition to Windows 11 well in advance of this deadline.
Contact us today for expert guidance tailored to your business's unique objectives and requirements, and let us empower your digital transformation journey.
To assist you in understanding and navigating Microsoft's end of support process, we have compiled a list of helpful resources:
Microsoft Lifecycle FAQ – Windows products
Microsoft Windows for Business
Microsoft announcement on Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 reaching end of support
Microsoft’s Service Pack Lifecycle Policy
Microsoft Search by product name or time range for lifecycle information
Microsoft Azure Windows Virtual Desktop
Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Microsoft overview of Security Updates for Windows Server
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