What to do about a system on an unsupported version: codefirst.co.uk/solutions/un…
NCSC: update PHP now. Two critical flaws can allow unauthenticated remote code execution. Fixes are in 8.5.12, 8.4.27, 8.3.36 and 8.2.35. Anything on PHP 8.1 or older has no simple update. #PHP
SQL Server 2014 is in the final year of paid Extended Security Updates. They end on 12 July 2027, and there is no further year to buy. A database migration is easier to plan in October than in June.
What to secure while the contractor is still available, and how to run the handover: codefirst.co.uk/answers/our-…
Is the contractor who wrote your system retiring? Don't ask them for documentation. Have whoever takes over build, release and restore the system with them before their last day. The questions that come up are what no document captures.
SQL Server support dates for every version, and what to check before upgrading: codefirst.co.uk/end-of-life/…
Restoring the database is not the whole SQL Server upgrade. Agent jobs, SSIS packages, Reporting Services reports, linked servers and logins sit outside it and do not come across on restore. List them first.
Every .NET and .NET Framework date: codefirst.co.uk/end-of-life/…
.NET Framework 4.6.2 stops getting security fixes on 12 January 2027. Versions 4.7 to 4.8.1 remain supported for as long as the Windows version they run on. Worth knowing which one your older apps target.
What to look for in the contract: codefirst.co.uk/answers/who-…
Paying for bespoke software does not make you its owner. In the UK, copyright stays with the supplier unless a written, signed agreement assigns it to you. Worth checking before you need to change supplier.
Where the money usually goes, and how to find the savings: codefirst.co.uk/solutions/ri…
An older business system rarely costs more because of its code. The cost rises around it: support fees, old licences, oversized servers, staff time on workarounds. List every cost against the part of the system it pays for. Some may pay for things nobody uses.
End-of-support dates for web platforms: codefirst.co.uk/end-of-life/…
Umbraco 13 stops getting security fixes on 14 December 2026. If your website or portal runs on it, plan the move to Umbraco 17 now rather than in the last fortnight before Christmas.
Office 2021 end of support: codefirst.co.uk/end-of-life/…
Today, 13 October 2026, Office and Access 2021 reach end of support. Paid Extended Security Updates for Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 end today too, and Windows Server 2022 leaves mainstream support.
The usual causes of slow business software, and where to start: codefirst.co.uk/solutions/sl…
Slow business software is rarely fixed for long by a bigger server. A query scanning a growing table keeps getting slower. Measure where the time goes first: the database usually shows a few queries cause most of the waiting.
How to write acceptance criteria that work: codefirst.co.uk/blog/the-imp…










