Microsoft Lifecycle Pressures and Rising Support Gaps
Microsoft support for software products follows a fixed lifecycle. Once a version reaches end-of-life, official patches, security updates, and direct Microsoft IT support cease entirely. Organisations are then expected to upgrade — regardless of whether their current environment is stable and meeting operational needs.
Microsoft Product EOL Status
| Listing | End Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| SQL Server 2012 | 12 Jul 2022 | EOL |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 | 10 Oct 2023 | EOL |
| SQL Server 2014 | 9 Jul 2024 | EOL |
| Windows Server 2016 | 12 Jan 2027 | Approaching |
| SQL Server 2019 | 8 Jan 2030 | In Support |
| Windows Server 2022 | 14 Oct 2031 | In Support |
*We cover all versions above, including those past Microsoft's EOL date. Our Microsoft IT support delivers break/fix incident resolution.
THE MICROSOFT SUPPORT LANDSCAPE
Why Organisations Are Reconsidering Their Microsoft Support Costs
Microsoft Unified Support, and the replacement for the now-retired Premier Support, is priced as a percentage of your total annual Microsoft spend. Every time Azure consumption grows, a new Microsoft 365 seat is added, or a Dynamics 365 module is deployed, the Unified Support baseline rises automatically at renewal.
Zaco Computers, an established IT infrastructure solutions provider specialising in Microsoft managed services, that decouple the support relationship from the OEM lifecycle and the OEM pricing model. Organisations receive expert Microsoft IT support scoped to their actual environment, covering EOL and current versions, with SLAs defined by system criticality rather than billing tier.
Third-party support models for enterprise software have been operating at scale globally since the mid-2000s. The same model now applies across Microsoft infrastructure: organisations that evaluate the alternative often find that independent Microsoft third party support delivers faster incident resolution at materially lower annual cost.
Four Microsoft-Specific Situations Where Independent Support Provides Immediate Value
End-of-Life Environments Running in Production
When Microsoft's EOL date passes, all OEM support and patching stops instantly. A structured infrastructure migration takes months; the EOL date does not wait.
Unified Support Costs That Rise With Every Cloud Addition
Unified Support is priced as a percentage of total Microsoft expenditure. Every new Azure workload, every additional Microsoft 365 licence, every Dynamics 365 deployment automatically increases the Unified Support baseline at renewal, independent of whether support incident volume changes. Premier Support, which had per-hour pricing, no longer exists for most organisations.
Premier Support Is Now Retired
Microsoft formally ended Premier Support for commercial organisations as of July 2022, and for public sector organisations as of July 2024. Premier offered per-hour billing and named Technical Account Managers. Unified Support, its replacement, operates on a percentage-of-spend model with higher baseline costs and fixed-tier service structures that many organisations find less suited to their actual support patterns.
Multi-Version Environments With Mixed Lifecycle Status
Most enterprise Microsoft environments run multiple product versions at the same time, some within active OEM lifecycle, some at or past EOL, some in hybrid cloud configurations. Paying a Unified Support percentage across the full Microsoft spend when only certain sql server support services or specific Windows Server versions need active incident cover is rarely cost-efficient for the organisation.
WHAT WE DELIVER
Core Microsoft IT Support Services
Each service addresses a distinct requirement: resolving live incidents, maintaining security posture in EOL environments, and providing objective guidance on whether to continue, upgrade, or migrate.
🔧 Break / Fix Incident Resolution
Diagnosis and resolution of incidents across Windows Server, SQL Server, Active Directory, Hyper-V, IIS, and connected Microsoft infrastructure. Engineers hold hands-on expertise across the full Microsoft server and infrastructure stack, covering on-premises, hybrid, and Azure-connected environments.
Response and resolution times are governed by SLAs agreed during onboarding. Production environments and business-critical databases carry the highest response priority.
📋 Technology Advisory & Migration Planning
A Microsoft EOL date is a commercial decision by the vendor, not an operational mandate for your organisation. Many enterprises run stable Microsoft environments that do not require immediate infrastructure replacement. Our advisory service provides the objective technical assessment to evaluate that determination correctly.
We review your Windows Server, SQL Server, and connected Microsoft infrastructure, then advise on options: continue with managed IT services cover, upgrade in place, or migrate toward azure managed services or a newer infrastructure platform.
COVERAGE
Microsoft Server & Infrastructure Components We Support
Our microsoft third party support covers 16 Microsoft server, identity, database, remote access, and cloud infrastructure components, spanning end-of-life product versions through to current supported releases.
Coverage scope is confirmed during onboarding based on your actual deployed environment. No fixed-tier product bundles. You define which systems require active cover; SLAs are matched to each system's operational criticality.
Both on-premises environments and hybrid on-premises-to-Azure configurations are within scope. Our microsoft 365 managed services and Azure DevOps coverage extends the service to cloud-connected components as well.
How Microsoft's Fixed Lifecycle Policy Works, and Where the Support Gap Occurs
(Years 1-5)
Full OEM Coverage
New feature development, security updates, design changes, and free incident support. Microsoft is fully engaged during this phase.
(Years 6-10)
Security Patches Only
Security patches and paid incident support only. No new features or design changes. Many enterprises are still running these versions when the EOL date arrives.
(All OEM Support Stops)
Support Gap Emerges
All Microsoft patches and technical support cease. ESUs available for up to 3 further years, critical security patches only, no incident support or bug fixes. Windows Server 2012 R2, SQL Server 2012, and SQL Server 2014 are at this stage.
(All Lifecycle Stages)
Continuous Coverage
Full break/fix incident resolution, and migration advisory across all lifecycle stages, including well past Microsoft's official EOL. No forced version changes, no product restrictions.
Microsoft Unified Support vs. Zaco Third-Party Microsoft Support
A structured comparison of cost model, coverage scope, and service flexibility
| Criterion | Microsoft Unified Support | Zaco Third-Party Microsoft Support |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage for EOL Microsoft products | Ceases entirely at EOL date | ✅Full incident cover past EOL |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 / SQL 2012 / SQL 2014 | ❌ No OEM support post-EOL | Active break/fix cover |
| Pricing model | 8-10% of total Microsoft annual spend | ✅ Fixed scope based on actual environment |
| Annual cost trend | ❌ Increases with every cloud or licence addition | ✅ Agreed upfront, predictable at renewal |
| SLA customisation | ⚠️ Fixed tier structure only | Per system, per operational criticality |
| 24×7 engineer access | ⚠️ Depends on tier purchased | 24×7×365 service desk across all engagements |
| SQL Server legacy (2008–2014) | ❌ No coverage post-EOL | Full sql server support services 2008–2022 |
| Migration advisory independence | Microsoft Azure and Microsoft ecosystem only | Environment-led, objective recommendation |
| Engagement model | Annual subscription only | Annual managed services or on-call |
HOW WE ENGAGE
Two Engagement Models, Built Around Your Operations
No two Microsoft environments share the same version mix, criticality profile, or support history. Choose the model that reflects your actual requirements, or use both for different system tiers.
Annual Managed Services
Continuous Microsoft Managed Services
An annual engagement delivering ongoing Microsoft managed services, designed for organisations that require predictable cost, proactive monitoring, and a structured support relationship across their Microsoft infrastructure.
- ✓ Custom SLAs per system tier, defined by production criticality
- ✓ 24×7×365 service desk service included
- ✓ Quarterly environment health reviews and infrastructure capacity planning
- ✓ Microsoft licence procurement, including new and renewal Microsoft third party license options where genuinely required, with no surprise true‑up billing
- ✓ Compliance documentation and audit trail records for regulated environments
On-Call Support
As-Needed Microsoft IT Support
On-call Microsoft support services help organisations that need expert technical assistance when incidents occur, without committing to a standing annual managed IT services agreement.
- ✓ Engineer access on a per-incident or per-project basis
- ✓ Response SLAs agreed at engagement initiation
- ✓ Suited to stable environments with infrequent incidents
- ✓ Scope can be limited to specific components, SQL Server, Active Directory, Azure, without full-environment cover
- ✓ Convertible to an annual managed IT services agreement at any point
Why Organisations Choose Zaco Computers for Microsoft Support
Guaranteed Cost Reduction Without Compromising Coverage
Zaco replaces the percentage‑based pricing of Microsoft Unified Support with a fixed, environment‑specific model. Organisations typically reduce their Microsoft support costs by up to 50%, without reducing coverage or service quality. This approach removes the automatic cost increases tied to Azure growth, Microsoft 365 expansion, or additional Microsoft products. Renewals remain predictable, and support expenditure aligns directly with the systems in use.
Faster Response Times with 24×7×365 Engineering Access
Zaco provides continuous access to experienced Microsoft engineers through a global service desk. There are no tier‑based restrictions or after‑hours limitations. This structure consistently delivers faster response times, quicker escalation handling, and shorter resolution cycles compared to traditional OEM support. Organisations benefit from reduced downtime and more stable Microsoft IT support across their infrastructure.
Deep Microsoft Expertise Without Hiring or Training Costs
Zaco provides direct access to a skilled engineering team covering Windows Server, SQL Server, Active Directory, ADFS, DNS, DHCP, IIS, Hyper‑V, Azure DevOps, and hybrid cloud environments, eliminating recruitment delays.
SLAs Matched to Each System's Criticality
A production SQL Server running business-critical workloads carries a materially different response requirement than a development Windows Server instance.
Freedom From Forced Upgrades and Vendor‑Driven Timelines
Zaco enables teams to continue running stable, customised environments without pressure to migrate immediately. Whether the plan is to maintain current systems, transition to azure managed services, or modernise selectively, Zaco supports the chosen direction without imposing vendor‑driven timelines.
Faster Incident Resolution Across the Microsoft Stack
Independent support models have demonstrated consistently shorter time‑to‑resolution compared to OEM support. Zaco’s engineering structure avoids multi‑layered escalation queues and focuses directly on diagnosing and resolving issues. This contributes to faster response times, reduced operational disruption, and more stable Microsoft managed services across on‑premises, hybrid, and cloud environments.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions about Third-Party Microsoft Support Services
The core differences are pricing model and coverage scope. Microsoft Unified Support is priced as a percentage of your total annual Microsoft spend, with a minimum annual contract of $50,000 for the Core tier (price as on 25/02/2026). Our Microsoft support is scoped to your actual environment, pricing reflects the systems you need covered, not your entire Microsoft spend.
Know Your Real Microsoft Support Costs Before You Commit
Get a brief Zaco assessment to understand true market pricing and potential savings of up to 50%.
Reach us at info@zacocomputer.com or +91 98111 83994 to strengthen your Microsoft support strategy.