Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2 End of License coming soon…

[Willa]

Did you know that the end of the calendar year brings along with it the end of licensing for two version of Microsoft Windows Server? On December 31, 2017, Microsoft will end licensing of Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2. Action should be taken NOW to minimize the impact to your SMB customers.

What does “End of License” mean?
After December 31, 2017 Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 will no longer be available from HPE. Please note:  if units have been distributed from HPE to a partner (e.g. a Reseller), the partner may continue selling the inventory they own.  In addition, Microsoft mainstream support for these products will end October 9, 2018. After this date, all users still running Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2 will move into an unsupported state of the product.

What does this mean for reseller partners?
When products reach their end of licensing date, it is a good time to talk to customers about the new versions that are available. In fact, there has never been a better time to update your sales and service offerings to Microsoft Windows Server 2016. By readying your own business to sell Windows Server 2016, you will be in the perfect position to help your customers modernize and start their move to the cloud.

What does this mean for customers?
Many of the past version of Windows Server (such as Windows Server 2003, 2008 and 2008 R2) have reached their end of support. This means customers running these versions are no longer receiving security updates, putting their businesses at risk until they upgrade. 

For customers running more recent versions of Windows Server (such as Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2) while they are still receiving security updates (until October 9, 2018) there are still many reasons to upgrade to Windows Server 2016 now.  Windows Server 2016 offers many advancements over past versions including: security built-in to help safeguard data across devices and apps (onsite or in the cloud), tools to help deliver increased efficiency and maximize IT investment, and options to help organizations get ready for the cloud.

No matter what previous version of Windows Server customers are running, now is a great time to upgrade the server operating system to the latest (and greatest) version. Windows Server 2016 is available from HPE either pre-installed on new HPE Servers or pre-configured and sold with HPE servers. When customers are ready to upgrade the server operating system to Windows Server 2016, it is also a great time to talk to them about replacing their aging servers with new modern hardware. 

Why should customers upgrade to HPE Gen10 Servers with Microsoft Windows Server 2016?
When customers upgrade their server hardware, it may allow them to consolidate their server room to fewer, more powerful, servers that can take full advantage of the improved virtualization in Windows Server 2016. This new version of Windows Server was designed with the needs of customers in mind, including the need to increase security measures and reduce cost while greatly improving performance. Pairing Windows Server 2016 with HPE Gen10 Servers, the most secure industry standard servers, gives customers immense security features.  Building on Gen10 server's secure foundation, HPE has also introduced advancements that deliver new levels of agility and economic flexibility.

For customers looking to upgrade their existing server infrastructure, or who want to standardize on physical infrastructure for their workloads, HPE ProLiant Gen10 Servers together with Microsoft Windows Server 2016 is a great option!

---

Have questions about HPE OEM Microsoft products/solutions, Windows Server 2016, or HPE Servers? Join the Coffee Coaching community to keep up with the latest HPE OEM Microsoft news and interact with HPE and Microsoft experts.

Follow us on Twitter | Join our LinkedIn group | Like us on Facebook | Watch us on YouTube