It might seem like a bit of a moot point because, well, Microsoft has already decided that Teams is the winner of this particular showdown – but how similar are the two platforms? (Which is a roundabout way of saying you shouldn’t use Skype for Business Server after October 2025). That said, these Server installations will no longer be updated or receive security patches, and so will become security risks with every passing day. In terms of functionality, the Skype for Business Online will stop working entirely in July, because it’s hosted by Microsoft itself, whereas Skype for Business Server instances will remain accessible on your local network. Skype for Business Server (2015+) will be unsupported from October 14 th 2025.Skype for Business Online will be unsupported from July 31 st 2021.If you’re curious about the specific dates, Microsoft has already marked the calendar for both flavours of the platform, as follows: They also confirmed that the server edition of the platform would continue to be supported, at least in terms of security patches and essential updates, until 2025. Well, Skype for Business is no exception.įollowing the announcement in 2017 – shortly after the introduction of Microsoft Teams, funnily enough – nothing more was set in stone until 2019, when the first milestone was revealed: Skype for Business Online would be discontinued in July 2021. The deprecation of Skype for Business probably won’t come as a shock to anyone, mainly because the plan for the platform was first announced by Microsoft way back in September 2017.īut the method by which the change will take place is always a bit of a question mark – especially as the end-of-life process can take many years. What is the end-of-life plan for Skype for Business? If this sounds restrictive, Microsoft also offers a cloud-based version called Skype for Business Online - but there’s some bad news on that front, because its days are numbered. This style of deployment meant that all communications were kept within the business network, increasing security and eliminating the risk of external cyberthreats. Unlike purely cloud-based platforms, it comes with an installable server option called, unsurprisingly, Skype for Business Server, with the latest major release the 2019 version. Rudimentary collaboration on Office documents, with users being able to see if colleagues are working on the file.Īnother unique feature of Skype for Business is the way it’s networked within a business.Importation of contacts sourced Microsoft Outlook and Exchange.Along with its classic video calling tools, Skype for Business also offers:īecause it’s also integrated with Microsoft 365, the following Microsoft-specific features are also available: Unlike many other platforms at the time, Skype for Business offered many digital communication features that made remote working even easier. Of course, the world had been well aware of Skype and its online video calling functionality since 2003, but its business-focussed platform, introduced in 2015, was something different. In many ways, Skype for Business was ahead of its time. So, let’s take a closer look at what’s happening with Skype for Business between now and 2025, what is end-of-life roadmap looks like, and what’s taking its place (spoiler: it’s Microsoft Teams). The fact that it doesn’t jump to the front of our minds when thinking about digital workplace platforms might explain why, yes, 2021 marks the beginning of the end for Skype for Business. Numerous contenders have entered the fray: Microsoft Teams, Asana, Monday, Slack, and many more.īut one is notable by its absence (or perhaps not, as the case may be), and that’s Skype for Business. Since the world changed for business in 2020, there’s been something of a war brewing in the world of digital collaboration. Skype for Business Server 2019 will be supported with patches and essential updates until 2025, but the product will no longer be updated or actively sold.
The plan for the deprecation of the platform was announced in 2017, but the first practical steps will be taken in July 2021 with the shutdown of Skype for Business Online.Skype for Business, first introduced in 2015, is being phased out in favour of Microsoft Teams.
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