<img src="https://secure.leadforensics.com/133892.png" alt="" style="display:none;">

Often, when it comes to updating our software platforms, we procrastinate. You probably know what you are paying for, and your employees feel more secure with an older version. However, when the support expires, your business is vulnerable.

Imagine you just bought the car of your dreams. Would you leave it in the car park without locking the doors?

It is not a hard question to answer. By comparison, when it comes to ‘locking the engine’ of your business, the answer should be equally clear-cut. After all, the systems that keep your business running are at least as valuable as your more tangible assets. But, even though 96% of all obsolete software has security issues*, it’s still far from everyone who makes sure they update in time.

Here are 3 dangers of using obsolete software

  1. Lack of security: It should come as no surprise that security is top of the list. Obsolete systems leave you vulnerable to cyberattacks, security flaws and other exploitation of weaknesses in your systems.
  2. Reduced competitiveness: If your software is obsolete and support has expired, it can also harm your ability to accommodate the changing needs of your customers. Without the latest version, you will miss out on new features that can make you more competitive.
  3. Unpredictable costs: With dated systems, you do not just run the risk of incurring extra costs when something goes wrong. If your staff work with inefficient software, this can make their work complicated. This also ends up costing you more money.

In other words, there are plenty of reasons to keep your platform updated. So, how do you avoid missing out on important updates?

Evergreen updates make your organisation more efficient

You are probably already used to continuously improving the processes in your organisation. Try and regard the work of keeping up with software updates in the same way - as a gradual optimisation of your business.

This approach is also known as Evergreen IT**, which PWC invented in 2009. Evergreen IT can be defined as “standardised resources distributed across the company, which can be scaled for multiple users, and which are flexible enough to cope with changing needs without disturbing the entire technological foundation every time.”

Microsoft went on to revise this definition with a simpler explanation: “running services consisting of components that are always up to date”. Software providers like Microsoft work with the same type of continuous enhancements as your business. They are also referred to as ‘Kaizen’ processes. They are constantly working to make their platforms more efficient and to accommodate the changing needs of end users.

Download our e-book on Evergreen ERP and be prepared for the continous updates.

No way around Evergreen updates for Microsoft Dynamics 365

Upgrades can be an expensive affair. That is why it has always been top of the agenda for those responsible for the business applications to handle the process efficiently and to minimise business risks. But you can actually avoid expensive, complicated upgrades, because, when it comes to Microsoft Dynamics 365, things aren’t quite what they used to be.

The application is constantly evolving. Eight times a year, Microsoft deploys updates, which fix bugs, strengthen security, and expand core functionality, so that your company is always in the best position to evolve. The updates are automatically deployed to your business system eight times a year. Only the biggest – in April and October – are mandatory to implement.

This is mainly good news. It will solve many of the aforementioned challenges of security, costs and competitiveness at once. Previous problems of continuously keeping your business software up to date simply disappear.

Not the same as Office 365

Maybe you are already familiar with Microsoft’s Evergreen updates from Office 365. Even though both are Microsoft products, there will still be several differences when you switch to Evergreen in Dynamics. You need to be absolutely sure that, after the agreed update date, your system — which has potentially been customised — will also work as expected.

Are you unsure on how to handle the process? Download our Evergreen ERP guide now.

Get your copy

 

* https://www.infopoint-security.de/medien/cenzic-vulnerability-report-2014.pdf
** https://www.pwc.com.au/consulting/assets/publications/ten-minutes-jul10.pdf
*** https://cloudhouse.com/resources/evergreen-it

 

Topics

Discuss this post

Recommended posts

What is NIS2? The NIS 2 directive is a set of proposed EU legislation that builds upon existing rules around cybersecurity. The growing trend towards digitalization and the associated surge in cyber attacks have heightened cyber risk and the European Commission have responded with this proposed replacement of the standing NIS Directive. It aims to address current weaknesses in organizations’ cybersecurity obligations in a world where the pandemic and geo-political instability have highlighted threats to energy and food supply chains. With streamlined reporting obligations, increased supervisory measures and stricter enforcement requirements, the legislation aims to boost the level of cybersecurity in Europe long term.
At Columbus, we believe that with the right partner, IT outsourcing can shift your business from going with the flow to driving it. It can actually put you in the right position to be proactive, especially in the face of change. We all need this right now.
Adoption of cloud solutions is spreading far and wide. Many businesses have turned to cloud ERP systems to reduce human capital costs, others to increase efficiency and flexibility – all valuable benefits amid ongoing disruption. However, continuous cloud updates are not a ‘fix-all’ solution to ensure ongoing operations. Thorough release management of updates and implementation of sound testing strategy must be used to ensure consistent operational functionality and security.
Dynamics 365 is evolving rapidly, and many companies are in doubt about how to react. Columbus’s dedicated team gives them a helping hand.
Many companies can save a fortune on Dynamics 365 licences. But you need to know exactly where you are heading.
right-arrow share search phone phone-filled menu filter envelope envelope-filled close checkmark caret-down arrow-up arrow-right arrow-left arrow-down