Microsoft Changes the Rules of the Game

Introduction – The New Microsoft Reality

Starting in September and October 2025, Microsoft is implementing a series of strategic changes that will firmly impact the day-to-day IT management of Dutch organizations. Think of the disappearance of Basic IPs, Load Balancers, and Basic Authentication. For IT departments, this means one thing: more control, but also more responsibility.

These changes do not come out of nowhere. Microsoft is moving toward tighter security standards, zero trust architectures and modern cloud management. That requires organizations to take an active migration approach – those who do nothing risk downtime, compliance issues or even data loss.

At ALTA-ICT, we help Dutch organizations go through this transition in a controlled manner – ISO27001-, ISO9001- and NEN7510-certified – with a focus on continuity, AVG compliance and measurable ROI.

Internal IT management – The underestimated growth factor for SMBs

What exactly is changing?

1️⃣ Default outbound Internet access disappears (Azure)

Azure resources no longer get Internet access automatically. Administrators must configure explicit outbound routes through firewalls or NAT gateways.
➡ Impact: more security control, but risk of blocked updates or API calls if not set up.

2️⃣ Basic public IPs disappear

All Azure resources with “Basic” IP addresses will lose their connection.¹
➡ Action required: migrate to “Standard Public IPs” by September 2025.

3️⃣ Virtual Network Gateways lose connectivity

VPN connections via “Basic SKU” gateways no longer work.³
➡ Migration required: upgrade to “Standard” or “VpnGw SKUs”.

4️⃣ Basic Load Balancers are being phased out

As of Sept. 30, 2025, Basic Load Balancers stop.
➡ Risk: downtime of web applications if you are still using Basic.

5️⃣ Unmanaged Disks disappear (2026)

VMs with Unmanaged Disks will no longer boot.
➡ Solution: migrate to Managed Disks – essential for compliance and scalability.

6️⃣ End of SMTP AUTH with Basic Authentication

Legacy printers, scanners and applications that mail via SMTP AUTH should move to Modern Authentication (OAuth 2.0).²
➡ Common problem: multifunction printers or ERP systems that use legacy connections.

7️⃣ Windows 10 support ends Oct. 14, 2025

After this date, Microsoft no longer provides security updates. ⁴
➡ Choice: upgrade to Windows 11 or implement Extended Security Updates (ESU) for temporary coverage.

How do you prepare your organization?

Step 1: Inventory

Map which resources are still using Basic SKUs.
➡ Tools such as Azure Resource Graph and Microsoft Assessment Tool help with this.

Step 2: Create migration plan

Set priorities (mission-critical systems first).
Communicate planning to internal teams.
Schedule testing moments before phasing out.

Step 3: Security and compliance review

Use the opportunity to review your Azure Policy, RBAC, and firewall configurations.
➡ ALTA-ICT performs ISO27001-compliant security audits.

Step 4: Implementation and validation

Migrate incrementally to Standard resources.
Check connections, DNS, firewalls and logins.
Monitor after migration with Azure Monitor or ALTA-ICT 24/7 SOC.

Step 5: Documentation and assurance

Update management procedures, backup plans and SLAs according to ISO9001 principles.

The biggest pitfalls (and how to avoid them)

Error: No migration planning
Result: Downtime of applications
ALTA-ICT Solution: Proactive migration roadmap

Error: Unknown Basic resources
Result: Disconnections
ALTA-ICT Solution: Resource discovery audit

Error: Old SMTP AUTH configuration
Result: E-mail traffic fails
ALTA-ICT Solution: OAuth implementation

Error: Windows 10 not updated
Result: Security risks
ALTA-ICT Solution: ESU program guidance

Error: No rollback plan
Result: Unrecoverable configuration errors
ALTA-ICT Solution: Step-by-step validation approach

ROI and continuity – why acting now pays off

Organizations that migrate now will save on average 20-35% in management and recovery costs compared to reactive adaptations in 2025.
In addition, you will reduce the risk of downtime and increase your security score within Microsoft Secure Score.

Case: A medium-sized Dutch manufacturing company migrated 54 Azure resources with ALTA-ICT guidance.
– No downtime
– 27% less network traffic through optimization
– Full AVG compliance audit passed

The ALTA-ICT approach

At ALTA-ICT, we combine Microsoft expertise with Dutch compliance knowledge:

ISO27001, ISO9001 and NEN7510 certified
Azure migrations without downtime
Dutch AVG and BIO compliance integration
24/7 monitoring and incident response
Practical training for IT teams

We help your organization not only transition, but optimize – from infrastructure to governance.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What happens if I don’t migrate Basic resources?
They simply stop working – with no fallback.

2. Is migration costly?
Migration is often cost-neutral thanks to efficiency gains and lower management costs.

3. What if my applications use Basic SMTP?
We help with the transition to OAuth authentication or alternative mail services.

4. Can we temporarily stay on Windows 10?
Yes, through the ESU program (Extended Security Updates), but this is an intermediate solution.

5. How do I know which resources are affected?
Use Azure Advisor or have ALTA-ICT run a free scan.

Conclusion – Action is now required

Microsoft is changing the rules of the game – and those who don’t move with it are at risk.
2025 will be the year when “Basic” is definitely a thing of the past.

Get your IT infrastructure future-proofed by ALTA-ICT. alta-ict.co.uk/appointment-making