An administrator is troubleshooting why a standalone file server has stopped receiving the company's regularly scheduled security updates from WSUS. Tests confirm that WSUS connectivity and network access are normal. The host runs Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter, and WindowsUpdate.log contains the message "This operating system version is no longer supported." In addition, the newest version of the third-party backup agent refuses to install because it "requires Windows Server 2019 or later." The physical server model is still listed on the vendor's current hardware-compatibility list, and management wants the least possible downtime for the file shares.
Which action provides the best long-term remediation for both patching and third-party software support?
Manually download individual security hotfixes from the Microsoft Update Catalog each month and install them with PowerShell.
Leave the existing OS in place but block all internet traffic to and from the host at the perimeter firewall.
Perform an in-place upgrade of the server to a currently supported Windows Server LTSC release (for example, Windows Server 2022) while preserving roles and data.
Enroll the server in Microsoft's paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) program to continue receiving critical patches until 2026.
Windows Server 2012 R2 reached the end of extended support on 10 October 2023. After that date Microsoft stops publishing security, non-security, and bug-fix updates, and most ISVs discontinue qualification of new versions of their products for the OS. Extended Security Updates (ESUs) are intended only as a short-term bridge; they supply critical/important security fixes but no new features or vendor-requested changes, so the backup agent would remain unsupported. Manually importing updates or isolating the host does not restore vendor support and leaves the organization with an aging platform that will become increasingly hard to maintain.
Performing an in-place upgrade (or a migration with minimal downtime) to a currently supported LTSC release such as Windows Server 2022 returns the server to the normal update channel and meets the backup vendor's minimum requirements, solving both problems while preserving the existing shares and data.
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