LSeven Solutions Blog

You don’t need us to tell you that Microsoft has an extensive library of software products aimed at all kinds of businesses. But, of course, nothing good can last forever, and old solutions eventually give way to more versatile or efficient versions. When this happens, Microsoft stops supporting older software in order to provide better features and experiences to users of more recent versions.

After it reaches a certain age, Microsoft software gradually moves from a mainstream support period to an extended support period. The main difference is that Microsoft continues to provide security patches and updates, but no longer takes requests for new features or non-security fixes. Once a software reaches its end of life, however, Microsoft ceases to provide security patches and updates, putting anyone still using this software at risk. Therefore, as a business owner, it’s your responsibility to know when your software expires, and how to upgrade it to a more recent version.

The following Microsoft products reached their end of support date on April 12th, 2016. Be sure to check with your IT department or the friendly technicians at L7 Solutions to see if you’re putting your infrastructure at risk through their continued use.

From Mainstream Support to Extended Support

• Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization 2.0
• Microsoft Fable III for PC
• Microsoft Lync 2010
• Microsoft Lync 2010 Attendant
• Microsoft Lync 2010 Attendee
• Microsoft Lync 2010 Group Chat
• Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Enterprise Edition
• Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Group Chat Software Development Kit
• Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Software Development Kit
• Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Math 4.0

From Extended Support to End of Life

• Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
• Microsoft Customer Care Framework
• Microsoft Customer Care Framework 2005
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 for Embedded Systems
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition for Itanium-based Systems
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard X64 Edition
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition
• Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager 2006
• Microsoft Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition
• Microsoft Visual C# 2005 Express Edition
• Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition
• Microsoft Visual J# 2005 Express Edition
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition academic license
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition for Software Architects
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition for Software Developers
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition for Software Testers
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Team Suite
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Team Test Load Agent
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Tools for the Microsoft Office System
• Microsoft Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition
• Windows Embedded for Point of Service
• Service Pack 3 for Windows Embedded for Point of Service

Your organization can’t afford to let unsupported software run on your workstations. If a hacker were to exploit a known (or unknown) vulnerability in any of these programs, your troubles could just be starting. If you suspect that any of your mission-critical software solutions are approaching their end of life, or have already expired, don’t waste any more time. To learn more, contact L7 Solutions at (954) 573-1300.

By design, Microsoft’s operating systems aren’t built to last forever. Due to the fact that technology is always changing, new operating systems with better security and improved capabilities are routinely needed. Microsoft gets users to transition from an older OS to a newer one by ending support for the older one. This begs the question, how long until Microsoft pulls the plug on your OS?

Fans of Microsoft's note taking application can now use OneNote on iOS devices, Windows Phone 7 Smartphones, and at long last, Android devices. Up until now, Android users have been left in the dark for synchronizing and managing their notes through an official OneNote app.

A business owner must understand the licensing status of their company's software, but this has grown more complicated since the inception of the Internet. If you feel like your employees, or maybe even your corporate culture survives off of pirated software or applications, or stuff you found "for free" online, then your business could potentially suffer from legal issues.

Not only can Microsoft PowerPoint make great slideshows, it can also make engaging infographics. The latest trend in marketing is fairly simple: Visual content sells. Images and videos are the most popular way to take advantage of this. Infographics can offer your marketing campaign a combination of text and image, allowing your marketing content to be both engaging and informative.

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We hope that this isn't the first time you've heard about Microsoft ending support for their popular Windows XP OS on April 8, 2014. Microsoft has been warning users of this "death date" for years, yet we still come across businesses and consumers that are just now getting the memo. You may have to help get the message out!

Overshadowed by the new iPad Air and iPad Mini announcement, on October 22nd Apple launched its new Operating System OS X Mavericks. This new OS is sleek, efficient, and free. Wait, a free Apple product? Really? Yes really. Is this too good to be true? Let's take a look at this new OS and find out.

If you are a heavy user of the Internet, then your Downloads folder is likely bloated with pictures, music, files, and whatever else you have picked up along your online journey. You may cringe every time you open it because of how messy it is. To help you out, there is a free utility called DropIt that will automatically organize your Downloads folder.

Your office might have the appearance of a warm and welcoming work environment, but deep down, you know that, behind the motivational posters and potted plants, your co-workers are dedicated to seeing your demise. To protect yourself, you will need to protect your workstation.

You can do almost anything with a smartphone, except type a quick and accurate text message on a four inch screen. Even the best typist struggles with hitting the correct keys on a digital keyboard, and it doesn't help if you have a little extra mass on your fingers. A new app called Fleksy promises to cure the woes of smartphone typing.

If you are working on a document that is several pages long, then you know the frustration of getting lost in a sea of text. Often overlooked by the casual user, Macros are great productivity tools that can be utilized for several handy tasks, including giving you the ability to bookmark your work areas in a Word document.

The expiration date for Google Reader is set for July 1, 2013. Google’s decision to axe the Reader was not because it was unpopular, but rather, it seems like Google wants to focus their energy into fewer products. This announcement leaves many Google faithful out in the cold, and Feedly has welcomed the Google huddled masses yearning to read free.

There are dozens of PC tricks and procedures you can try in order to speed up a slow computer. Before you do something drastic like open your case and tinker around with the hardware, or reinstall your OS, or even call your friendly IT techs for a service call, you may first want to adopt these four PC practices that are guaranteed to boost your computer's performance.

The new Windows 8 OS has received strong reviews on performance, and complaints in regards to the new interface. The main gripe is that the new tile layout is too different than the older versions of Windows, due in no small part to the lack of a start button. Leave it to third party software developers to build a solution.