Managing your business’s technology is a big job. And when you’re forced to transition to new software and hardware due to end-of-life (EOL) announcements, it can be difficult to know the best way to proceed.
Today’s blog will guide you through the critical steps for designing an end-of-life transition approach that maximizes value, mitigates risks, and positions your business for long-term success.
What Are EOL Products?
EOL, or end of life, products are goods that a company is no longer selling, producing, or renewing. There may still be some support, like security patches, for a short time, but EOL products generally reach end of service (EOS) soon after reaching end-of-life, at which point no updates, patches, or support will be available.
For example, at the end of last year, Microsoft announced that several of its products would be reaching EOS on October 14, 2025, including various editions of Windows 10, Office 2016 and 2019, and Visual Studio 2015. With announcements like these, businesses and individuals are encouraged to start planning their migration strategies ASAP to avoid downtime and lost data later.
How Do I Create an EOL Transition Plan?
It’s best to create an EOL transition plan as soon as you learn that any of the products you use in your company will be phasing out. These basic steps will help you form a strategy to keep you secure and up-to-date.
Communicate with Users
Start by informing your entire team about the upcoming end-of-life changes as early as possible. Clearly communicate the potential impacts on workflows, security, and tools to ensure everyone is on the same page. Encourage feedback from team members to identify any specific needs or concerns that should be addressed during the transition.
Evaluate Inventory
Conduct a thorough review of your current hardware and software inventory to determine what will be affected by the announcement, including tech that relies on the EOL products. Identify outdated systems, critical applications, and compatibility issues so you have a clear idea of all of the upgrades and replacements you’ll need to make.
Choose Your Upgrade
Research available options and choose software or hardware that matches your company’s requirements for performance, scalability, and budget. Companies that announce EOL or EOS products will often offer replacement products that will create an easier transition and require less of a learning curve, so be sure to look into those options.
Plan Migration
Then it’s time to plan the actual transition. This is one of the most important steps with a lot of moving parts, so be sure to keep the following factors in mind:
- Choose low-impact times for the migration, such as evenings or weekends, to avoid disrupting workflows.
- Prioritize data security and integrity throughout the migration and be sure to test transition a few files to make sure they transfer well before moving an entire database onto the new system.
- Confirm that the new products are working correctly by running tests.
- Train employees on new software and hardware so they feel comfortable with the new systems and can maintain solid workflows.
These focuses will help ensure a secure and smooth transition that’s minimally disruptive to operations.
Switch Early
Avoid waiting until the last minute to transition, as this can lead to unnecessary risks of data loss and downtime. Once you have your plan ready, go ahead and make the switch. This way, you’ll have time to address unexpected issues and adjust effectively to the new system without interrupting productivity.
Recruit Pro Help
Hiring professional IT support can significantly streamline the end-of-life transition process. IT experts can share their expertise on upgrade options, migration strategies and software, security, compliance, possible risks, and more so that you can make a smooth transition plan tailored to your needs.
Upgrade with Confidence with AIS
Your end-of-life transition can be stress-free and seamless when you partner with AIS. You’ll have access to advanced tools and personalized insights from our migration specialists that will help you minimize downtime and risk and maximize productivity and success. For questions about EOL products or to get started on your strategy, set up a meeting with one of our team members.