Although it will cost some money up front to implement new equipment into the office, replacing the machines running Windows XP, it will most likely cost you less in the long run.  These machines will run longer and will be more safe in terms of preventing security threats from infiltrating your office.  Keeping machines that are running Windows XP may cause you more problems than its worth after they are no longer supported in April 2014.

According to InfoWorld, “The most substantial liability issue involves the impact that Windows XP may exert with respect to putting an organization into a somewhat indefensible legal position. For example, the Data Protection Act in the United Kingdom requires that organizations use up-to-date software to protect critical or private personal and business information. According to the General Services Administration (GSA ), 46 U.S. states have data privacy laws with widely varying non-compliance penalties, each requiring the exercising of due diligence in the protection of private information.  It goes without saying that any breach traced to a Windows XP system would likely be a violation of these statutes.”

If you are looking to upgrade your equipment, contact Marcus Networking at 602.427.5027.

Source: InfoWorld. (August 2013). “Windows XP- A Compliance and Risk Nightmare in April 2014”.