Circle the date: 14 October 2025. Not just for one reason but two.
First, it’s the day Windows 10 officially rides off into the sunset. After that, if you haven’t moved to Windows 11, you’ll face two less-than-ideal options:
- Pay Microsoft for Extended Security Updates (ESU) — essentially a “security life support” subscription that gets more expensive every year and delivers only critical patches, no new features.
- Scramble to upgrade — all while juggling competing projects, overstretched IT teams, and intensifying security threats.
On paper, ESU can look like buying time. In reality, it’s more like paying rent on a house you already own a high ongoing cost for very little value. It doesn’t solve the hardware refresh problem, it doesn’t make your environment more secure, and it certainly doesn’t make the inevitable Windows 11 migration any easier.
Second, 14 October 2025 also marks the Sydney stop of IGEL On Tour a one-day event that will bring together IT leaders, industry experts, and technology partners to explore exactly how to tackle challenges like this. More on that later in the blog.
So, what’s the alternative to paying more or rushing later?
Forward-thinking IT leaders are taking a different approach: moving Windows off the endpoint entirely. They’re running it in the cloud via Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), Windows 365, Citrix, or Omnissa, and giving users secure, streamlined access with a lightweight OS called IGEL the smarter, faster way to modernise endpoints, cut costs, and reduce risk all at once.
The Decision Context: A Perfect Storm for Endpoint Strategy
Three converging forces make this moment critical for CIOs and CTOs:
- End of Support Timelines
Microsoft’s ESU program provides security patches only, at escalating costs, with no feature enhancements or operational simplification. Charged per device, per year, these fees can quickly approach or even exceed the cost of a full modernisation initiative. - Hardware Incompatibility with Windows 11
Windows 11’s minimum requirements (e.g., TPM 2.0, Secure Boot) disqualify a significant portion of existing corporate devices, even if they’re still fully functional for other workloads. - Escalating Cybersecurity Risk
Aging endpoints running full local OS stacks remain high-value targets for ransomware and advanced persistent threats. Device-level vulnerabilities are still one of the most common entry points for attackers.
When you factor in the tasks of a traditional upgrade auditing devices, procuring new hardware, testing gold images, updating endpoint security agents, training IT staff and end-users, and recycling old devices the scale of the challenge becomes clear. Together, these forces create a compelling argument for a structural rethink of how organisations provision, secure, and manage endpoints.
Why Traditional Upgrades Are “One Project Too Far”
Even if you had unlimited budget, upgrading endpoints the traditional way right now would be a massive drain on time and resources. For most organisations, it’s competing with other strategic priorities, and there’s no guarantee of a smooth or secure transition.
The result? Delays, higher costs, and greater exposure to cyber threats all while paying to keep an outdated architecture running.
The smarter move is to skip the pain entirely. By moving Windows off the endpoint and running it in the cloud, you avoid the costly and disruptive hardware refresh cycle altogether.
At the device layer, IGEL OS takes over a secure, Linux-based, read-only operating system built to connect seamlessly to AVD, Windows 365, Citrix, and Omnissa Horizon environments.
Here’s why IGEL is the must-have enabler for a faster, safer, and more cost-effective Windows 11 transition*:
- Capital Efficiency
Run IGEL OS on almost any x86-64 device from leading OEMs. Repurposing existing hardware can free up to 75% of your current endpoint budget for VDI/DaaS optimisation. - Security by Design
IGEL’s Preventative Security Model™ eliminates the local Windows attack surface. No data is stored on the device, and unauthorised executables can’t run. Security is enforced centrally in the hosted Windows environment. - Operational Simplification
With a footprint at least 2GB and a modular architecture, IGEL OS is quick to deploy, easy to update, and dramatically reduces testing complexity. IT delivers exactly what’s needed, no bloat, no unnecessary maintenance. - Sustainability Gains
Extending device lifecycles up to 6–8 years reduces e-waste and embodied carbon while cutting procurement costs. - Leverage Existing Investments
Already running Citrix, Horizon, AVD, or Windows 365? IGEL integrates without major infrastructure changes, speeding up your Windows 11 migration.
The Market Momentum
Industry analysts forecast strong growth in Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS), and Microsoft reports rapid adoption of Windows 365 and AVD. Centralising Windows delivery via VDI/DaaS is no longer niche, it’s mainstream for enterprises and increasingly viable for SMBs.
IGEL is the endpoint layer that makes this shift not just possible, but practical enabling you to modernise without a massive, expensive, time-consuming device refresh.
How to Get Moving
If you’re in Australia or New Zealand, you’ve got a clear set of next steps:
- Run the Numbers
Get a personalised TCO review from Insentra. Compare the true cost of ESU + hardware refresh versus an IGEL-enabled migration. - Read the Playbook
Download the free eBook — Rethink Your Endpoint Strategy: Essential Insights for Navigating Windows 10 End of Life. It’s packed with strategies, pitfalls to avoid, and real-world savings examples. - See IGEL in Action
Join us at IGEL On Tour — Sydney, 14 October 2025 at the Hyatt Regency. This is a one-day, high-impact event where IT leaders, architects, and endpoint experts will gather to share strategies, see live demos, and discover how to modernise endpoint environments without expensive, disruptive overhauls. It’s your chance to get the insights, tools, and connections that can make your Windows 11 migration not just easier, but transformative. Register Now
The Bottom Line
You could choose to pay Microsoft for three more years of Windows 10 security patches. You could spend months ordering and deploying thousands of new devices just to meet Windows 11’s hardware requirements.
Or you could take the smarter path. With IGEL, you can deliver Windows 11 experiences today, without the massive refresh bill, without the ESU tax, and without exposing your organisation to unnecessary security risks.
This is not a decision about whether to upgrade now or later. It is a decision between continuing to pay for old problems or investing in a solution that eliminates them once and for all.
*Source: Do Not Postpone Windows 11 – Accelerate to Windows 11 with IGEL
