3 Things to do Now if your Business is Running Windows XP

The Windows XP operating system, which was released in October 2001 and dominated market share for 10 years, is now at its "end of life" stage as Microsoft stopped its extended support of the platform on April 8th, 2014. In a nutshell, the end of support for the operating system means that security updates, patches, and other forms of information will no longer be provided by Microsoft at no cost. Ancient by technology standards, the operating system of which 1 billion copies were sold is still in use in millions of computers with estimates that about 10 percent of businesses in the U.S. have continued to use the XP operating system after the shutdown of support by Microsoft.
With biggest problem related to standing pat on XP being the fact that the operating system will become increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks, businesses, as well as individual users, need to migrate to the more recently released Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 operating systems. While 8.1 is the most recent release, users who were comfortable with the XP environment may find the Windows 7 operating system to be an easier system to work with due to its similarity to XP. Either way, there are several steps that business owners should take immediately.

1) Confirm that you’re running the XP operating system – In many cases, businesses may be running Windows XP without realizing that Microsoft is no longer supporting it or that they are running the XP operating system at all. For users who are unsure of their operating system, making the determination is an easy process that starts with clicking the Microsoft icon (Start) in the lower left corner of the screen. In the "Search programs and files" box, type "winver" and hit Enter. The version that is being run on the computer will appear in a pop-up.

2) Install a comprehensive anti-virus/malware program – According to industry experts, the un-supported Windows XP operating system presents a huge opportunity to hackers seeking to gain access to the data and information stored on servers, networks, etc. To defend against a breach while you are upgrading your operating system, make an investment in a program that can http://www.dci-corp.com/consulting-projects/network-services.html" target="_blank" title="Reliable Network System">protect your network while it’s at its most vulnerable point.

3)Start the migration process – Depending on the amount of data that will be transferred, bringing in outside help at this point may be the best call. The challenges related to compatibility issues with hardware and software, backing up data, and transferring licensing keys can be somewhat complex, which can make a seamless transition facilitated by an experienced outside team a solid investment.

For businesses, Windows XP is over. If you’re running this operating system, take these steps immediately to protect your business, your data, and your network.

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Decision Consultants offers IT support solutions for small businesses in the Arizona, Southern Nevada and Southern California