For those organizations who still have legacy deployments of Windows Server and/or SQL Server, time is running out.
Microsoft has published its schedule for Extended Security Updates or “ESUs”.
| Products |
End of Extended Support/ESU Start Date |
ESU End Date Year 1 |
ESU End Date Year 2 |
ESU End Date Year 3 |
Type of Security Update |
| SQL Server 2008/R2 (Enterprise, Standard, Datacenter, Web, Workgroup)* |
7/9/2019 |
7/14/2020 |
7/13/2021 |
7/12/2022 |
Critical |
| SQL Server 2012 |
7/12/2022 |
7/11/2023 |
7/9/2024 |
7/8/2025 |
Critical |
| Windows Server 2008/R2 (Datacenter, Standard, Enterprise)* |
1/14/2020 |
1/12/2021 |
1/11/2022 |
1/10/2023 |
Critical, Important |
| Windows Server 2012/R2 |
10/10/2023 |
10/8/2024 |
10/14/2025 |
10/13/2026 |
Critical |
In the graphic above, the yellow-shaded cells represent a past date.
Now there are some considerations – read requirements – for ESUs. Perhaps they are already known, but we list them for you here.
- The ESU program covers only security updates.
- The ESU program requires active Software Assurance.
- An organization can receive discounts by using the Azure Hybrid Benefit – also a Software Assurance benefit.
- The program is for twelve (12) month increments – partial coverage is not permitted.
- ESU’s also cover Windows 7 (which will be discussed further in this blog) as well as embedded systems and Dynamics AX.
- More information
So if this older version of Windows Server or SQL Server can be accessed via the Internet, ESUs make sense. But only for a while. For example, SQL Server 2012 will enter the ESU phase this coming July. That is, it will be out of support. Meanwhile, SQL Server 2008 has already reached its final year of ESU coverage.
But what about legacy environments used for internal access only? Well, your entitlement includes a perpetual right-to-use, even beyond the published support dates and/or even if there is no active Software Assurance coverage. Just be certain that access is controlled.
The best bet? Retire or decommission these old deployments if possible and upgrade.
Which raises the issue of Windows 7. It’s easy to recall the Windows Vista debacle. Many organizations, especially larger ones, simply went with Windows 7 once the issues with Windows Vista surfaced. With that issue resolved (albeit temporarily), many organizations looked at their business (or resumed looking at their business).
In fact, not only did some of these organizations not upgrade to Windows 8 which was released in late 2012 or Windows 8.1 which release about a year later, they didn’t upgrade to Windows 10 or even the new Windows 11 either. And they might have even not upgraded the hardware!
Well, in less than a year, even ESU support will end for Windows 7. So, with a new PC or not, it would be time to jettison that older deployment.
A similar graphic appears below for Windows 7 and, once again, the yellow-shaded cells represent a past date.
| Product | End of Extended Support/ESU Start Date | ESU End Date Year 1 | ESU End Date Year 2 | ESU End Date Year 3 | Type of Security Update | |
| Windows 7 (Professional, Enterprise) | 1/14/2020 | 1/12/2021 | 1/11/2022 | 1/10/2023 | Critical, Important | |
If these upgrades are already in progress, great. If they not, perhaps some planning might help. Contact Miro for important details.