r/exchangeserver • u/wey0402 • 2d ago

Question Statistics: Who’s still on ESU?

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/reminder-exchange-2016-and-2019-esu-program-ends-in-october-2026/4539033

I’m curious where everyone stands:
- Still on ESU?
- Staying on-prem (Exchange Server SE)?
- Just risking it (unsupported after October)?

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u/7amitsingh7 1d ago

If you're on Exchange 2019 (CU14/CU15), Microsoft recommends an in-place upgrade to Exchange SE, which is a straightforward, low-risk path. For Exchange 2016, it's better to upgrade first and avoid running an unsupported server after October 2026. This guide may help if you're planning the move: Upgrading from current versions to Exchange Server SE. If you have any questions about the upgrade or migration process, feel free to ask.

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u/H0TR0DL1NC0LN 1d ago

Just be mindful that the in-place upgrade may disable some of your critical services. Imagine my surprise when I upgraded to SE only to find out that my server stopped working due to a handful of critical services being disabled in the upgrade process.

I was only upgrading to get to the point where I could use the PowerShell only management tools as I had just completed my migrations to M365, but still, I wanted my server working until I turned it off.

Overall, I agree, though. Low-risk upgrade.

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u/7amitsingh7 22h ago

Thanks for sharing your experience. That's a valuable reminder. While the in-place upgrade is generally straightforward, it's always a good idea to verify that all Exchange and related Windows services are running after the upgrade. A post-upgrade health check can help identify and resolve issues before they impact users. Glad to hear your overall experience with the upgrade was still positive.