January 13 marked another milestone for legacy systems, as support for the software - codenamed Longhorn Server - expired for customers that bought Microsoft Premium Assurance (PA). Extended support ended for Windows Server 2008 on January 14, 2020. It was possible to keep the lights on until January 10, 2023, via Extended Security Updates. A fourth year came courtesy of Azure, which took the code to January 9, 2024, but that was it for anyone without PA.
Windows 10's free support has shuffled off this mortal coil for most customers - but that's merely the headline act in Microsoft's October support massacre. Older versions of Office and Windows Server have also been shown the door. Support for Office 2019 (including Office 2016) and Exchange Server 2019 flatlined on October 14. While Microsoft will sell orphaned Windows 10 users an extra year or so of life support via its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program,