Microsoft will keep delivering security updates for old versions of Exchange Server and Skype for Business Server, after admitting that some customers aren't ready to make the move to newer products.
Readers may remember the company previously announced that customers could sign up for six months of Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Exchange Server 2016/2019 and Skype for Business Server 2015/2019 after support for the products ended in October 2025.
Microsoft's announcement of ESU for the products included the stern warning: "This period will not be extended past April 2026 (you do not need to ask)."
April is now upon us, and Microsoft has acknowledged that some customers have not moved to new products.
What's a software giant to do? Point out it was quite emphatic about not extending the ESU period past April and stick to its guns – or make a change?
The solution is a second period of Exchange Server ESU, this time from May 2026 to October 2026. Again, customers must pay for the service, and again, there is no promise that Microsoft will release any updates during this period.
Microsoft also warned: "There will be no further extensions of this program after that."
The software behemoth is also adding a second period of ESU for Skype for Business 2015 and 2019 with the same conditions and warnings: customers will need to pay for it, there is no guarantee of updates, and when the end finally comes, there won't be any further extensions.
The Windows behemoth is putting a brave face on things, saying "As end of April 2026 nears, some of our customers told us that they needed additional time" to get their migrations done.
Microsoft is nonetheless clearly less than pleased that some customers have not yet migrated. It wrote: "Our preference is that our customers finalize their migrations instead (honestly – we'd be happy to not sell Period 2 Exchange ESU to anyone; please migrate instead!)" ®
Source: The register