Also, it is essential to note that Microsoft will not offer an ESU (Extended Security Update as it did for Windows 7. The ESU was made for Windows 7 users to get security updates for several years after support was ended for the venerable operating system.

Read on to know more about the end-of-support by Microsoft for Windows 8.1

What This Means For Current Windows 8.1 Users

From January 10, 2023, Microsoft will no longer provide software and security updates for Windows 8.1 users. Also, Microsoft will stop offering technical solutions and assistance when users face issues on Windows 8.1, at least officially.

Of course, this does not mean your Windows 8.1-run laptop or PC will stop working; it only means that there will be no new feature updates, security patches, or support of any type. Using an outdated operating system is a big risk, as it leaves you vulnerable to online hacks and viruses. It can also cause you to violate data privacy compliance requirements. 

What You Did Not Notice

Not everyone knows this, but Windows 8.1 was basically a fix for Windows 8. Many Windows users rejected the touch-centric focus of Windows 8, especially because it eliminated the conventional desktop feature and the Start button many had gotten used to in Windows 7 and Vista.

It was, therefore, no surprise when Windows 8.1 was released shortly after. While the desktop and Start features were reintroduced in the new operating system, there was a general agreement that it properly merged the features of Windows 8 and former Windows versions. However, despite the changes Windows 8.1 brought, its predecessor is one product Microsoft and its fans and followers will want to forget in a hurry.

Microsoft’s attempt to reinvent Windows in a manner akin to Apple’s products lost them many customers. Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 (which came later in 2015) tried to bring back most of the features eliminated in Windows 8 to a reasonable degree of success. Windows 11 even goes one step further, removing the Live Tiles addition since Windows and making Windows use much more streamlined and user-friendly.

Should I Go for Windows 10 or 11 or Stay with Windows 8.1 without Support?

The real problem is this – do I upgrade the operating system on my current laptop or buy a new PC? Microsoft affirmed in a recent statement that Windows 11 has stringent CPU requirements, which means machines that currently run Windows 8.1 might not be able to run Windows 11. Windows 10 will be a better choice for these machines.

Also, you can upgrade your PC to windows 10 or 11 as long as your PC is eligible, as regards the TPM 2.0 requirement. If your PC does not meet this requirement, you cannot upgrade directly to Windows 11. Windows 10 will be your best bet. After all, Microsoft currently plans to support Windows 10 till 2025, which means you’re good to go for the next two years at least. Get Windows 10 and get some relief for your PC when you go online.

A Tip to Help You

One of the first things you need to do before upgrading your operating system is to back up your vital files. Back up your files to either the cloud or a physical drive. Backups are done to ensure your files are safe in the event that upgrades and reinstalls cause your system to crash or reset.

Backing up your files is a smooth task depending on how you approach it. One very efficient way to back up your files is to make several copies of them and store each copy physically and on the cloud. You can either store it on two drives or one drive with cloud storage. When using two physical drives as backups, one should be kept safe and away from your current location if something happens to your device or the physical drive you have with you.

You can also use the “File History” feature on Windows. You can do this by switching on File History, which will back up your files to a preselected drive. You will then select that drive on the PC after installing the new operating system and choose “Restore Files” in your setting menu. Note that if your PC is encrypted, the drive will also have to be encrypted. 

Update Your Business PCs With AhelioTech!

Are you looking to upgrade your business PCs? Let AhelioTech handle it. We are an IT service provider with years of experience offering our services to businesses and homes. We offer managed IT services, cloud technology, business VoIP phone systems, data & disaster recovery, computer networking services, and IT consulting. 

Contact us for expert computer support in Ohio.

The post Microsoft is No Longer Supporting Windows 8.1. What You Need to Know appeared first on AhelioTech.

Cybersecurity concerns pose a severe risk to IT infrastructures and data globally, stressing IT professionals and business owners worried about their financial supply. Many organizations are forced to reassess their backup requirements in this ever-changing IT environment to maintain data privacy and protection.

Due to the significant increase in the WFH (Work from Home) business structure, data backup requires enormous volumes of data to be generated and backed up externally from the controlling data center. Businesses should adhere to privacy laws like GDPR as more individuals are on the remote structure and monitor the global increase in malware and other cybersecurity threats.

The Evolution of Data Backup to Data Protection

DP (Data Protection) platforms are what several backup and recovery businesses are now referring to themselves as, along with a host of new features and terminology that mark a paradigm shift in the backup sector. It’s challenging to keep up with the new DP features and terms. Now that data protection compliance and data security are spoken about so frequently; it’s even more challenging to understand how this affects your data protection plan and business.

When products change, it is harder to know where backup ends and where data protection begins. For instance, it is evident that malware must be identified and eliminated, but does this fall under the domain of the backup level, device level, or both? Numerous manufacturers now offer a wide range of extra features for their devices. It can be challenging to decide which is ideal for your IT environment or whether or not you require a combination.

Businesses should consider what new functionality and the additional features offered contribute to the backup industry by understanding what modifications have been made there. To find the most excellent fit, they should examine the services of the various providers and decide which one of the functions best meets their demands.

How is Data Backup Morphing into Data Protection

The following are five ways data backup is becoming data protection:

• Continuous data security/protection applications

Continuous data security appliances effectively save all editions of a company’s data and all the modifications made to it within the company by capturing and tracking every adjustment to a company’s data.

Rather than returning to the most recent backup, which, regarding conventional snapshot backups, could result in an extended period of deleted files, which a continuous data security server might have saved, the business can recover systems to almost any point if it needs to recover data.

• Cloud storage

Massive volumes of data are being gathered by businesses, ranging from basically insignificant information to private and sensitive commercial, financial, and user data. Additionally, businesses are now keeping their data in more private, public, and hybrid clouds, software-as-a-service applications, cloud storage environments, and other places than ever.

• Backup appliances

An ongoing trend is an appliance-based backup, in which devices automatically backup to guarantee that data can all be retrieved in any circumstance, including cyber breaches or employee error. Data is saved to numerous data centers, and it’s possible to retrieve any data, regardless of who did it, when, or what.

That allows businesses to handle important business data while taking advantage of SaaS solutions’ flexibility, scalability, and affordability. Because the device interacts directly with the software, virtual machine, or software, it also eliminates software backup requirements. Depending on the required level of service, backup systems are suitable for general backups like short and long-term backups.

• Multi-cloud data backups and recovery

Because matching and mixing services can offer performance optimization and flexibility, multi-cloud methods are becoming more and more common. The requirement for multi-cloud backup and disaster recovery solutions grows as these techniques make headway.

Data can be backed up across many cloud services from various providers using solutions for multi-cloud data backups. These solutions frequently use backups from a service and keep them on another service in case of a disaster. These solutions offer recovery to various providers as well.

Microservices and containers are building blocks for multi-cloud backup and disaster recovery solutions. With the help of these technologies, a business can deploy operations and data across various cloud platforms without worrying about proprietary formats or service compatibility. Each container includes all required resources and is constructed independently of host systems.

• Data disaster recovery with the Internet of Things (IoT) devices

IoT (Internet of things) devices are now outrunning many networks, including endpoint user interfaces, sensors, digital assistants, and other devices. These devices continuously gather and analyze data frequently on existing resources. It implies that the information on IoT devices is partially cut off from the other system. For instance, if a system fails, those devices might not be affected and continue to have access to previously “lost” data.

Protect Your Data with AhelioTech

IT companies are working to assist businesses in modernizing their data protection plan for this present and changing environment as traditional data protection techniques evolve continuously to address new concerns.

Our data experts at AhelioTech are committed to ensuring that your business’s mission-critical data is successfully and frequently backed up. Irrespective of when they operate, we’ll continuously track all data backups and examine each client backup every day to ensure there are no mistakes or omissions. 

Our primary concern is preserving the security of your company’s most crucial data and ensuring you’re accessible to it whenever needed.

Need help? Contact us today!

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