End of Support for Microsoft Exchange 2016 and 2019

Microsoft has announced the end of support for Microsoft Exchange 2016 and 2019. Read the blog to learn about your best alternative options.

Microsoft Exchange has been a vital platform for enterprise email and collaboration worldwide. However, Microsoft has officially announced that it will end support for Exchange Server 2016 and 2019 on October 14, 2025. This means there will be no further security updates, bug fixes or technical support for these versions of Exchange.

The end of support for Exchange 2016 and 2019 presents a major security and operational challenge for IT teams. Without ongoing security patches, these servers will become increasingly vulnerable to cyberthreats, making them prime targets for data breaches, ransomware and email-based attacks. Losing Microsoft’s technical support also means IT teams will have to troubleshoot issues alone, leading to costly downtime and potential disruptions.

Compliance is another concern, as regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) require businesses to use secure, updated software. Running outdated systems could result in hefty fines or legal consequences. On top of that, older Exchange versions lack modern features and performance improvements, making IT management more complex and costly over time.

Fig 1: Some key dates to keep in mind

Businesses that don’t plan for this will face a mix of security vulnerabilities, compliance failures and operational inefficiencies. In this article, we’ll explore the alternatives available to organizations and how they can navigate this transition smoothly to ensure security, compliance and business continuity.

What’s next after Exchange 2016 & 2019? Exploring the best options

The good news is that there are several viable alternatives to consider, each offering different levels of control, flexibility and modernization. Let’s explore them.

Staying with Microsoft: What are the best alternatives for businesses

For organizations that want to stay within the Microsoft ecosystem, there are two options: upgrading to Exchange Server Subscription Edition (Exchange Server SE) or migrating to Exchange Online (Microsoft 365).

Upgrading to Exchange Server Subscription Edition (Exchange Server SE)

For organizations that need to keep an on-premises email solution — whether for compliance reasons or to maintain a hybrid setup — Microsoft is introducing Exchange Server Subscription Edition (Exchange Server SE). This new model will operate on a subscription-based licensing structure, ensuring businesses receive ongoing updates and support without needing to purchase entirely new versions.

However, upgrading to Exchange Server SE isn’t necessarily a straightforward switch. Organizations running Exchange 2016 must first upgrade to Exchange 2019 before performing an in-place upgrade to the subscription edition later in 2025. This multistep process requires careful planning, as it involves licensing costs, infrastructure maintenance and potential downtime. Additionally, while this option extends the life of an on-prem Exchange environment, businesses will still need to manage periodic upgrades and maintain hardware and security patches — something cloud-based alternatives eliminate.

For businesses considering a hybrid approach, Exchange Server SE also allows for integration with Microsoft 365, offering flexibility while keeping certain workloads on-premises. Learn more about hybrid Exchange deployments here.

Migrating to Exchange Online (Microsoft 365)

For organizations embracing a cloud-first strategy, migrating to Exchange Online within Microsoft 365 is a future-proof solution. This move eliminates on-premises Exchange Server maintenance, provides enhanced security and compliance, and seamlessly integrates with Microsoft’s ecosystem, including Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive, for improved collaboration.

Advantages of Exchange Online migration:

• No more server maintenance: Microsoft handles all updates, security patches and uptime.
• Built-in security and compliance: Advanced threat protection, encryption and compliance features.
• Scalability and accessibility: Securely access email from anywhere and get flexible storage options that scale with business needs.
• Enhanced collaboration: Seamless integration with Microsoft 365 apps streamlines workflows and productivity.

Challenges of Exchange Online migration:

• Migration complexity: Large organizations may require detailed planning and phased migrations.
• Licensing costs: It works on a subscription model, meaning ongoing per-user licensing fees.
• User adoption and training: Employees may need guidance to transition from on-prem Exchange to a cloud-based environment.

Microsoft 365 vs. Google Workspace: Which is the right choice for you?

For businesses looking for a cost-effective cloud solution that doesn’t require the full suite of Microsoft 365’s advanced tools, Google Workspace presents a compelling alternative. Offering scalability, security and built-in collaboration tools like Gmail, Google Drive and Google Meet, it enables businesses to streamline operations while reducing IT overhead.

Microsoft 365 pricing ranges from $7.75 (Office 365 E1) to $54.75 (Microsoft 365 E5) per user per month, depending on the plan you choose. Government and non-profit licensing options are also available for Microsoft 365. Meanwhile, Google Workspace plans typically fall between $6 and $18 per user per month, with enterprise pricing available upon request.

Advantages of migrating to Google Workspace:

• Lower IT costs: No need for on-premises server maintenance.
• Scalability and flexibility: It can scale with your business needs without additional IT effort.
• Automatic updates and maintenance: Google handles all security patches and system updates.
• Enhanced collaboration: Integrates with Google apps like Gmail, Google Drive, Meet and Docs, enabling real-time collaboration across teams.

Challenges of Google Workspace:

• Migration complexity: Moving from Exchange requires careful planning to minimize downtime.
• User training and adoption: Employees accustomed to Outlook and Exchange workflows may face an adjustment period.
• Loss of certain Exchange features: Some advanced Outlook workflows may require third-party tools.
• Integration challenges with legacy systems: Businesses using on-prem apps like customer relationship management (CRM) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems may need Google Workspace Sync for Outlook or additional migration tools.

Planning your migration: How to plan a smooth transition from Exchange 2016 & 2019

Regardless of whether your organization chooses to stay on-premises with Exchange Server SE or migrate to the cloud with Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, careful planning is essential for a smooth, disruption-free transition. Here’s how:

Preparing for Exchange Server SE: What you need to know

For businesses opting to stay on-premises with Exchange Server SE, your upgrade path will depend on your current Exchange version:

• If you’re running Exchange 2016, Microsoft recommends upgrading to Exchange 2019 now. Since direct, in-place upgrades from Exchange 2016 to Exchange SE won’t be supported, moving to Exchange 2019 is a necessary intermediate step to keep your systems on track.
• If you’re already on Exchange 2019, the transition will be more straightforward. You’ll simply need to keep your servers updated and perform an in-place upgrade to Exchange Server SE once it becomes available.

Preparing for SaaS migration: What you need to know

Cloud-based solutions like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace ensure automatic updates, built-in compliance and seamless collaboration tools, making them an attractive long-term option. To ensure a smooth transition to these SaaS applications, businesses should take the following basic steps:

• Assess your current environment: Document existing mailboxes, distribution lists and third-party integrations to understand migration needs.
• Choose the right plan: Evaluate whether Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace best fits your business requirements in terms of features, pricing and compliance.
• Select a migration method: Based on your organization’s size and complexity, determine the most suitable migration approach, whether cutover, staged or hybrid.

By carefully planning and selecting the right cloud solution and migration strategy, businesses can minimize downtime, streamline user adoption and ensure long-term email reliability in a modern SaaS environment.

Think your cloud data is safe? Here’s why you need SaaS backup

Migrating to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace brings many advantages. However, one critical aspect businesses often overlook is data protection. Many assume that once their email and files are in the cloud, they are fully protected — but this isn’t the case.

When businesses move to a SaaS-based email solution, security responsibilities are divided between the cloud provider (Microsoft or Google) and the user. This framework, known as the shared responsibility model (SRM), defines who is accountable for what in a cloud environment.

What SaaS providers are responsible for:

• Infrastructure security: Protecting servers, data centers and the underlying cloud environment.
• Uptime and service availability: Ensuring users have access to the platform with minimal disruptions.
• Built-in security features: Offering encryption, threat detection and compliance capabilities.

What customers are responsible for:

• Data protection and backup: Preventing data loss due to accidental deletion, cyberattacks or retention gaps.
• User access management: Controlling who can access, modify or delete data within the organization.
• Regulatory compliance: Meeting industry-specific data retention and security standards.

SaaS security isn’t complete without backup — Spanning makes it simple

Spanning Backup provides a trusted, enterprise-grade SaaS backup solution that protects your Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace data from accidental deletion, cyberthreats and compliance gaps. With automated backups and easy restore capabilities, Spanning ensures that your emails, files and collaboration data remain fully recoverable — no matter what happens.

Why choose Spanning?

• Automated daily backups: Set-it-and-forget-it protection for your business-critical data.
• Quick and easy restores: Recover lost or deleted files, emails or entire mailboxes with just a few clicks.
• Protection against ransomware: Restore data to a clean version from any backup point and avoid paying ransoms.
• Unlimited retention & compliance support: Meet industry regulations like GDPR, HIPAA and Service Organization Controls (SOC) 2 with flexible, long-term retention.
• Save big on data archiving and retention: Retain critical data without the need for continuous backups on inactive accounts.
• No IT complexity: A user-friendly, cloud-native solution that requires no hardware or complex configurations.
• Reliable security: 256-bit AES object-level encryption ensures your data is always secure, in transit and at rest.

With Spanning, businesses can move forward with confidence, knowing their critical SaaS data is always protected and easily recoverable. Want to experience Spanning’s robust capabilities firsthand? Get a personalized demo today.