CDW Canada survey reveals nearly one-third of Canadian businesses have not made migration plans, despite upcoming end-of-support for Windows Server 2003

ETOBICOKE, ON, March 3, 2015 /CNW/ - With end-of-support for Windows Server 2003 set for July 14, 2015, Canadian organizations must think about and implement a migration path to ensure their systems are kept up to date, secure, and meet compliance and regulatory requirements. CDW Canada, a leading provider of technology solutions for Canadian organizations in the public and private sectors, today released findings from a customer survey, which found that almost 43 per cent of Canadian businesses are still using the operating system.

The survey also revealed that of those businesses on Windows Server 2003 or 2008, 32 per cent have started thinking about migrating to Windows Server 2012 but have not yet made any plans to do so. In contrast, 36 per cent of Canadian organizations have begun migrating to Windows Server 2012 or another server platform.

"This is a major event for IT departments worldwide," says Daniel Reio, Director of Marketing for CDW Canada. "With end-of-support for Windows Server 2003 fast approaching, organizations must begin to transition to a newer operating system, or risk their systems falling victim to security vulnerabilities."

According to the survey, 58 per cent of respondents cite a lack of security updates as one of the primary reasons to migrate off a server approaching end-of-support. However the survey also found the top challenges facing IT professionals when migrating to a new server platform include a lack of budget (32 per cent), a lack of resources (21 per cent) and determining the best new platform for an existing environment (18 per cent).

"CDW Canada and our team of technology specialists and certified solution architects are experts in helping customers re-evaluate and refresh their IT infrastructures so they can realize better efficiencies and optimize the data centre," says Reio. "Our specialists can perform different assessments to determine the best solution for our customers and keep them compliant, whether through a software upgrade, a data centre refresh, or by transitioning to the cloud."

While 30 per cent of respondents said a software upgrade may be in the cards, 38 per cent said they are considering a data centre refresh.

CDW Canada has a holistic and comprehensive approach to maintaining and upgrading IT infrastructures for companies of all sizes. Through leading partners and technology specialists, businesses can leverage CDW Canada to take control of their data centre and meet technology and organizational objectives. For more information about the end of service of Windows Server 2003 and how CDW Canada can help businesses, please visit CDW.ca/ws2003eos.

About CDW Canada
CDW Canada is a leading provider of technology solutions for business, government, education and healthcare. Ranked the No. 1 solution provider in Canada on the Computer Dealer News Top 100 Solution Providers' list, CDW Canada helps customers achieve their goals by delivering integrated technology solutions and services that help customers navigate an increasingly complex IT market and maximize the return on their technology investment. Areas of focus include software, networking, unified communications, data centre and mobility solutions. CDW Canada is listed on the Financial Post 500 list, as well as named a Great Place to Work® and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vernon Hills, Illinois-based CDW Corporation, a Fortune 500 company. For more information, visit www.cdw.ca.

SOURCE CDW Canada Inc.