If your company is still running outdated software or hardware, you’re not just behind the times, you’re at risk. From unsupported firewalls like legacy SonicWalls to aging Windows Server installations, end-of-life (EOL) infrastructure poses serious security, compliance, and operational challenges. Many businesses put off upgrades because their systems “still work”. While this might appear to be the case, just because something works doesn’t mean it’s safe.
What Does “End-of-Life” Mean in IT?
“End-of-life” (EOL) refers to the point when a manufacturer stops providing support for a product. This includes:
- Security patches
- Bug fixes
- Technical support
- Compatibility updates
Vendors will often provide an end-of-sale date a year in advance, so businesses don’t purchase equipment that’s currently being phased out. But once a product reaches EOL, it’s basically abandoned by the vendor. That means that new vulnerabilities won’t be patched, and attackers know it.
Common Examples of EOL Infrastructure
Here are a few pieces of software and hardware we regularly see still in production environments, and why it’s dangerous:
- Legacy Model Firewalls: Older firewalls no longer receive firmware updates or security patches, leaving your network exposed. Even if they’re still routing traffic, they are more than likely blind to modern threats. Use the following links to check if your firewall model is still supported:
- Windows Server 2012 / R2: Official support ended in October 2023. Systems still running it are open to exploits, especially if connected to the internet or handling sensitive data.
- Windows 7/8/8.1 PCs: These are no longer supported and could be non-compliant with industry regulations like HIPAA or PCI-DSS.
- Windows 10 is currently being phased out as well, with an EOL date of 10/14/2025.
- Obsolete Switches and Routers: Older networking gear often lacks modern traffic management features and can’t handle newer security protocols, limiting scalability and performance.
The Risks of Running EOL Systems
Running EOL systems exposes your business to a range of serious risks. Without regular security patches, unpatched systems become easy targets for cyber threats like malware, ransomware, and data breaches. In regulated industries, using outdated software can also lead to compliance violations, as standards such as HIPAA and GDPR require current, supported technology. Beyond security and compliance, old hardware often struggles to keep up with modern demands, causing performance issues that can slow down your network or lead to system failures. Perhaps most critically, once a product is no longer supported by the vendor, you’re left without technical assistance, so if something breaks you’re facing longer downtime and potentially high emergency repair costs.
What We Can Do About It
At Canopy IT, we help businesses evaluate their infrastructure and create upgrade roadmaps that make sense both technically and financially. Here’s how we approach EOL risk:
- Inventory and Assessment
- We perform a full audit of your current environment, including firewalls, servers, endpoints, and networking gear, and flag anything approaching or past EOL.
- Prioritization Based on Risk
- Not everything needs to be replaced at once. We identify the highest-risk items (like internet-facing hardware) and provide replacement quotes based on budget and urgency.
- Secure Migration Planning
- For software like Windows Server, we handle data migration, cloud transitions, and license planning with minimal disruptions.
- Hardware Replacement and Configuration
- We sell and install modern, supported hardware (next-gen firewalls, switches, and wireless access points), and ensure configurations meet today’s security standards.
- Ongoing Monitoring and Lifecycle Management
- Once you’re on current platforms, we help maintain them and proactively track upcoming EOL dates, so you’re never caught off guard again.