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Planning your 2027 IT budget: end-of-support dates and what your IT provider should forecast
Your IT budget shouldn't start with a blank spreadsheet and a guess. Your IT provider already knows most of what's coming: which machines are aging, which contracts renew, and which software is about to stop getting security fixes. Your job is to add what the business is planning.
End-of-support dates to plan around
When support ends, the software keeps running but stops receiving security patches. New vulnerabilities found after that date stay open. These dates affect many small and mid-size businesses:
| Product | End of support | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 | October 14, 2025 | Ended |
| SQL Server 2016 | July 14, 2026 | Ended |
| Office LTSC 2021 | October 13, 2026 | Ended |
| Windows Server 2012 / 2012 R2 (paid extended updates) | October 13, 2026 | Ended |
| Windows Server 2016 | January 12, 2027 | Under 3 months |
If any of these are still running, replacing or upgrading them belongs in the 2027 budget, and a Windows Server 2016 replacement should already be underway.
Five things your IT provider should forecast for you
1. What hardware needs replacing
Your provider should know the age, condition and warranty status of every computer, server and network device. Ask what will need replacing in the next 12 to 24 months. Watch for batches: equipment bought together tends to age out together.
2. What software is reaching end of support
Beyond Microsoft, line-of-business applications have support windows too. Your provider should flag them early, along with any upgrade that depends on another (a new server that requires a newer database, for example).
3. Which renewals are coming, and at what price
Subscriptions, licenses, warranties and support contracts renew on different dates. A renewal calendar with known price increases gives you time to cut, consolidate or renegotiate before the invoice arrives.
4. Where repeat problems should become a replacement
The same computers generating tickets, the same system everyone complains about, the same printer on its third repair. Your provider should tell you when the repair math stops making sense.
5. What your business plans will cost in technology
This is the part only you know. Five new hires mean five computers, licenses and accounts. A new office means connectivity, equipment and security. A new contract may come with security requirements. Share plans early and they become budget lines instead of emergencies.
What a good forecast looks like
One page, in plain English: what's due, what it costs, what's urgent, and what can wait. If your current provider can't produce that, it's worth asking why.