Updated: January 20, 2025 (January 17, 2025)

  Analyst Report

Skype for Business Server 2019 CU8 Clears Path to SE in 2025

Mary Jo Foley by
Mary Jo Foley

Mary Jo Foley is the Editor in Chief at Directions on Microsoft. Before joining Directions, Mary Jo has worked as... more

In Dec. 2024, Microsoft quietly rolled out Cumulative Update (CU) 8 for Skype for Business Server 2019. CU8 is the last planned CU for Skype for Business Server 2019, and will be a requirement for upgrading to the next version of the product, known as Skype for Business Server Subscription Edition (SE). CU8 includes few new features of consequence; it restores Persistent Chat (an optional feature originally removed with Skype for Business Server 2019) and adds support for SQL Server 2022 as a back- end database. Skype for Business Server 2019 and 2015 both leave Extended support in Oct. 2025, leaving a short migration window to Skype for Business Server SE, which is planned for Q3 2025. Skype for Business Server SE will require subscription licenses or licenses with active Software Assurance for servers and will be serviced under the Modern Lifecycle Support policy, which provides ongoing support without specific Mainstream or Extended support periods. Plans for Skype for Business Server

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