For decades, Microsoft Exchange has been the backbone of business communications, powering email, scheduling and collaboration for organizations around the world. Whether deploying on-premises or hybrid environments, businesses of all sizes rely on exchange with seamless internal and external communications, often in depth integration with workflows, compliance policies and security frameworks .
However, Microsoft has officially announced that support for Exchange Server 2016 and Exchange Server 2019 will end on October 14th, 2025. This may seem like a distant concern, but businesses and IT teams need to start preparing now. The end of support means that Microsoft will no longer provide security patches, bug fixes, or technical support, and these versions expose organizations to security vulnerabilities, compliance risks, and potential operational disruptions. Masu.
So, what should business do now? This article discusses the impact of Microsoft’s decisions, the risks of continuing an unsupported exchange environment, and the available options for ensuring business continuity and security. If you are an IT decision maker or business leader navigating this transition, ignoring this shift can make your organization vulnerable, so keep reading.
What does the end of Microsoft support mean for Exchange 2016 and 2019 users?
The end of Exchange 2016 and 2019 support isn’t just about losing updates. It concerns serious security, compliance and operational risks.
Security Risk: Without security patches, Exchange 2016 and 2019 will be the main targets of cybercriminals. Vulnerable vulnerabilities lead to data breaches, ransomware attacks, and email-based threats, putting sensitive business communications at risk. Lack of technical support: From October 14, 2025, Microsoft will not provide any fixes, patches or assistance. If something breaks, the team will do its own, leading to downtime, costly troubleshooting and potential business disruptions. Compliance Risk: Regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Portability and Accountability Act of Health Insurance (HIPAA) require businesses to use safe, modern software. Running an outdated replacement version can lead to fines, audits and legal consequences in the event of a security incident. Operational inefficiency: Older software lacks the latest features, improved performance and integration, which slows communication and makes IT maintenance more complicated. Maintaining your Exchange 2016 or 2019 running will cost more over time as your support resources decreases.
Important Note: This end of support includes several related Microsoft products, including Microsoft Office 2016, Microsoft Office 2019, Outlook 2016, Skype for Business 2016, Skype for Business 2019, Skype for Business Server 2015, Skype for Business Server, etc. It also applies to. 2019.
Important dates to keep in mind
Microsoft follows the product’s two-phase support lifecycle, mainstream and extended support.
Mainstream support includes feature updates, security patches and technical assistance, while enhanced support focuses only on critical security fixes. No new features, bug fixes, or free support. Once extended support ends, Microsoft will stop all updates and assistance completely and leave you without a safety net.
What is the best option to make your business run safely and smoothly?
Sticking to an outdated exchange version is not a viable option for IT teams. The risks far outweigh the short-term convenience. Explore the best transition paths and alternatives to help your organization stay safe, efficient and compliant.
1. Upgrading to Exchange Server Subscription Edition (Exchange Server SE)
Microsoft has announced Exchange Server Subscription Edition (Exchange Server SE), a new subscription-based version of Exchange for organizations that require an on-premises email solution. This option is perfect for businesses that need to maintain a compliance-driven, on-prem infrastructure, or those who prefer a hybrid model integrated with Microsoft 365.
However, there are some important things that businesses need to consider before this transition.
Regular upgrades are required: Exchange Server SE requires regular updates. This means that your IT team needs to maintain the scope of maintenance. Licensing and Maintenance Costs: The subscription model means ongoing costs, and organizations still need to manage and secure their own infrastructure. Complex Upgrade Paths from Exchange 2016: Microsoft recommends upgrading your enterprise in 2019 before migrating to Exchange Server SE, as direct in-place upgrades to Exchange SE is not supported.
2. Move to online exchange (Microsoft365)
For businesses looking to move beyond their on-premises infrastructure, Exchange (Microsoft 365) is an attractive option online. This cloud-based solution is ideal for organizations that eliminate server maintenance, enhance security, improve scalability and adopt a cloud-first strategy.
The key benefits of choosing an online exchange are:
No server maintenance: Microsoft handles all updates, patches, infrastructure management, and frees IT teams from the burden of maintaining Exchange servers. Built-in Security and Compliance: Exchange Online includes automatic security updates, threat protection and compliance tools to meet regulatory requirements such as GDPR and HIPAA. Scalability and Accessibility: Employees can securely access emails from anywhere, with 99.9% uptime and flexible storage options scalable to suit their business needs. Enhanced Collaboration: As part of Microsoft 365, Exchange Online integrates seamlessly with teams, SharePoint and OneDrive for improved productivity and data management.
However, there are some potential challenges as well.
Migration Complexity: Moving large amounts of email data takes time and requires careful planning to minimize downtime. License Cost: Microsoft 365 works with the subscription model. User Recruitment and Training: Employees may need training to fully utilize new features and ensure a smooth transition.
3. Migrate to Google Workspace
For businesses looking for a cost-effective cloud-first alternative to Microsoft 365, Google Workspace is a strong competitor. It offers seamless collaboration, built-in security, reduces overhead, making it an attractive choice, especially for organizations that don’t need the sophisticated tools that are included in many Microsoft 365 plans.
In particular, Google Workspace is often more cost-competitive than Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365 prices range from $6 to $22 per person per month, but Google Workspace plans typically cost between $6 and $18 per user per month, and enterprise prices are requested.
Some of the benefits of switching to Google Workspace include:
Reduce overhead: Maintaining replacement servers, reducing hardware, and reducing operational costs. Scalability and Flexibility: Google’s cloud infrastructure provides business needs without any additional IT efforts. Collaboration and Productivity: Google Workspace integrates Gmail, Google Drive, Meet and Documents to enable real-time collaboration between teams.
On the other hand, potential challenges include:
Migration Complexity: Migration from exchange can be disruptive and requires careful data migration plans. User Training and Recruiting: Employees familiar with Outlook and Microsoft apps may need training to adapt to Gmail and Google tools. Challenges in Integration with Legacy Systems: Companies using ONPREM systems, such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), may rely on exchange. You can fill in the gaps by configuring Google Workspace Sync for Outlook or using third-party migration tools.
Plan your migration journey from Exchange 2016 and 2019
Whether you’re using Exchange Server SE to maintain ONPREM or migrating to the cloud with Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, understanding the right migration steps is essential for a smooth migration.
Preparing Exchange Server SE
For businesses that use Exchange Server SE to maintain on-premises, the upgrade path depends on the current Exchange version.
If you are running Exchange 2016, Microsoft recommends that you upgrade to Exchange 2019. This is because direct in-place upgrades to Exchange SE are not supported. If you are already using Exchange 2019, you can keep your server up to date and perform an in-place upgrade to Exchange Server SE when it is available.
Migrating to a SaaS environment (Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace)
Moving to cloud-based solutions like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace will provide businesses with more flexibility, security and scalability, while eliminating the burden of server maintenance. Below is a high-level checklist to guide you through a smooth migration from Exchange to SaaS platforms.
Phase 1: Planning and Preparation
Start by evaluating your current environment. Identifies mailboxes, shared accounts, and integrations with third-party tools such as CRM and ERP systems. Choose the appropriate migration method and tool, such as migrating from Exchange to Microsoft 365, Exchange to Google Workspace, or using the Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) migration tool.
Next, check your domain in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace and make sure email routing is set up properly. User communication and training are also important. It will continue to inform employees and provide the training they need to minimize disruption. Finally, important data must be backed up before migration to protect against unexpected data loss. This is where a reliable backup solution can save you a day.
Phase 2: Migration execution
To avoid downtime, configure the MX records during the migration and continue to run the exchange as the primary mail server. If you are going to Google Workspace, set up Google Workspace Migration for Microsoft Exchange (GWMME). Perform an initial batch sync with the selected users and test the migration to correctly check email, contacts and calendar transfers. Migrate users in batches, prioritize key teams first, and closely monitor processes via management tools.
Phase 3: Cutover and after transition
Once the migration is validated, switch the MX record to the new platform and redirect all new emails to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. Updated the Sender Policy Framework (SPF), security settings including domain keys, and identified Domain-Based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) for enhanced email security. Finally, if Exchange is no longer needed, deprecate the Exchange server after a successful migration.
Protect your cloud data with Backupify
Migrating to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace will shift email management to the cloud, but it does not eliminate the risk of data loss. Under the shared responsibility model of cloud security, cloud providers protect their infrastructure, but customers are responsible for securing their own data against accidental deletions, cyber threats, and other data loss scenarios. Without dedicated backups, businesses risk losing important emails, files, and collaboration data, and there is no way to recover them.
That’s where Backupify comes in. As a trusted SaaS Backup Solution, Backupify ensures that businesses using Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace have a secure, automated safety net for cloud data. Whether accidental deletion, ransomware attacks, compliance requirements, Backupify offers full data protection, so you won’t lose access to important business information.
Why Over 40,000 Companies Trust Backupify:
Automated Daily Backup: Protect your email, files and collaboration data with continuous backups. Fast and reliable recovery: instantly delete lost or deleted data and avoid costly downtime. Advanced Protection: Backupify’s private, immutable cloud storage ensures your data is secure from all kinds of data threats. Compliance and Data Retention: Meet HIPAA, GDPR and other industry delegations with customizable retention policies. Save storage costs: Archives inactive user data at a fraction of the cost compared to other options.
Don’t take risks with business-critical data. Take a look at the top 5 reasons why Pro chooses a Microsoft 365 protected back pie.
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