Why You Should Really Consider Migrating Your Business To A Newer OS

Are you stuck with a legacy Operating System (OS) that keeps causing routine performance issues and buggy functionalities? It may be time for you to move your business to a new OS. Because not doing so will cost you money, productivity, and the chances to further growth and innovation. 

While about 80% of IT leaders believe that migrating to modern systems is necessary, there are still many businesses and organizations that are stuck with old systems. The primary reasons being the cost of digital transformation, unclear requirements, and the overall fear of uncertainty that comes with digital transformation.

Why Move To A New OS

There are many reasons besides the apparent performance improvement. Here are the other reasons for migrating to a new OS you should consider.

• Legacy systems eventually stop receiving support and maintenance. A recent example of this is the recent sunsetting of Windows 7 that happened in January of 2020. Windows 8.1 is scheduled to reach end of Extended Support on January 10, 2023. Similarly, macOS 10.13 High Sierra is no longer supported as of December 2020, with Mojave, Catalina, and Big Sur still fully functional and supported. 
• Lack of support means increased security risks. A big proportion of any OS routine maintenance includes identification of vulnerabilities and release of security patches. Without those actions on behalf of your OS provider, the system’s vulnerabilities grow exponentially. 
• Incompatibility with the latest software. An old OS is based on outdated technology that may not be suitable for installing newer versions of applications which, in turn, may affect, speed, security, formats, and further compatibility. Latest software applications do not provide backward compatibility, thus limiting your scope.

The performance of outdated OS will keep getting slower and will produce more failure conditions as the days go by. By contrast, staying up to date on your OS will ensure smooth performance for all employees, fewer security concerns, and better integration into the digital trends and capabilities of your business partners and client. If you are stuck with an outdated OS, take the leap now and migrate to a new OS to avoid paying the high cost of using unsupported and risky legacy OS.

How To Migrate Successfully

A McKinsey research says that only 30% of businesses are able to implement digital transformation successfully. The primary reason is that companies lack the budget and technology preparedness required to implement customized solutions. The possible impediment to business continuity, smooth data migration, employee training are also factors that play to making a firm decision regarding the migration. But IT leaders by far and large believe that migrating to modern systems will reduce their operational costs by 1% and increase revenue by 14%.

While it may feel scary and overwhelming to move away from something familiar, it is possible to make a successful transition to a new OS without losing any of your data and operational efficiencies. You need to have a proper plan and execute it with care.

Here are the steps to take when migrating to a new OS.

1. Plan your migration and start with a pilot project to get a better idea before implementing organization-wide changes.
2. Choose the new system and technology stack you want to migrate to. Consider your requirements, needs, budget, and more to arrive at the appropriate choice. An important note: let go of the pressure to migrate to the latest version which may still be buggy or will lead to a dramatic change in user experience. If you can do it, great. If not, bump your company up one or two versions for a smooth transition with most of the benefits. 
3. Back-up your old data and OS configurations. Utilize disk imaging solution and not just file copy to ensure you can restore the system to working condition if required.
4. Back up everything and make sure to have a back-up of the most recent data and applications. Make sure your backups work by restoring the data from them before deleting the original! 
5. Make use of mass deployment tools to deploy your new OS.
6. Set up a virtual machine using the disk image of your old OS. This helps you get access to legacy applications, data, and any license information if needed.

So, are you ready for the transition? Do you need any help? We are here to assist you as you migrate your business to a new OS. Get in touch if you need an experienced IT partner to guide your company’s digital evolution.