Prepare for Microsoft Support Changes
Just as Microsoft ended support of Windows XP in 2014, it is officially ending support of Windows 7 in January of 2020. Therefore, you must either upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 or replace it with a new Windows 10 PC to be HIPAA compliant and protected from hackers. Windows Server 2008 and Windows 2011 are also expiring in January, so please check with your IT professional sooner rather than later to discuss replacing these. In just three months, Microsoft will no longer provide extended — or even paid — support for these.
Here is a link from Microsoft for more details: https://mycomputerexperts.net/
It’s important to plan ahead. It’s not quick and easy to switch computers over to Windows 10 since you might need to migrate data and licenses.
If your PC has less than 4gb of RAM and is 4 or more years old, it’s best to replace the unit; otherwise, consider an upgrade. If you are planning to purchase a new PC with Windows 10 (instead of just upgrading your software from Windows 7 to Windows 10) and your budget allows, I recommend you purchase a PC with a Solid State Drive (SSD) instead of a traditional hard drive. It performs better with Windows 10 and is faster. Server units are not really upgradeable and we do not recommend trying to do so. It’s best to entirely replace your server unit with a brand new one.
Note: Vendors like ChiroTouch and Eclipse will also be very busy during this time period since they will be helping their clients with the database migration. Scheduling with them may get tight at the end of the year, as well.
