Support for Windows 2000 and Server 2003 ending

Note: We received this message about Microsoft's support for Win 2000 and Server 2003 on 11/5/2009.  Please plan accordingly.

As a valued Microsoft(R) customer, I want to take this opportunity to remind you of key transition dates in the support lifecycle of Windows Server(R) 2003 and Windows(R) 2000. An understanding of these support transition dates will help you strategically plan and manage your investments in Microsoft products and technology.

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Windows 2000

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On July 13, 2010, Extended Support for Windows 2000 will end and this product will no longer receive assisted support or security updates from Microsoft. This affects all editions of Windows 2000, including Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000 Advanced Server and Windows 2000 Datacenter Server.

Self-help Online Support for Windows 2000 will be available for a minimum of 12 months after the product reaches the end of Extended Support. Self-Help Online Support includes public Knowledge Base articles, FAQs, troubleshooting tools, and is typically provided via

and the Microsoft Download Center.

 For Premier Support customers who anticipate they will not be able to complete their migration by this transition date and need additional support from Microsoft, Custom Support for Windows 2000 is also available for purchase.

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Windows Server 2003

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 Also on July 13, 2010, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 R2 will transition from the Mainstream Support phase to the Extended Support phase.  During the Extended Support phase:

 •       Microsoft will continue to provide paid support (i.e. Premier and Essential support, per-incident telephone/web support, etc.) at the supported service pack level

•       Customers will continue to have access to all security updates and Self-help Online Support options (i.e. Knowledge Base articles, online product information, FAQs, etc.) at no additional cost

•       Non-security hotfixes developed in the Extended Support phase will be provided ONLY to customers who sign-up for an Extended Hotfix Support (EHS) agreement.

The above support transition dates are in accordance with the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy which is designed to provide customers with transparent and predictable information regarding the support lifecycle of Microsoft products. By understanding the product support available, customers are better able to maximize the management of their IT investments. The Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy offers a minimum of:

•       Ten years of support (five years of Mainstream Support and five years of Extended Support) at the supported service pack level for Microsoft Business and Developer products.

•       Five years of Mainstream Support at the supported service pack level for Microsoft Consumer/Hardware/Multimedia products.

More information is available on the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Web site: http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle.

 Your Microsoft account team will be reaching out to you over the next few months to ensure you are aware of this transition. As part of this outreach, we will work with you, as needed, to ensure your Microsoft products are supported. Additionally, please let me know if we can assist you in migrating to a current, supported Microsoft platform.

 If you have any questions about this notification, or if you would like to discuss how Microsoft can help you prepare for these important dates, please contact your Technical Account Manager or Application Development Consultant.