Any of your computers that you purchased six years ago came with Windows 7 installed. Unless you paid for new licenses and gave your team time to upgrade them, those computers run Windows 7 today.

Some of your options include:
– Buy new computers
– If the computer is strong enough, upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 8.1 or Windows 10
– You can ask your IT team if you use a technology called VDI. If so, they can uninstall Windows 7 completely. They can install Linux, or make a bootable thumb drive, or use a No Touch Desktop program. The computer can function as a screen and keyboard to a server where Windows runs

If, for any reason, you need to keep Windows 7 on some workstations, be sure to give your IT team time to implement compensating controls. For example, they can isolate the computers from the rest. Ask them to install Microsoft’s downloadable EMET security tool that works in Windows 7.

Support for Windows 8.0 ended in 2016.
Support for Windows 8.1 ends on January 10, 2023.

Please forward this to your friends and business associates, so they know January 14 is the when Windows 7 becomes a severe security risk to their networks.

The post Microsoft Will Stop Protecting Windows 7 on January 14, 2020 appeared first on Foster Institute.

Delta reports that the glitch was triggered by a 22 year old power control system device that failed in their datacenter.

Back in June, Delta’s CIO Rahul Samant made a very telling statement, “Technology is like painting a bridge. Work is never done.”

That was two months before this disaster. I wonder if his statement about how “work is never done” is an excuse for not trying. It would be best if he remains focused on doing the best he possibly can.

I do not know the CIO, and give him the benefit of the doubt of doing the best possible job he can do.

As I type this blog at 35,000 feet, it is important to trust in the airlines to be very focused on safety. If only IT was afforded the same attention.

In 2008, after the bridge collapses received major media attention, the government provided resources to maintain bridges.

The government needn’t step in to force companies to keep their IT bridges painted and in great shape. But CEOs should step in when necessary.

Many IT departments are plagued by a lack of resources. But it doesn’t help to throw money at IT either. The problems can often be solved by using tools you’ve already paid for, and systems can be configured in ways to save IT Pros time.

Many organizations rely on service providers. Target learned the hard way that some service providers’ carelessness might cause big problems at the organizations that trust them.

Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity plans are crucial. But keep preventative maintenance in mind too. Just ask Delta.

The post Delta Airlines Believes their Epic Technology Failure is like Painting a Bridge appeared first on Foster Institute.