It has been over a year since Microsoft announced that Windows 10 will no longer be supported after 14 October 2025. After this time all Windows devices should be running Windows 11, however there are technical requirements which prevent some older devices from doing so.
During this time Jisc has undertaken infrastructure reviews across the UK, mostly within the FE sector. The percentage of endpoint devices which are not able to run Windows 11 in college fleets varies enormously. Some with a modern fleet report that nearly all devices are Windows 11 capable, while at others 100% of devices will require replacement.
Use of unsupported operating systems presents a significant security risk. It will also prevent members from achieving Cyber Essentials certification which is a requirement, or the expectation to be working towards exists, in much of the education sector across the UK nations.
Consider your options
While extended support has recently been announced, Jisc recommends that this is used as a last resort given the additional costs and short-term solution offered.
The financial cost of replacing a large proportion of the endpoint fleet is substantial. Capital budget planning, if not underway, should start as soon as possible.
Should it not be possible to secure capital funding to purchase new devices, alternatives such as leasing could be considered.
In addition to the financial cost, it is also important to consider the impact of a large scale device replacement project on business as usual operations. Many IT teams within the sector are too small based on Jisc’s assessment of the ratio of IT support staff to support users. Where this is the case providing day-to-day support and deploying new devices is unlikely to be sustainable.
Third-party support contracts may be a temporary option to ensure adequate support cover to users is available. Modern deployment technologies such as Microsoft Intune may also reduce the overhead on the team.
A sustainable future for old devices
Older devices which are incapable of running Windows 11 in many cases are disposed of. There are possibilities to extend the life of these devices.
One college, for example, is wiping older Windows 10 laptops, installing ChromeOS on them and providing them to learners as BYOD devices.
It is important, however, to clearly communicate the terms on which devices are provided to users, especially if this is to be on an unsupported basis to ensure the IT team does not become burdened with additional support requests. No licensed software should also be left on devices if they are to be given away to users.
Future refresh planning
Windows 11 is a major concern across the sector. The requirement to replace a large percentage of the device fleet in a short period highlights the need for a rolling refresh plan agreed by senior management and adequately funded. This will prevent the financial shock of large-scale replacement in the future, and protect IT teams from an unsustainable deployment workload.
Reviewing your IT asset management processes will also be beneficial, ensuring that your inventory is up to date including where devices are located.
Further support
Jisc has a wide range of communities to allow you to engage with sector peers on this topic, including regional Heads of IT groups.
