How to Migrate from Windows 7 Quickly and Securely

If your business is still running on Windows 7, you need to act fast because support for the operating system ends on January 14th, 2020. While mainstream support actually ended back in 2015, Microsoft has continued to offer security updates and other patches over the past few years. Now, however, Windows 7 is at the end of its life and destined for the dustbin of history.

Yes, Windows 7 was a great, reliable operating system, but it’d be a mistake for most businesses to stick with it. As support ends, Microsoft will stop rolling up security patches. This means vulnerabilities discovered in the future may not be patched and as a result, your operating system will be defenseless. Legacy operating systems also tend to slow down overtime, and you don’t want your software to stall your business flow. Let’s look at just how serious the risks are.

Windows 7 Will Leave Your Small Business Vulnerable

No company should underestimate cybersecurity risks. The average cybersecurity hack costs SMBs roughly $200,000 and research has found that over 60 percent of SMEs that are hacked end up going out of businesses within just six months.

Legacy operating systems represent a prime target for hackers looking to break into systems to steal data, login credentials, and other bits of information. Since these systems are not being properly maintained, they’re often easier to hack. While Microsoft has been working hard to secure Windows 7 over the years, that support is now coming to an end.

Windows 7 Migration: What You Should Know

One of the most important aspects of an operating system migration is data backup. Of course, backing up your data, including sensitive information, to a hard drive prior to migration is an obvious solution. However, 140,000 hard drives fail every week, and if yours becomes one of them, you are risking to lose anywhere between $8,000 and $74,000 in a single hour of downtime. This could prove as damaging as a security breach. Data backup to a cloud or a remote secure server, such as those offered by MSPs like 3nom, guarantees that your data is stored securely and is recoverable. 

Speaking of recovery, it isn’t enough to backup your data prior to OS migration, you also need to test recovery to make sure you can get it back in one piece after your new shiny OS is up and running. For this, 3nom has a comprehensive data recovery tests in place which guarantee you’ll be able to pick up exactly where you left off. 

Yes, indeed, migrating from Windows 7 to Windows 10 may be overwhelming. But not doing so may cause you more issues shortly down the road. 

Fortunately, With the Right Partner, Windows 7 Migration is Easy

Fortunately, migrating from Windows 7 to Windows 10 is straightforward and easy if you work with a Managed Service Provider (MSP). The right managed service provider will be able to migrate your data safely and securely. The data will be protected at all times. Should something happen, say the data becomes corrupted, a top-notch MSP will also have a recovery process in place. 

From there, you’ll need to install Windows 10 on all of your machines or else buy hardware with Windows 10 preinstalled. As a managed service provider, we can both manage installation and provide advice on new hardware. Next, we’ll migrate software and data to your Windows 10 devices. If a problem arises, we’ll use our failsafe system to fix it.

Then you can get to work! Most cloud-based services you use will work without a hitch. Many Windows 7 software programs will also run on Windows 10. If a particular software program is not Windows 10 ready, it may be possible to run it in “compatibility mode”. Many software providers have updated their software since Windows 10 was released, so compatibility is rarely an issue. 

Your 3nom experts can review your software stack and offer customized solution to automate and optimize your business processes, saving you time, money, and disk space. 

What If I Absolutely Cannot Migrate From Windows 7?

First, you likely can migrate from Windows 7 to Windows 10. Often, a virtual machine or other solution will allow you to run legacy software and the like while still using Windows 10 as your primary operating system.

Still, if you absolutely cannot migrate from Windows 7 for some reason, Microsoft will offer continued support through 2023. This support comes at a steep cost, however, and it’ll likely be cheaper to migrate to Windows 10.

At best, you can shell out a lot of money to kick the can down the road a few years. Or, you can work with a managed service provider to safely and quickly migrate from Windows 7 before it retires on January 14th. Give your 3nom trusted advisor a call to start the process and keep up with the times.