In the coming months Microsoft will no longer issue security updates for Windows Server & SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2:

• 9th July 2019: Extended Support for SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 will end
• 14th January 2020: Extended Support for Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2 will end

With RiverMeadow's world-class Cloud Migration Services and Software Platform which offers Automated OS Upgrade Capability you can now dramatically reduce the time and cost of migrating to Azure and take advantage of Microsoft's exclusive Upgrade Offer with 3 Years' Extended Security Updates for FREE.

We highly recommend upgrading to the most current versions for better performance, efficiency, and regular security updates. However, if you cannot upgrade to the latest version before the deadline, Microsoft are offering 3 Years’ Extended Security Updates at no additional charge if you rehost your applications in Azure.

So what does this mean exactly? Here’s a brief summary of what Microsoft are offering:

• Extended Security Updates will be available for free in Azure for 2008 and 2008 R2 versions of SQL Server and Windows Server to help secure your workloads for three more years after the end of support deadline
• You can rehost these workloads to Azure with no application code change. This gives you more time to plan your future path, including upgrading to newer versions such as SQL Server 2017 or Windows Server 2016 and utilizing the rich set of platform and data services available in Azure
• You can also move your SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 deployments with no application code change and near zero downtime to Azure SQL Database Managed Instance. It is a fully-managed database-as-a-service solution with industry leading SLAs and does not require future upgrades
• You can use existing licenses and the Azure Hybrid Benefit to save when you migrate SQL Server and Windows Server environments to Azure Virtual Machines or to Azure SQL Database Managed Instance. With this benefit, customers with Software Assurance save up to 55 percent on the cost of running SQL Server and Windows Server in Azure.

In summary, this means you can now benefit from:

• More time to modernize on your terms
• Security built into Azure
• More than 70 compliance certifications

Choose RiverMeadow for your cloud migration to Azure

With RiverMeadow's world-class Cloud Migration Services and Software Platform which offers Automated OS Upgrade Capability you can now dramatically reduce the time and cost of migrating to Azure and take advantage of Microsoft's exclusive Upgrade Offer with 3 Years' Extended Security Updates for FREE. As a Microsoft Co-Sell Ready Partner, RiverMeadow gives you the best of both worlds - free security updates and a smooth, safe and swift journey to Azure.

RiverMeadow's SaaS platform is the fastest, most secure and cost effective solution for cloud migration. It integrates with Azure through its external facing API and requires only a few clicks of a button. On the front end, RiverMeadow offers a seamless user experience through a point-and-click web portal interface. It also automates and simplifies all the processes, and moves workloads from one region to another.

Take a look at the top 5 features of RiverMeadow Saas’ platform:

• Migration between physical, virtual, and any other type of cloud platform
• No requirement for hypervisor access or manual configuration
• Automatic provisioning for new virtual machines on cloud targets
• No need for software or rebooting
• Post-migration automation to evolve the workload (modify, customize, update, enhance the workload)

Final Thoughts

With cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated and frequent, running apps and data on unsupported versions can create significant security and compliance risks. Whist the ramifications of ignoring end of support may be steep, it is a great opportunity to transform your applications and infrastructure to take advantage of cloud computing and the latest versions of SQL Server and Windows Server.

As a co-sell ready Microsoft Partner, RiverMeadow is the ideal partner to support your migration to Azure. Contact us here or schedule a demo to find out more.

 Act now and stay secure: Migrate and Modernize with RiverMeadow.