Customers oblivious to Windows Server 2003 deadline

Reseller urges channel to get customers clued up before it is too late

The channel needs to do more to alert customers to the impending end of support for Windows Server 2003, according to reseller ITC Infotech, which insists the looming deadline should not be viewed as a problem.

Microsoft is set to end support for the 11-year-old product on 14 July next year, but with migrations typically taking upwards of 200 days, time is ticking to encourage customers to migrate, the reseller said.

"Many companies are unaware of the workload, let alone the deadline," it said. "Once support ends next year, there will be no further patches or security updates, exposing companies to major security and compliance issues."

At its Worldwide Partner Conference in Washington over the summer, Microsoft's UK boss Clare Barclay said the channel opportunity for Windows Server migration was bigger than that of Windows XP.

ITC Infotech's vice president for managed services Anand Sukumaran agreed, but said some customers remain unconvinced.

"The migration should be taken as an opportunity to consolidate and virtualise by leveraging the scalability offered by Windows 2012," he said. "This is also an appropriate moment for enterprises to evaluate cloud strategies and look at service improvements and overall availability.

"The end of Windows 2003 is a great opportunity for enterprises looking at optimising and driving efficiencies. They should see it as the chance to tighten the slack that has crept in over the years, and end sunset services and applications that are no longer required."