#IIS Hacks

Server & System Administration Notes · 2007–2013

Independent and non-commercial. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to any vendor named in these notes.

Windows, Exchange and PHP Support Status

Microsoft describes most of its product support lifecycles as lasting 7 to 10 years from initial release, during which products receive features, bug fixes and security fixes. The end of that lifecycle is the product's end of support.

Windows Server

Microsoft's Windows Server release information identifies Windows Server 2025 as the current Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) release. It became available on 1 November 2024 in Datacenter and Standard editions, with mainstream support ending on 13 November 2029 and extended support ending on 14 November 2034.

Microsoft describes LTSC as a longer-term servicing option focused on security and quality updates. The Annual Channel (AC) has more frequent releases, with a focus on containers and microservices.

For Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2, Microsoft's Extended Security Updates (ESU) guidance records 13 October 2026 as the final security update provided through the extension. Azure Arc-enabled ESU licenses deactivated at midnight Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on 14 October 2026, ending their update eligibility.

Windows desktop

Microsoft's Windows 10 release information records 14 October 2025 as the end of support for Windows 10 version 22H2, including Home, Pro, Enterprise and Education. The October 2025 monthly security update was the final one available for those versions under ordinary support.

The October 2025 endpoint also applies to Enterprise 2015 LTSB and IoT Enterprise LTSB 2015. Microsoft states that LTSB and LTSC releases are subject to different lifecycle support policies. The Windows 10 ESU program makes security updates available to PCs enrolled in the program.

Exchange Server

Microsoft's Exchange support roadmap gives 14 October 2025 as the end of support for Exchange Server 2016 and 2019. It identifies Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE) for on-premises upgrades from those releases.

Microsoft's Exchange build and release information records a security-update exception for customers enrolled in the Extended Security Update (ESU) program: they are eligible for the December 2025 and later security updates for Exchange Server 2016 and 2019.

PHP branches

The PHP Group's unsupported-branches table records 31 December 2025 as PHP 8.1's end of life, with 8.1.34 as its last release. PHP 8.0 reached end of life on 26 November 2023, with 8.0.30 as its last release; PHP 7.4 ended on 28 November 2022, with 7.4.33 as its last release.

The PHP support schedule lists active-support and security-support endpoints separately. The PHP Group states that each release branch is fully supported for two years from its initial stable release.

PHP 8.2 was first released on 8 December 2022, completed active support on 31 December 2024 and has security support through 31 December 2026. PHP 8.3 was first released on 23 November 2023, completed active support on 31 December 2025 and has security support through 31 December 2027.

PHP 8.4 was first released on 21 November 2024, with active support through 31 December 2026 and security support through 31 December 2028. PHP 8.5 was first released on 20 November 2025, with active support through 31 December 2027 and security support through 31 December 2029.