Operating Systems and Deprecation

Operating Systems and Deprecation: Why It’s Important

If it seems like operating systems are constantly being updated, there’s a reason for that—support teams need to be able to stay on top of ever-changing security issues in the digital world to make sure their operating systems are kept safe from potential attackers.

As new versions of operating systems come in, old ones are cut out. Each year, companies like Microsoft and Apple slowly stop supporting their older operating systems in a process known as deprecation. These old operating systems get no new features and do not receive any further security updates that would guard them against some of the most common security flaws.

While it is understandable to get attached to an operating system you like and have been using for some time, at some point it becomes important to stop holding on to your outdated software so you can ensure the security of your data and your business operations. Ultimately, using outdated software makes you vulnerable to outside attacks, as you miss out on new releases and upgrades.

Here are just a few quick reasons why you should upgrade your systems whenever prompted to do so:

• Improve security: We’ve already touched on this, but aging systems are no longer actively checked for security purposes. If you’re still using Windows XP, for example, you’re much more likely to have information compromised than if you’re using actively updated and supported operating systems.
• Improve productivity: Hardware continues to improve and evolve, so it’s important you upgrade software to go along with it. CPUs and hard drives operate faster than ever, and there are more processors, all of which means faster operation and greater productivity. You need to stay on top of operating system updates to make the most of that productivity potential.
• More effective IT support: If you have IT professionals working for your company (or if you outsource those services), they’re not going to be able to help you any more if you’re running an outdated system. Even if it is still possible to support outdated systems, they may not be as familiar with those systems because they are now rarely used, and thus it may take them more time to find solutions to your problems.
• Maintain warranties: If you have systems under warranty, you will need to keep on top of operating system updates so you don’t inadvertently void that warranty.
• Greater functionality: Updates with new operating systems provide some additional enhancements and functionality you would not otherwise get by continuing to use an older system.
• Avoid downtime: Because older operating systems are more vulnerable to attacks and crashes, they are also much more likely to result in your business experiencing downtimes. These downtimes can result in lost business and major blows to your productivity and efficiency.
• Better working environment: Your staff will greatly appreciate being able to work with updated operating systems that work efficiently and avoid frequent crashes.

To learn more about upgrading to the newest operating systems and why it’s beneficial for your business to do so, contact us today at IDMI.NET. We focus on keeping our systems up-to-date with all the most recent security patches.