From the desk of Tim Steinwand – Microsoft Certified IT Professional – Enterprise Desktop Administrator
We are now a month into the “Non-Support” of Windows XP by Microsoft. If you are still using XP for your business, you may be saying to yourself, “I haven’t had any problems yet. Why should I even think about upgrading to a new OS (Operating System)?” Well, here are a few reasons to consider a change sooner, rather than later.
1. Security – Microsoft is not working on any further security improvements to XP. Hackers are salivating over the prospect of millions of unprotected, outdated XP machines. If you are connected to the internet with your XP machines, there will be more malware and threats than ever, making it much more dangerous to surf. Newer OS’s like Windows 7 or 8 are much more prepared for the modern world of malware and viruses. You need to be thinking about the data your company holds, and how secure it needs to be. Don’t let yours fall prey to the hacker nation.
2. Speed, Reliability, and Costs – The average XP machine after a life span of 5 years in a business environment will be running at approximately 40% less productive than when it was first purchased. The older it is, the less powerful it is, and therefore the slower it runs. When taking account time needed to manage XP systems relating to items such as downtime, malware, and other maintenance, Windows 7 or 8 increases productivity by up to 7.8 additional hours per year per worker, with 83% less downtime and 86% less reboots. Over a 3 year timespan, organizations that makethe move to Windows 7 or 8 will see a 137% ROI (Return On Investment).
3. Stability of newer OS’s –Many people recall the problems that Microsoft had in introducing the Vista OS in 2007, and may be afraid to change because of that. The difference now is that Windows 7 is four years into availability, and Windows 8 is 18 months in. What this means is that these OS’s are now tried and true, with all of the bugs already worked out by Microsoft.
If you need help in assessing any hardware, software, or network needs for your business, ReadiTech can be a resource to assist you. You can contact us at 701.344.5000, or at support@drtel.com.
