The end of this month (30 June 2005) is a critical date for all the Windows
2000 Servers that runs on the world... the Mainstream support will be retired
for all the Windows 2000 family and from that time you're forced to go with
the Extended support (under payment, except for security updates).
I remember that the Microsoft Support lifecycle is summarized as
follow:
And now? The time to upgrade your server is arrived? My response is obviously
YES but I think that everyone of us that is in contact with the real business
world knows that the real situation is different.
Server that runs on top of Windows 2000 are a big quantity (in my every day
experience, they're the major part) and their upgrade is not an operation that
companies can act quickly. Servers are alwasy seen as the most critical part of
an organization and the core for their work. The standard thinking is that
"If my server works good for the job it has to do, why upgrade
it?" and Server Administrators are always sceptical when upgrades must
be taken.
I think that this is not the right way to do but it's the reality out of the
box. We've lots of customers that works with Windows 200 Servers (and
we've an internal server that runs with it too) and also some customers
that (in year 2005) works with Windows NT Servers and they absolutely don't
think to change.
Upgrade is a must to do and I think it must be a foundamental part for
Servers Administrators. They don't have to think only to have a server that
runs, but also to have an updated server... sometimes this is their big lack.
Windows Server 2003 is more secure, more robust, more performant that Windows
2000 or NT and an upgrade to it will result on a lot of benefits for
companies (but open some minds it's not an easy step).
So, this message is a reminder for all that works with Windows 2000 (the free
support is finished) and a message launched to nostalgic server administrators:
upgrade your servers! 