Microsoft to end support for Windows XP, Office 2003 in 2014
United States technology company, Microsoft has announced the
official end of support for Windows XP, Windows XP Professional for
Embedded Systems and Office 2003 by April 8, 2014 and therefore urged
its customers and partners to migrate to Windows 8 and Office 2013
platform.
Businesses in particular are feeling the most pressure to stay
up-to-date with an increasing need to protect their data and manage all
their devices while ensuring security and compliance. Windows 8 is
Microsoft’s latest operating system for modern businesses, building on
Windows 7 fundamentals such as speed, reliability and security while
creating a modern platform designed for new generation of hardware
experiences from tablets and innovative touch devices to traditional
desktops and laptops.
With the Official End of support for Windows XP, Windows XP
Professional for Embedded Systems and Office 2003, partners and
customers will no longer receive security updates and technical support
from Microsoft, which will result in vulnerability to security threats.
Awawu Olumide-Sojinrin, acting country manager, Microsoft Nigeria while
speaking at a media briefing to announce end of support for the Windows
XP and Office 2003 in Lagos, explained that Microsoft is proactive in
communicating changes that are critical and important to our customers.
As a result, she said Microsoft is taking its time to notify its
customers and partners ahead of the April 8 2014 deadline.
“Migration is taken for granted until it is experienced. It is
therefore wise for customers and partners to move with the changing
technology trend by migrating to the Windows 8 and Office 2013 platform
within the 8-month period.” She said. In recent times, it has been
observed that PC desktops are now commonly found side by side with
laptops, and newer form factors like Ultra books, All in Ones, and
tablets. Writeable CDs are today replaced by cloud-based storage
solutions like SkyDrive. Connectivity and accessibility once limited to
offices is now possible at home, in the car or even on a beach.
Businesses can now achieve greater productivity and mobility through
Direct Access in Windows 8 by enabling remote users to seamlessly access
corporate resources over a secure VPN tunnel through the Internet.