What Do Your Know About Microsoft's Support Life Cycle?

When we buy a Microsoft product do we know what the support life cycle is? Probably not. The support life cycle is defined as: "the time the developer or manufacturer of the product supports it with updates and staff to help users in support related tasks." The real issue is that updates, and most importantly security updates, will no longer be produced for that product version. How Long can that be?

For example. Windows 7 Entertrise mainstream support ends on 13/1/2015, the operating system's extended support ends on 14/1/2020. Windows premium support ends on 13/1/2015 (with no extended support provided). Enterprise users can work with the operating system till 2020. Home users will have to install a different operating system in 2015 if they want to receive security updates.

Mainstream Support is the first phase of the product support life cycle.

Mainstream support: Security updates, other non-security updates, complimentary support included with license, paid support

The Extended Support phase follows Mainstream Support for Business and Developer products

Extended Support: Security updates, paid support.

A third phase is often mentioned by Microsoft, the “Self-Help Online Support phase which allows free access to Knowledge Base articles, online product information and online support webcasts.

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