Microsoft has reminded admins that Alternate 2016 and Alternate 2019 will attain the top of prolonged help in October and shared steering for individuals who have to decommission outdated servers.
Alternate 2016 reached its mainstream finish date in October 2020, whereas Alternate 2019 reached the top of mainstream help on January 9, 2024.
“On October 14, 2025, 9 months from at the moment, Alternate Server 2016 and Alternate Server 2019 attain finish of help,” the Alternate Crew stated.
“Buyer installations of Alternate 2016 and Alternate 2019 will after all proceed to run after October 14, 2025; nevertheless, as a result of upcoming finish of help date and potential future safety dangers, we strongly advocate prospects act now.”
After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will now not present technical help for issues with Alternate 2016 or Alternate 2019, together with technical help and bug fixes for newly found points which will impression server usability and stability.
The corporate can even cease issuing time zone updates and safety fixes for found vulnerabilities which will make the server weak to safety breaches.
Improve to Alternate On-line or Alternate Server SE
Microsoft advises admins to migrate to Alternate On-line (accessible as an Workplace 365 subscription or a stand-alone service) or put together to improve to Alternate Server Subscription Version (SE) when it rolls out in early H2 of CY2025.
Admins can carry out an in-place improve from Alternate Server 2019 to Alternate Server SE, an identical to putting in a Cumulative Replace (CU).
“To allow fast and simple in-place upgrades from Alternate Server 2019, we now have purposely both pulled new options ahead into Alternate Server 2019 CU15 or pushed them to Alternate Server SE CU1 or later, leaving the Alternate SE RTM to be a branding replace that introduces new lifecycle and help insurance policies,” the Alternate Crew stated in September when it offered extra info on Alternate Server SE upgrades.
“By transferring to Alternate Server SE RTM, your servers are on the supported path to Alternate SE CU1. As soon as Alternate SE CU1 is launched, all older variations can be out of help.”
Redmond’s documentation web site gives detailed steering for world admins on Microsoft 365 migration and helps them determine on the Alternate On-line migration path.
