Windows 7 End of Life January 2020 - how are other admins addressing this?

kltaylor
kltaylor Member, Beta Tester Posts: 1,231
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edited November 20, 2019 in Devices & Security #1
With Windows 7 sadly drawing closer to its End Of Life period, I want to address this mostly to other admins to inquire about what your plan of action is going to be.

If you're not updating to Windows 10, what other options have you considered?  Is a different OS a tangible solution for your environment?
"There's a fine line between audacity and idiocy."
-Warden Anastasia Luccio, Captain
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vulcansheartHronosMarcVioletChepilRobin_from_FingCiaran

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  • vulcansheart
    vulcansheart Member, Beta Tester Posts: 117
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    edited November 19, 2019 #2
    Every admin is going to have to tackle this on a case-by-case basis with their environment. Some of us will have the option to migrate to a new OS (Ubuntu/Mint/etc), but others will be stuck on Windows to continue supporting legacy software. My particular environment requires Windows for a CAD system, but once we replace that software with a hosted solution late next year, I can begin experimenting with new options.

    In the meantime, I've already migrated *most of our users to Windows 10 LTSB 1607 over the last two years. Some of our non-CAD users are on Enterprise 1803, and will get upgraded with major versions as time permits and features become available and requested.

    On this same topic, Server 2008 R2 is a biggie. Anyone stuck on this OS for legacy software reasons??
    41 4c 4c 20 59 4f 55 52 20 42 41 53 45 20 41 52 45 20 42 45 4c 4f 4e 47 20 54 4f 20 55 53
    VioletChepil
  • Marc
    Marc Moderator, Beta Tester Posts: 2,665
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    #3
    Windows 10, and they are all in where I earn my living...  Its been a 3 year journey and for what I hear, a significant pain in the rear all the way for our desktop Engineering folks...  A different OS was never an option for us.
    Thats Daphnee, she's a good dog...
    VioletChepil
  • Hronos
    Hronos Member, Beta Tester Posts: 289
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    #4
    There is always be one or two boxes that can't be upgraded... and that have to be tolerated for everyone until that boxes could be disposed...
    vulcansheart said:
    On this same topic, Server 2008 R2 is a biggie. Anyone stuck on this OS for legacy software reasons??
    This is another, and bigger story...
    Keep looking up!
    MarcVioletChepil
  • VioletChepil
    VioletChepil London, UKMember Posts: 2,471
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    #5
    Thanks for this topic @kltaylor - I slightly adjusted the title to ask other admins for their thoughts and have promoted this too. Lets see

    Community Manager at Fing

  • Tobias
    Tobias Member, Beta Tester Posts: 2
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    #6

    If you must keep any unsupported legacy OS box, isolate it on the network to the extend possible (VLAN segregation, hardware firewall, hardware VPN). Do not allow direct access from the internet. Disable and/or restrict any unused services such as RDP, SMB, FTP/sFTP, Web Services, etc.

    Use a network scanner to verify your work closing/disabling open ports/services and to find additional open ports.

    HronosVioletChepil
  • benhelps
    benhelps Member, Beta Tester Posts: 29
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    #7
    Heh, where I worked as recently as a year ago, they still ran server 2003, XP and MSIE6, to support legacy software :pensive:
    Least they're finally moving to a single isolated XP box to keep access to the old software, and going O356/W10 for the rest
    VioletChepil
  • BetaFinger
    BetaFinger Member, Beta Tester Posts: 6
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    #8
    You got a free upgrade to Win10 with every Win7 key. You've got no excuse left. My org is fully updated. I took the opportunity to update BIOS and ensure TPM+Secure boot was turned on for every system. Everything is fresh, clean, and up to date. The users all seem happy about it.

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