{"id":6576,"date":"2025-09-16T09:59:19","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T09:59:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/?p=6576"},"modified":"2025-09-25T15:01:45","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T15:01:45","slug":"staying-current-why-upgrading-matters-for-your-labs-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/staying-current-why-upgrading-matters-for-your-labs-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Staying Current: Why Upgrading Matters for Your Lab\u2019s Future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has--font-size\">In the fast-paced world of life sciences, staying current isn\u2019t just a best practice, it is a necessity. As technology evolves, so do the risks of your lab falling behind and risking non-compliance with CGMP standards. With general releases of Windows<sup>TM<\/sup> 10 Operating System reaching end of support on October 14, 2025,<sup>1<\/sup> now is the time to ensure your lab is prepared for the future and ensure both your operations and data are safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Clock is Ticking on Windows 10 Operating System<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Microsoft officially announced that Windows 10 Operating System will no longer receive security updates or support after October 2025. Should a regulated organization opt to remain on Windows 10 Operating System past the support date, it is critical that you have a documented risk assessment following the principles of ICH Q9 with robust and ongoing vigilant monitoring to ensure data is not compromised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For laboratories operating in regulated environments, this presents significant risks, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Security vulnerabilities will no longer be patched.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Compliance risks increase as unsupported systems fall out of regulatory alignment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Operational disruptions may arise from incompatibility with newer software and hardware.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-6576_6935a4-16 .kt-block-spacer{height:60px;}.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-6576_6935a4-16 .kt-divider{border-top-width:1px;height:1px;border-top-color:#eee;width:80%;border-top-style:solid;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-6576_6935a4-16\"><div class=\"kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center\"><hr class=\"kt-divider\"\/><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Risk of Falling Behind<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Running outdated infrastructure makes you a prime target for cyberattacks.<sup>2 <\/sup>In a regulated laboratory, the potential for data loss has not only an operational impact, but also serious implications with respect to data integrity should data no longer be available for the full retention period required. Staying on unsupported operating systems, as well as applications, increases your risk of non-compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;15.10. <em>Updated platforms<\/em>. Operating systems and platforms for applications should be updated in a timely manner according to vendor recommendations, to prevent their use in an unsupported state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>15.11. <em>Validation and migration<\/em>. Validation of applications on updated operating systems and platforms and migration of data should be planned and completed in due time prior to the expiry of the vendor\u2019s support.&#8221; &#8211;<em> The Draft Guideline: Revised Annex 11 \u2013 Computerized Systems<\/em><sup>3<\/sup><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Outdated software puts your data at risk and can expose your lab to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cybersecurity threats targeting unpatched vulnerabilities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Data loss issues and unauthorized access compromise data integrity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Audit failures due to non-compliance with GxP or other regulatory standards<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-6576_bb2dfb-aa .kt-block-spacer{height:60px;}.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-6576_bb2dfb-aa .kt-divider{border-top-width:1px;height:1px;border-top-color:#eee;width:80%;border-top-style:solid;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-6576_bb2dfb-aa\"><div class=\"kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center\"><hr class=\"kt-divider\"\/><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Upgrade to Windows 11 Operating System?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Maintaining current infrastructure helps you to keep your data safe and is important for disaster prevention. Leveraging Windows 11 Operating System ensures you are supported and helps you to better cope with ongoing security threats. Staying current with your operating system also enables you to align with regulatory expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cOperating systems and network components (including hardware) should be updated in a timely manner according to vendor recommendations and migration of applications from older to newer platforms should be planned and conducted in advance of the time before the platforms reach an unsupported state which may affect the management and integrity of data generated by the system.\u201d &#8211; <em>PIC\/S Data Integrity Guidance<sup>3<\/sup><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Windows 11 Operating System offers secure architecture for your regulated environment, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Enhanced security architecture with TPM 2.0 and virtualization-based protection<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improved performance for data-intensive applications<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improved security with modern security standards compatibility<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enhanced data reliability to support compliance with data integrity and security expectations by addressing newly identified vulnerabilities with updates<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image6576_22e017-f5 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image6576_22e017-f5\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/alliance_is_1223_091_full-res-presentation-ready-jpg-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"alliance is 1223 091 full res presentation ready jpg\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-6586\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/alliance_is_1223_091_full-res-presentation-ready-jpg-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/alliance_is_1223_091_full-res-presentation-ready-jpg-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/alliance_is_1223_091_full-res-presentation-ready-jpg-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/alliance_is_1223_091_full-res-presentation-ready-jpg-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/alliance_is_1223_091_full-res-presentation-ready-jpg-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><em>Empower Software (versions 3.9.0 and above) is fully compatible with Windows 11, so upgrading to the latest version will protect your data and your lab\u2019s operations.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-6576_cc230e-29 .kt-block-spacer{height:60px;}.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-6576_cc230e-29 .kt-divider{border-top-width:1px;height:1px;border-top-color:#eee;width:80%;border-top-style:solid;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-6576_cc230e-29\"><div class=\"kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center\"><hr class=\"kt-divider\"\/><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Empower Software &amp; Windows 11 Operating System: Stay Current and Confident<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Waters supports your commitment to data integrity and compliance. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/nextgen\/global\/products\/informatics-and-software\/chromatography-software\/empower-software-solutions.html\">Empower<sup>TM<\/sup> Software<\/a> (versions 3.9.0 and up) offers full, tested support for Windows 11 Operating System, to ensure:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Seamless performance on modern hardware<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enhanced security<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ongoing support aligned to maintain a state of control<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This alignment helps laboratories meet regulatory expectations for validated systems, secure data environments, and long-term reliability across the software lifecycle.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-6576_9727f3-de .kt-block-spacer{height:60px;}.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-6576_9727f3-de .kt-divider{border-top-width:1px;height:1px;border-top-color:#eee;width:80%;border-top-style:solid;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-6576_9727f3-de\"><div class=\"kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center\"><hr class=\"kt-divider\"\/><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Waters Can Help<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Upgrading can be complex and time consuming. From assessing the impact of updates to validating changes, our experts help you navigate each stage as you strive for continued compliance, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Windows 11 Operating System readiness assessments for your Empower Software environment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Migration planning and validation support tailored to your organization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expert guidance to ensure compliance and minimize downtime<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Waters is here to support your journey\u2014because innovation starts with a strong foundation. Stay current, stay secure, stay ahead of the competition and <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.waters.com\/2025-06-Empower-Windows-11-Upgrade.html\">speak to a Waters representative today about upgrading your Empower Software.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-6576_1fc839-91 .kt-block-spacer{height:60px;}.wp-block-kadence-spacer.kt-block-spacer-6576_1fc839-91 .kt-divider{border-top-width:1px;height:1px;border-top-color:#eee;width:80%;border-top-style:solid;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-6576_1fc839-91\"><div class=\"kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center\"><hr class=\"kt-divider\"\/><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/windows\/windows-10-support-ends-on-october-14-2025-2ca8b313-1946-43d3-b55c-2b95b107f281\">https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/windows\/windows-10-support-ends-on-october-14-2025-2ca8b313-1946-43d3-b55c-2b95b107f281<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/content\/dam\/waters\/ja\/library\/white-papers\/2020\/waters-whitepaper-DurableDataforNonITALabManagersGuidetoEnsuringYourEmpowerDataIsSecureandAvailablefromCreationThroughtheFullMandatedRetentionPeriod-720006866.pdf\">https:\/\/www.waters.com\/content\/dam\/waters\/ja\/library\/white-papers\/2020\/waters-whitepaper-DurableDataforNonITALabManagersGuidetoEnsuringYourEmpowerDataIsSecureandAvailablefromCreationThroughtheFullMandatedRetentionPeriod-720006866.pdf<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/health.ec.europa.eu\/document\/download\/40231f18-e564-4043-94de-c031f813d38b_en?filename=mp_vol4_chap4_annex11_consultation_guideline_en.pdf\">https:\/\/health.ec.europa.eu\/document\/download\/40231f18-e564-4043-94de-c031f813d38b_en?filename=mp_vol4_chap4_annex11_consultation_guideline_en.pdf<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/picscheme.org\/docview\/4234\">https:\/\/picscheme.org\/docview\/4234<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the fast-paced world of life sciences, staying current isn\u2019t just a best practice, it is a necessity. As technology evolves, so do the risks of your lab falling behind and risking non-compliance with CGMP standards. With general releases of WindowsTM 10 Operating System reaching end of support on October 14, 2025,1 now is the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":127,"featured_media":5079,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"22","_seopress_titles_title":"%%post_title%% | %%sitetitle%%","_seopress_titles_desc":"Learn how to ensure your lab is prepared for the future and ensure both your operations and data are safe with Empower Software with Windows 10 reaching end of support.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[599,22],"tags":[317,435,49,23,44,17,708,709],"class_list":["post-6576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-technology","tag-empower-cds","tag-empower-chromatography-data-system","tag-empower-software","tag-informatics","tag-laboratory-informatics","tag-software","tag-windows-10","tag-windows-11"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":599,"label":"Featured"},{"value":22,"label":"Technology"}],"post_tag":[{"value":317,"label":"Empower CDS"},{"value":435,"label":"empower Chromatography Data System"},{"value":49,"label":"Empower Software"},{"value":23,"label":"informatics"},{"value":44,"label":"laboratory informatics"},{"value":17,"label":"Software"},{"value":708,"label":"windows 10"},{"value":709,"label":"windows 11"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/stock-2-scientists-researchers-reviewing-data-feb-16-blog-feature-image-scaled-2-1024x683.jpg",1024,683,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Tracy Hibbs","author_link":"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/author\/thibbs\/"},"comment_info":"","category_info":[{"term_id":599,"name":"Featured","slug":"featured","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":599,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":28,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0","cat_ID":599,"category_count":28,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Featured","category_nicename":"featured","category_parent":0},{"term_id":22,"name":"Technology","slug":"technology","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":22,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Our expertise drives innovation, development, and\u00a0application of informatics and software that continue to enable leading pharmaceutical, environmental, food &amp; beverage and chemical materials organizations to accelerate decision-making, improve laboratory effectiveness, and get products to market faster.","parent":0,"count":114,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0","cat_ID":22,"category_count":114,"category_description":"Our expertise drives innovation, development, and\u00a0application of informatics and software that continue to enable leading pharmaceutical, environmental, food &amp; beverage and chemical materials organizations to accelerate decision-making, improve laboratory effectiveness, and get products to market faster.","cat_name":"Technology","category_nicename":"technology","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":317,"name":"Empower CDS","slug":"empower-cds","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":317,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":5,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0"},{"term_id":435,"name":"empower Chromatography Data System","slug":"empower-chromatography-data-system","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":435,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":2,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0"},{"term_id":49,"name":"Empower Software","slug":"empower-software","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":49,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":6,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0"},{"term_id":23,"name":"informatics","slug":"informatics","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":23,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":11,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0"},{"term_id":44,"name":"laboratory informatics","slug":"laboratory-informatics","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":44,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":10,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0"},{"term_id":17,"name":"Software","slug":"software","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":17,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":5,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0"},{"term_id":708,"name":"windows 10","slug":"windows-10","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":708,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0"},{"term_id":709,"name":"windows 11","slug":"windows-11","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":709,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6576","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/127"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6576"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6576\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5079"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}