Don't let your business be caught off guard...
One year before EOL, 60.95% of Windows devices globally ran on Windows 10. With such a staggering percentage, only 12 months ahead of the end of life, how prepared is your business and its devices? This change may still be relevant even if the majority of your devices are on the latest version of Windows. Having outdated operating systems in your environment presents security risks.
Do I need to upgrade:
Technically your business does not need to migrate to Windows 11. However, by choosing to run Windows 10 your business is increasingly susceptible to security breaches, even if you have a third-party antivirus or only a few devices running the operating system. This is the time to plan for the migration and protect your business against modern threats.
Technical Assistance:
Microsoft will no longer provide free technical support for devices that remain on Windows 10. Issues encountered with the ageing operating system may therefore be more difficult to solve.
Security Fixes:
The operating system will no longer receive free security patches or updates from Microsoft. Any device left running on Windows 10 is therefore more susceptible to cyber risk and malware, even if a third-party antivirus is used.
Compliance Issues:
Should company or customer data be put at risk or leaked due to a security incident, it may lead to serious compliance issues. One of the pillars from the ‘Essential Eight’ cyber mitigation strategies is to patch your operating systems.
Migration Hardware Requirements:
Most business workstations and devices generally meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11. Although this might be the case, it may still be suitable to review some of your ageing devices.
In order to ensure devices are within the manufacturing warranty, have the latest security features and have sufficient specifications for your employees. A refresh cycle should generally occur every ~3 years. Now being 2025 this is a great time to evaluate the device life cycle of current environment.
The Requirements at a Glance:
- Processor: >2 core >1 gigahertz (GHz)
- RAM: >4 gigabytes (GB)
- Storage: >64 GB
Full List of Requirements:
Countdown: October 14, 2025
How to Prepare the Windows OS Migration:
Stage 2: Review hardware requirements
Ensure that all migrating devices meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11. System specifications are outlined. Devices that do not fulfill the minimum requirements may need to be decommissioned.
Stage 4: Plan the migration
The plan is created in order to minimize any potential downtime and interruption to the business. Quantity of devices and the complexity of your environment are key to take into consideration.
Stage 1: Audit Windows endpoints
Identify which devices in your environment are running Windows 10. This information should be accessible through your endpoint management software such as ‘Microsoft Intune’.
Stage 3: Backup your data
Before making any changes to your environment, ensure that your data is securely backed up with a reputable on premise or cloud solution. Protecting you should any issues or errors arise during the migration process.
Stage 5: Phased Deployment
Best practice regardless of device quantity, is to perform deployment in phases for any major migration. This will help identify any errors and reduce the possibility of widespread issues.
9 months before October...
This is the time to prepare and ensure your business is not caught off guard by the upcoming end of life. Our team of expert consultants can provide you guidance and suggestions based on your unique situation.
Where can AVTech Support
Any migration presents some level of risk, our experienced team can help reduce this likelihood and provide guidance to your business as it navigates this upcoming challenge.
AVTech can help your business through any of the five migration stages. From assessing and identifying the relevant devices in your environment, supporting and coordinating the planning efforts. Or with the actual deployment and migration of endpoints to Windows 11.
We also provide ongoing support through our ProCare solution range, actively managing +5,000 customer end points.
Migration Support
We can assist with your migration from start to finish. Helping identify your key end points, create a project timeline to minimize downtime and completing the OS upgrade.
Post Migration Support
AVTech can provide ongoing support for your environment, proactively managing issues and flagging upcoming changes relevant to your business.
Hardware Refresh
It may be time for new equipment. We can review your existing hardware refresh plan or help create a new one. AVTech procures hardware from tier 1 vendors.
FAQs
Key steps in an upgrade main include:
- Assessment: Evaluate all systems running Windows 10 and identify devices that may need upgrades or replacements.
- Planning: Develop an upgrade plan with timelines and resources allocated.
- Compatibility Testing: Ensure software, and applications are compatible with the new OS.
- Implementation: Roll out the upgrade in stages to minimize disruptions.
Schedule upgrades outside of peak hours to avoid disrupting business operations.
Use phased deployment to update systems in waves, so some employees remain active while others upgrade.
Yes, these practices can help keep systems secure during the transition:
Back up critical data before beginning the upgrade process to prevent data loss.
We'll help you plan ahead.
Properly prepare for October 2025 by booking a free consultation with one of our experts.
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