Defra’s overall investment totaled £312 million during the current spending review cycle and was intended to remove outdated platforms, retiring Windows 7 hardware and supporting essential national services, including flood systems and border operations.
According to Defra’s submission to Parliament, the program eliminated more than 31,000 legacy laptops, addresses a large backlog of vulnerabilities, and even closed one data center, with several more set for decommissioning over the coming years.
Defra did not confirm whether it intends to pay Microsoft for extended support, leaving open the possibility that the department’s refreshed estate may soon fall behind again.
Not a few, 1 year. They’re fully discontinuing support next October. Even Windows 11 22h2 is already out of support. They’re forcing everyone to upgrade. Wouldn’t be surprised if they start using their AI bug hunter to release 0 days for 10 and 22h2 so people are forced even harder to upgrade to the AI version.
Microsoft is already selling licenses for security updates until October 2028 and we will see whether won’t continue it beyond that.
Lol, that was a quick backtrack. What a way to hold people hostage for money
Wouldn’t surprise me if that’s the most money they ever make on desktop licenses.
They’re gonna make it a yearly fee after 2028 too
That’s how it works already. It’s an annual support license that each year costs as much as a Windows license and you can buy it for the next 3 years so far.
How long until they make their current supported Windows version an annual subscription? Bet that’ll be a great way to shoot themselves in the foot, at least in home use and smaller enterprises/shops.
Jesus Christ.