In less than 6 months, on January 14th, 2020, Microsoft will end support for Windows 7.
After that date, Microsoft will no longer issue operating system patches, leaving Windows 7 machines vulnerable to malware and other security threats. And yet, according to recent surveys, almost a fifth of IT organizations still haven’t fully migrated from Windows 7.
Since upgrading typically requires updating old and outdated computers, migration for many companies requires a significant capital investment. That leaves a lot of IT managers between a rock and a hard place. They may not have the budget to replace all their old equipment, but leaving any vulnerable device on the network presents the risk of a much greater cost from a security breach.
That challenge has only gotten harder with increasing market volatility. As companies start to worry about softening sales and the impact of an escalating trade war, budgets are likely to be scrutinized for cuts rather than increased investments.
If you need to upgrade equipment but you’re worried about using up capital, it may be time to look at Device as a Service (DaaS). Market analysts have been tracking migration to DaaS as a major turning point in the IT industry, particularly for Small and Medium Enterprise companies, with huge gains in migration projected over the next few years. So it may not be just financially smart, but competitively savvy as well. Let’s look at why.
Understanding Device as a Service
Device as a Service changes the way businesses utilize IT equipment, by switching from a capital expense for purchasing machines, to a monthly subscription for the use of machines along with all the necessary service and IT support bundled in. Instead of paying a huge investment upfront for business value they’ll only get overtime, businesses with a DaaS description pay as they go for the value they get.
As we discussed in our last post, Top 8 Reasons Companies are Switching to DaaS, there are a lot of benefits to this new subscription model. The most important, of course, is the dramatic improvement in security posture that comes from having up-to-date equipment and software, managed by a contractually accountable 3rd party.
Many of the other DaaS benefits are just as compelling.
Any time a machine goes down or needs to be upgraded, it can be quickly switched out for a new one on demand. Up-to-date machines also mean better software, faster network connections, and better performance from users. So you’re not only preserving capital but getting more bang for your buck.
For companies with limited IT staff—or staff overwhelmed by keeping up with security threats—DaaS provides access to much larger IT support teams, under SLA contract to respond quickly to device security issues, patches and upgrades.
Why Now?
The urgency of upgrading to Windows 10 should make upgrading a priority for every business. Security threats are growing every year, and having outdated systems on your network is a serious existential threat to enterprise companies of every size. But the combination of a looming upgrade deadline and growing market volatility that will lead companies to safeguard capital reserves makes DaaS a timely investment as well as a smart one.
If you have Windows 7 devices on your network, we invite you to consider DaaS as an intelligent option to get your network secured in advance of the end-of-support deadline, while keeping more cash in reserve.
Red8 is proud to partner with HP to provide DaaS solutions for a more secure, scalable and flexible IT network. If you’d like to learn how you can leverage our partnership to achieve your own health IT business objectives, connect with us on LinkedIn, or reach out directly to our team for a consultation.