Waiting on OS Upgrades

You just watched that rollout of the latest version of MacOS or Windows and now you’ve got to check it out. Or your computer is popping up messages about upgrading to the latest version. While it may be tempting to upgrade your operating system as soon as a new version is released, it’s important to understand the potential risks involved for your business.

When upgrading your operating system there is always potential for major problems, such as the need to wipe your systems and do a full reinstall. This can be a time-consuming, expensive, and disruptive process, and can result in the loss of important company data if not done correctly.

Anytime you upgrade the operating system on a computer there will be downtime and possibly lost productivity. Upgrading your operating system involves shutting down your systems and waiting for the upgrade to finish, which can lead to lost work time and reduced productivity. In addition, if the upgrade process encounters any issues, it may take longer than anticipated to get your systems back up and running.

Lastly, there is the risk of compatibility issues with third-party software. While most software companies will release updates to ensure their products are compatible with new operating systems, there may be delays or compatibility issues that could impact your business.

Upgrading your operating system should be driven by the need to keep your systems secure and for compatibility with third-party software and not just because a new version is out, even if it has some cool new features. It’s important to weigh the potential risks against the benefits before making any decisions. If you do decide to upgrade your operating system, it’s crucial to have a backup plan in place and to ensure all company data is backed up to avoid any potential loss and to have a way to keep employees working while the issue is addressed.   Operating systems need to be patched and updated regularly to keep them secure and stable, but before doing major version upgrades the risks and benefits should be carefully considered before acting. In general, it’s good practice to wait or even skip some versions until there is a compelling business case to upgrade and it can be done with minimal risk to your companies’ productivity.