Microsoft users are being urged to review their software as several notable Microsoft products come to an end this year. One of these products is SharePoint 2013 which reaches end of life on April 11th, 2023. For users this means that this product will not be supported and as a result no security fixes will be issued. Organisations may continue to use the software (something we would advise against) which means you are more susceptible to security risks and compliance issues.
What happens if you don’t update? It’s imperative that some sort of action is taken, this must be done to avoid potential risks and problems down the line. In this article we highlight a few of the risks you might face if you leave it too late.
Microsoft will cease technical support
You read it right, after the SharePoint end of support date of Apr 11, 2023, users who have not updated may have to opt for the more expensive option of reaching out to third party vendors for technical support. Alongside this the ability to use the platform will be impacted due to slower/no updates and the lack of support.
Security risks
Microsoft takes security very seriously and provides regular security patching as well as regular updates to keep organisations protected. If updates no longer come from Microsoft users are more likely to experience a breach and here lies a big problem as Microsoft will be unable to address any issues that arise from this point.
Lack of new features
Over time it is inevitable that users will want to introduce new features to their existing products. However, with an old/defunct version of SharePoint you are certain to have compatibility issues. Our advice would be to migrate to SharePoint Online to ensure you are benefiting from the latest features. These features include enhanced collaboration, document management, version control and integration with the wider Office 365 suite.
Negative impact on your operations
Without support after the SharePoint 2013 end of life date, business operations may be impacted. For example, when a user has an issue Microsoft will have a system up and running within a time frame to address the problem. Without this support feature many users may find themselves increasingly reliant on third-party vendors. As mentioned previously third-party vendors can be expensive and result in further delays.
If you are an organisation currently using SharePoint 2013 or have any concerns about the product going out of support, our recommended action would be to upgrade or migrate to SharePoint Online. To discuss your options contact our team for more information or download our SharePoint migration guide below for more information.
