Microsoft has declared the end-of-service date of the Windows Server 20H2 operating system in a support document published. According to the document, Windows Server 20H2 will reach its end-of-service status on 9th August 2022.

22 months of support

The out-of-service Windows Server versions are vulnerable to attacks as they receive no security updates

This specific version of Windows Server was released on 20th October 2022; making it a total of 22 months of support. After it reaches EOS in August, it will not receive any updates, including security-focused ones. That will eventually make the operating system vulnerable to attacks. So, it is wise to move on to a newer version of Windows Server.

In addition to Windows Server 20H2, the Windows Server Semi-Auto Channel is also retiring. This channel will no longer receive security updates, beginning from 9th August. Microsoft recommends switching to the Long-Term Servicing Channel, which has become the primary release channel.

The LTSC versions are released every 2-3 years and it delivers 5 years of mainstream support in addition to 5 years of extended support with security patches. However, switching from Semi-Auto Channel to Long-Term Servicing Channel requires a clean installation.