The End of Windows XP can be Solved by Cloud Hosting

The end of Windows XP is near! Microsoft has officially announced that on April 8, it will no longer be offering support to those running Windows XP. While this may seem like no big deal to people who have long since upgraded their home and personal devices, this is serious for businesses. According to ARSTechnica and marketshare.com, nearly 30% of computers that connect to the internet are running Windows XP. This discontinuation of Windows support will pose a major problem to these computers.

For one thing, the discontinuation puts these computers at a high safety risk during internet browsing. Microsoft support sends computers updates and patches to help computers protect against hackers trying to gain access to sensitive information. Without the support to counter these efforts, hackers find holes in security and continue to use the same viruses and malware programs to forever attack anybody still using Windows XP.

Another major concern is software. For companies who still run Windows XP on their computers, there could be software, both proprietary and general, that will not function on newer operating systems. This could make for serious IT headaches as businesses try to figure out how to maintain the status quo within a company and keep their programs up and running.

So what are the options for companies who are still running XP on their computers? Most companies will assume that they have to resort to the dreaded whole-sale upgrade—buying all new end user PCs or purchasing a new server Such an effort can be an enormously time-consuming and expensive undertaking. Between researching the appropriate hardware, configuring the server, installing all the necessary drivers, buying and installing new software that must be compatible with the new operating systems, and transferring files and data over, the whole-sale upgrade will cost companies huge amounts of money, and burn up tons of man-hours. And for the companies still running Windows XP, who are generally doing so because of the money they were able to save by not updating their operating system, there may be some serious anguish all the way from the Executive team all the way down to the end user.

Fortunately, there is another solution that is much more cost-effective, and takes much less time and fewer man-hours. That solution is Cloud Hosting, also known as Cloud-Based Virtual Desktop. With a Hosted Virtual Desktop (HVD), the user desktop environment is hosted on a remote server, allowing each user to access his or her desktop over a network. In a HVD environment, the same up-to-date operating system experience (Windows 7 or 8) as well as the same programs and software are available on any machine in the entire organization. This means that companies can avoid replacing physical computers in order to get a new operating system, Additionally, all new software, drivers, and even hardware installation can be done from a few seats in a secure, centralized location, rather than on each individual computer.

Implementing Cloud Hosting is more than a matter of saving time and hassle. This solution is a way to save companies and organizations serious amounts of money as well. The Warren Area School District recently saved $1 million by implementing a Virtual Desktop Solution rather than replacing each individual computer, district wide. In this instance where companies will have no choice but to move on from Windows XP, Cloud Hosting is a much more cost-effective alternative to buying all new computers and/or server hardware.

With the end of the XP era less than a month away, Cloud Hosting is an easy, cost effective, and comprehensive alternative to sinking money and time into buying all new computers and installing all new software. Applications2U can customize the solution that is right for you to make sure your sensitive information is safe long after Microsoft has cut off support to Windows XP. For a complimentary Proof of Concept, click here or call toll free: 888-631-2231.