Microsoft has several upcoming End of Support dates that all users of Microsoft Windows should know about.  End of Support means that Microsoft will no longer create updates or hot fixes to address issues with the products.  The most important point to this is that Microsoft no longer patch security issues for these products that are out of support.

All versions of Windows 2000 will go out of support on July 13, 2010.  The only way to address this is to upgrade to a newer version of Windows.  Please consult your IT provider on options to replace any Windows 2000 systems as soon as possible to limit your exposure.

Windows XP Service Pack 2 will go out of support on July 13, 2010.  This can be addressed by upgrading to the latest service pack from Microsoft.  It is recommended that all users of Windows XP apply Service Pack 3.

Windows Vista with no service pack (RTM) will go out of support on April 13, 2010.  This can be addressed by upgrading to the latest service pack from Microsoft.  It is recommended that all users of Windows Vista apply Service Pack 2.

For more information on Microsoft’s Product Lifecycle Policy, you can checkout their FAQ.