Exchange 2016 and 2019 reach end of support – in 9 months

Microsoft reminds IT managers that the Exchange servers 2016 and 2019 will reach the end of support on October 14, 2025. They will receive their last security update on this date.

In a tech community post, Microsoft writes that the Redmond-based company will no longer provide technical support from this date. This applies to technical support issues, bug fixes that affect the stability and usability of the server, security updates for vulnerabilities and time zone updates. Customer installations will, of course, continue, but Microsoft recommends that those affected act now due to the approaching end of support and potential future security risks.

Migration recommendation from Redmond

Unsurprisingly, the first recommendation is to migrate to Exchange Online or Microsoft 365 – Microsoft's cloud services. This is the best and easiest option, the authors of the tech community article insist.

However, the on-premises server Exchange SE is due to be released early in the second half of the year. According to Microsoft's upgrade guide, this allows direct migration from Exchange 2019 CU 14 or CU15, as well as other service updates that have been released by then.

To migrate from Exchange 2016, Microsoft advises an intermediate step via Exchange 2019 and a subsequent in-place upgrade to Exchange SE. Although there is the option of a legacy upgrade from Exchange 2016 to Exchange SE (RTM version), there are only less than four months between the release of Exchange SE and the end of support for Exchange 2016. This may not leave enough time, depending on the size of the installation and other factors. Therefore, Exchange 2016 admins should move to 2019 now and retire their 2016 servers. Anyone still planning to use Exchange servers can also obtain and evaluate pre-release builds as part of the Exchange Server Technology Adaption Program (TAP).

Microsoft also briefly lists other products that will reach their end-of-life cycle on October 14. These include Microsoft Office 2016 and 2019, Skype for Business 2016 and 2019, Skype for Business Server 2015 and 2019, Windows 10 “and others”, which are not listed here.

Exchange 2019 had already reached the end of mainstream support in January 2024. Exchange Server 2016 received five years of extended support after the official end of mainstream support in October 2020.

(dmk)