IT Is Slow to Migrate From Windows Server 2003
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Long-Term Commitment
57% of survey respondents said they're still running at least a portion of their business on Microsoft Windows Server 2003. -
Tricky Transition, Part I
On average, just under 40% of apps have been migrated in preparation before the July deadline for Microsoft. Windows.Server 2003 support to end. -
Tricky Transition, Part II
92% are struggling to rewrite or modernize "at least some" of their apps in order to successfully migrate from Windows Server 2003, and one out of 10 respondents said more than one-half of their apps need to be rewritten or modernized. -
Outward Bound
93% said they're considering moving a portion of their apps to the cloud with the support for Microsoft Windows Server 2003 ending. -
Help Wanted
48% are looking for an experienced Microsoft partner to work with them on completing the migration. -
Top Challenges of the Migration
Concerns about disrupting business: 72%, Greater prioritization of other projects: 68%, Unexpected lengthiness of the process: 65%, High cost of resources: 43% -
The Price of Devotion
57% of survey participants whose companies are likely to stay on Windows Server 2003 are concerned about security, and 39% are concerned about both working with outdated tech and the potential for business disruptions. -
Adjustable Consideration
While 80% of respondents overall said business and IT priorities are aligned on the end of support for Windows Server 2003, more than two-thirds believe other projects are taking a greater priority.
A wealth of CIOs and IT departments have marked July 15, 2015 with a big red marker–that's the day that Microsoft will cease issuing security updates for Windows Server 2003. Microsoft is encouraging enterprises to migrate to other options such as Windows Server 2012 R2, Microsoft Azure or Office 365 before the deadline. But a recent survey from Avanade reveals that most organizations are still dependent upon Windows Server 2003–and many will likely remain so after the deadline. A great deal are struggling to rewrite or modernize apps in order to make the transition, and there are additional obstacles in the form of concerns over business disruptions and the migration's cost. In addition, other IT projects are viewed as higher priorities. That said, an overwhelming majority of survey respondents are taking advantage of the deadline to increase their applications' cloud presence. "The good news is that many CIOs are using the end-of-support deadline as an opportunity to leverage cloud-based solutions to modernize their infrastructure and create a more agile environment for future migrations," said Rich Stern, corporate vice president and infrastructure services global lead for Avanade. "Interestingly, among this group, half of the respondents said they are looking to a hybrid platform of both public and private clouds." An estimated 200 IT professionals in the U.S. and Canada took part in the research.