Office and Exchange Server are quietly becoming obsolete. Therefore, Microsoft will soon stop supporting the applications.
In less than a year, Microsoft’s support for Office 2016 and 2019 will end. It is not that the applications will stop working then, but they will no longer be updated. Only Publisher will disappear completely and will not get an alternative.
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All together to the cloud
Microsoft wants Office users to move to the cloud with Microsoft 365. However, that is not a requirement. People who prefer not to keep their files online can use Office 2024 LTSC.
Email servers would also be better managed in the cloud, according to Microsoft. For people who want to continue using their own e-mail server, Exchange Server 2019 is currently the only option. Microsoft has not yet communicated an exact date for the release of its successor, Microsoft Exchange Server Subscription Edition.
Transitioning from the 2019 version to the subscription format should be easy. Users of Exchange Server 2016 have a tougher time. They have to set up a new infrastructure and transfer all the data manually. Thus, a time-consuming process, which is best started as soon as possible.
Skype is also getting a similar subscription plan for customers who do not want to or cannot switch to Teams.