What Does the End of Mainstream Support for Exchange Server 2010 Mean for You?

On the 13th January 2015 Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 reached the end of mainstream support. The extended support phase of the product now begins and runs until January 2020.

So  what does that mean for customers still running Exchange Server 2010 today, or those planning a new Exchange 2010 deployment?

To begin with, take a look at the explanation Microsoft provides for the differences between mainstream and extended support.

As you can see Microsoft will still provide security-related updates, but you should not expect to see other updates released to the public. In addition, the level of free technical support is reduced, although you can still access technical documentation and seek assistance in community forums.

For organizations that are concerned by this change there are two main options to consider:

• Migrate from Exchange Server 2010 to Exchange Server 2013 on-premises. There is a clear migration path available that involves little to no end user disruption, and allows you to begin leveraging new features and improvements in Exchange Server 2013.
• Migrate to Office 365. Again there is a clear migration path available for this that is low risk and low impact, and allows you to begin leveraging the cost and performance benefits of cloud computing while also gaining access to the latest Exchange Online features as they are frequently released.

If you have any questions about your Exchange Server environment and the options in front of you for migrating or upgrading please contact us.