What ‘end of life’ software and hardware is#

End of life software and hardware means that the company that made the product will no longer actively scan for, manage, mitigate or respond to any security issues. This includes:

• providing updates, including security fixes
• providing support in the event something breaks.

Why replacing end of life products is important#

Products that are end of life can cause issues because they:

• are easier to hack, as the company will no longer fix new security issues
• may use old versions of code that are not secure
• may not work with other software or hardware.

Using software when it’s end of life is extremely difficult. You will need to:

• actively scan your software for vulnerabilities
• stay up to date for emerging issues and fixes
• start a vulnerability management programme.

It is much easier to manage your software when it is being supported by the software provider.

We strongly recommend that you replace or upgrade all software and hardware before it becomes end of life, or unsupported.

The difference between warranty and support#

When purchasing new software or hardware, you will be given a warranty on the product. This is different to the support that will be provided through the life of the product.

Warranty#

A warranty covers any defects in the product due to quality issues when it was created. The company will repair or replace the product at no cost on your behalf. A warranty typically lasts for 12 to 24 months.

Support#

Support is any assistance provided by the company to troubleshoot and maintain the product, such as software updates. This lasts longer than the warranty and varies depending on the product. When the product no longer has support, it is close to becoming end of life and you should consider replacing as soon as possible.

Managing software and hardware at end of life#

End of life laptops and tablets#

TELA+ laptops for eligible teaching and principal staff will be replaced well before they are unsupported.

For any additional staff laptops that your school needs, consider leasing the laptop to make sure your devices are always in support and getting fixes for any known bugs and vulnerabilities.

If your school purchases any laptops or tablets for student use, add them to your asset register and plan to replace them with newer models before they’re out of support.

You can also install FlexOS onto older machines which can extend their safe operation for longer.

FlexOS – Google

End of life software#

Most of your software will be cloud-based, like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. You do not need to worry about cloud-based software becoming end of life.

For software that you install on a device, track the version and end of life date in an asset register. Plan to upgrade or replace the software before this date.

Asset management for hardware, software, information

You will often receive notifications from the software when it is at end of life and need to replace it. Otherwise, you can typically find this information on the company’s website.

Other types of hardware#

For other types of hardware, such as phones, routers, smart TVs and whiteboards, we recommend looking for leased or managed service options wherever possible. If this is not possible, we recommend using the same approach for managing end of life software.