Breakups can be hard. The longer you've been with someone, the harder it is to split. You're used to one another. You've integrated them into almost every aspect of your daily life, sometimes even to the point where you can't even remember what life was like before them. It's a scary thing to face, not knowing if you'll find someone else or if you do that person might not be good enough. It just won't be the same. Don't you wish there was a quick N easy guide on how to get over someone? Perhaps it would even guarantee that you'll find someone better?
Our Special Guide
That guide probably doesn't exist in real life (at least not to our knowledge), but it certainly does exist for breakups with old infrastructure, particularly Windows 2003. Not only is there a guide, but there are actual counselors who specialize in helping you move on to new and better things. If you're dealing with Windows Server 2003 end of support, not only do you need to break up with old infrastructure NOW, but you need to make sure you follow a strategic process to ensure you can fully move on without any major problems
Download the Survivor's Guide to Win2003 End of Life
Windows Server 2003 | Strategize
The end is near for Windows Server 2003, you must break up with your old infrastructure by July 14, 2015. 11 solid years of running mission-critical applications are about to go down the drain. Have no fear, you have plenty of options. But first, you need to do an inventory on what you have running on 2003 servers. This is a critical step in the moving on process. Take some time to reflect on what you have and what you need, then develop a strategy for migration. Without discovering your best, most important assets (or workloads), it will be impossible to find the right migration solution for your business.
Identify and Understand
As stated above, the first step in the migration process involves identifying which applications and workloads are most important to your business. These are the workloads you can't survive without. You might be so used to them, you might not even know which ones are running on Windows 2003 servers. If you don't take the time to carefully identify and understand which apps and workloads are mission critical and where they are running, this breakup could be a disaster. After you've cataloged all the configuration items in scope, you'll begin to the process of attributing them. Understanding elements such as criticality, business owner, vendor, version, and purpose are all vital to aide in the next phase of surviving the breakup.
Plan
Now you can begin the process of planning the end state of your workloads. Decide who you are and what you want, but keep an open mind. If you've been running Windows Server 2003, perhaps you think the most logical end state would be Windows Server 2008/2012. Not necessarily, every person and organization is different. Everyone has different needs and there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. Consider your options before you take the leap – there's private cloud, IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. Different workloads and applications will logically lead to certain targets, while others could offer the possibility of migration to one or more of these destinations. Don't be driven by emotion during this difficult breakup, consider factors such as speed, ease of migration, cost and desired functionality when making decisions.
Transform
Hopefully, you've gotten to this point with little resistance. If you have experienced some setbacks, that's completely normal and should be expected. It's hard to move on to new things, but the old way just won't work anymore. You need this change, you need to transform. Think of it as an opportunity to innovate your entire data center, a fresh start, and a new outlook.
Let's Start Anew
Regardless of how well you've held up to this point, you can't do it alone. Maybe it's so bad you need access to those specially trained counselors (you can reach them here). We've got you covered, should you need guidance during this breakup, attend our complimentary webinar or download the survival guide to Windows 2003 End of Life. Migrating away from Windows Server 2003 is an investment in your future, and there has never been a better time to begin the process of moving on. Take the next step to transform your data center.
Next Steps
Review our case studies and engagements where we helped companies just like yours solve a variety of business needs.
About Oakwood
Since 1981, Oakwood has been helping companies of all sizes, across all industries, solve their business problems. We bring world-class consultants to architect, design and deploy technology solutions to move your company forward. Our proven approach guarantees better business outcomes. With flexible engagement options, your project is delivered on-time and on budget. 11,000 satisfied clients can’t be wrong.
