Background
Long-established SMEs often have systems that scare people — because no one wants to be the one who touches them.
Questions to ask yourself
- Which systems are old but still critical?
- Which depend on old Windows, Office, Access, SQL Server, or browser versions?
- Which only run on one machine?
- Which systems are preventing growth or new hires?
What you can do today
Demystify your scariest system
Three things you can do today.
- 01Open the app. Help → About. Note the version. Now Google: “[product name] [version] end of life.”
- 02Find the original developer or vendor (LinkedIn is fine). One short message: “Do you still support this?”
- 03If the app uses a database, look for a default
sa,admin, orrootaccount with a weak password.