Is Microsoft unable to part with its old server operating systems, or why are the Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2 operating systems getting Extended Security Updates until 2026?
First, we will explain a few terms that are relevant to this topic:
End of Mainsupport
An operating system is said to be “End of Main Support” when the developers no longer provide new features or significant changes to a product. Updates to close security vulnerabilities are still provided. The period is usually five years.
End of Extended Support
An operating system is said to be at the “End of Extended Support” when the product lifecycle has ended and no more updates will be released.
Why this is important: security vulnerabilities or serious bugs remain.
The product is officially no longer supported.
Extended Security Updates (ESU)
Extended Security Updates are usually subject to a fee and are offered after End of Extended Support. By purchasing ESUs, customers have the option of receiving further security updates even after Extended Support has ended. But: This does not apply to functional updates. The ESU period can be extended up to three years.
What this has to do with Windows Servers 2012 & 2012 R2
Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2 have not received mainstream support since October 9, 2018.
Microsoft has not developed these operating systems further since then. Extended support has also been discontinued since October 10, 2023.
What now?
The Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2 operating systems are still widely used today.
What does this mean for Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2?
Microsoft is offering a solution that gives companies optional additional time to migrate Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2 to a new version.
The purchase is limited to systems that are not hosted on Azure.
Good to know: Companies that have their servers hosted in Azure will receive this ESU for Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2, free of charge, until October 13, 2026.
For companies that run their environment locally and cannot or do not want to migrate to Azure, Microsoft offers the following ESU extensions:
- Extended Security Update Year 1 — Until 08.10.2024
- Extended Security Update Year 2 — Until 14.10.2025
- Extended Security Update Year 3 — Until 13.10.2026
If a customer purchases the extension for three years, they can receive security updates up to and including October 13, 2026.
And what do these extensions cost?
These extensions are quite a deal, with packages sold in 2-, 8- and 16-core packages:
- Year 1 amounts to 75% of the server to be purchased
- Year 2 amounts to 100% of the server to be purchased
- Year 3 amounts to 125% of the server to be purchased
With the free extension for Azure VMs, Microsoft offers companies a more cost-effective way to equip their old servers with security updates. This offer only includes the ESU; the customer has to bear the costs for the resources in Azure themselves.
This gives Microsoft the opportunity to expand its own market share in cloud computing.
Why? Customers rarely host their data and infrastructure in the cloud completely locally.
How can we, as a service provider, help to ensure that banks and insurance companies no longer have to operate outdated systems?
This can be achieved by migrating from old operating systems to new systems in good time. Then Microsoft would not have to offer such extensions.
The point is to make companies aware that operating systems will have to be replaced at some point. A clever migration strategy in collaboration with the customer helps here.
Extensions in Azure prepare the actual migration to new systems
By taking this step, Microsoft has protected many companies that depend on ESU from security vulnerabilities and potential damage. Nevertheless, companies should always keep their systems up to date and replace legacy systems in good time.
Customers who migrate their old Windows Servers 2012 & 2012 R2 to Azure should thoroughly research whether this is the right step for the affected system.
Virtual machines in Azure are usually not the most cost-efficient solution and can quickly cost companies a lot of money. The extensions in Azure should only serve as a temporary solution to gain time for migrating to new operating systems or to Azure services.
