End of support for Exchange Server in care facilities: Use used software and reduce costs
Financial pressure is growing: care facilities in Germany are struggling with economic challenges. The shortage of skilled staff is no longer the only problem. The proportion of care-intensive patients is growing - and with it the financial burden. IT costs are an often underestimated factor. Many retirement and care homes will soon be facing additional costs. This is because when support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 expires in April 2023, IT will have to be modernized again.
Microsoft Exchange Server is required for managing emails, appointments, contacts and tasks and is used in practically every company that uses Microsoft products such as the Office package. After April 11, 2023, however, there will no longer be any support for users in the event of irregularities in operation. The result: security gaps and lengthy maintenance work in the event of malfunctions and outages. One thing is clear: it's time to switch. In order to complete the migration project on time, early planning is recommended. After all, licensing software for a company is anything but trivial and requires preparation. Those who rely on second-hand licenses when switching to a newer Exchange server version are financing intelligently and sustainably. Reputable used software dealers offer both the software and the right advice.
Exchange Server 2016 and 2019 available second-hand
Using used Exchange server licenses can significantly reduce costs, whereas purchasing a new one costs around 400 euros per license - a high sum for care facilities that are already under financial pressure, for example due to the increase in minimum wages for care staff from September.
If a user decides to use Exchange Server 2016, they will receive comprehensive support until the end of 2025. There is no need to worry about the range of functions of second-hand licenses. The market-dominating Microsoft products in particular are for the most part so mature that features that are added in new versions have no real impact on users' day-to-day work. What's more, the quality of a used license is in no way inferior to new software. Because software always does the same job.
Practical example: Operator of care facilities for the elderly and clinics saves 60%
Many facilities have already opted to use pre-owned software. For example, an operator of clinics and care facilities for the elderly from Hesse replaced its Exchange Server 2013 version with used 2019 licenses in 2020. The Microsoft Office package used to date was also replaced with used Office 2019 licenses.
With financial success: the company saved 525,000 euros, whereas new equipment would have cost almost 900,000 euros and would have put a heavy financial strain on the budget. Instead, the IT was modernized at a cost of around 350,000 euros. With a saving of 60%, the costs could therefore be significantly reduced. And without any loss of quality.
Clear legal situation
Not only in terms of quality, but also with regard to the legal situation, the procurement and use of used licenses is unobjectionable, as has been legally confirmed several times by the ECJ and BGH. The background to this is that copyright law contains the decisive principle of exhaustion: This states that the software manufacturer has exhausted his possibilities to influence the further distribution channel of his software at the moment he puts the software into circulation, i.e. generally sells it to a software dealer or directly to the end customer.
The European Court of Justice issued a landmark ruling on this in 2012: Whether on a physical data carrier or via download, the trade in used software is legal. Clauses occasionally found in software contracts that prohibit the resale of software are invalid. With the so-called "UsedSoft III" decision of the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) of 11.12.2014 (case reference I ZR 8/13) at the latest, it is clear that the trade in used software is largely approved in Germany.
The condition is that it was acquired by the previous owner within the EU as an original license and for unlimited use. It must also be documented that the sale of the software means that the previous owner will no longer use it. Ideally, this should be confirmed by an independent external body. Reputable providers of used software only deal with licenses that meet these requirements and provide the corresponding proof.
Conclusion: High quality and low costs
Care facilities in Germany are under great economic pressure. One way of reducing expenditure that is still underutilized is the purchase of used software. A lot of money can be saved this way. The quality remains high - with savings of up to 70%. However, it is important to work with reliable and reputable partners. Appropriate used software providers can not only provide the necessary proof of the legality of the traded license, but are also available at any time to provide advice on licensing issues or audits, for example.
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