It works for you. Your employees are comfortable using it. You know what you pay for. But the trouble is, you haven’t updated that software platform in a long time. So long in fact that the vendor has stopped supporting the version your business relies on. No harm in that, right? Wrong.
96% of outdated software has security issues. Say you just bought your dream car - would you park your car without locking the doors? So why then, would you leave the engine of your business unlocked and unsecured? The systems you use to run your business are every bit as valuable as the tangible assets you hold dear.
Here are 3 of the dangers of running old software:
1. Security
It is no surprise that security tops our list. Outdated systems leave you open to cyber attacks, security breaches and vulnerability in the systems you run.
2. Competitive Disadvantage
Unsupported or outdated software also leaves you at a competitive disadvantage, as new features and functionalities are not being added to the versions you are running.
3. Unpredictable increase in cost
With your systems not up-to-date you’re running the risk of incurring unwieldy costs not just when something goes wrong, but also when your staff are working with inefficient software that effectively slows them down and costs you more.
So, with every reason to ensure you are using an up-to-date platform, how do you ensure you don’t miss an update?
Welcome to Evergreen updates
Back in 2009, PriceWaterhouseCoopers coined the phrase ‘Evergreen IT’, defining this as standardised resources shared across the enterprise that are scalable to multiple users and flexible to changing demands, without disrupting the entire technology base each time. Microsoft refined PWC’s definition and revised it to be ‘running services comprised of components that are always up-to-date’. [1]
In much the same way you are familiar with continuous improvement processes in your organisation, staying on top of your software’s updates can be seen as an incremental business improvement.
Software providers like Microsoft will work to similar Kaizen processes as your own business, seeking feedback on their systems; improving the efficiency of the platform; and evolving the software to the benefit of the end user in an incremental way.
Evergreen updates for Microsoft Dynamics 365
Upgrades can be an expensive activity, so managing the process in an efficient manner that reduces business risk has always been an imperative for anyone responsible for the lifecycle of a key business application – the time is fast approaching when having a slick process for deploying the latest and greatest software to your workforce will be essential.
From April 1 2019, if you are a Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations customer, your application will become subject to mandatory updates which will be automatically applied to your production system in a timeslot of your choosing.
This is good news, right? Yes… it means that all the dangers we’ve discussed around security, costs, and competitiveness are solved in one foul swoop. The problems you have had in the past relating to keeping your business software up to date are solved at a stroke.
Not the same as Office 365
You may be used to Microsoft’s Evergreen updates with Office 365. While they are both Microsoft products, the nuances of the change to Evergreen are not the same. You’ll want to be 100% sure that your application, which has potentially been customised, will still function as expected following your chosen patch date.
How to manage this process
So, are you wondering how you’ll manage this process? Download our guide Evergreen updates for Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations today and start putting in place your plan of action to be ready for these changes when they arrive in April 2019.
[1] https://cloudhouse.com/resources/evergreen-it