Datacom has signed an agreement with Microsoft to become a Strategic Refresh Initiative (SRI) partner for the Australian and New Zealand market, positioning itself to assist businesses in upgrading to Windows 11.
The partnership with Microsoft makes Datacom one of only 21 global SRI partners, and one of the few in the Southern Hemisphere.
The initiative comes in response to Microsoft's announcement of an October 2025 end-of-support date for Windows 10, after which security updates and technical support will cease for the older operating system.
The new Windows 11 operating system offers advanced security features, improved performance driven by specialised hardware like Neural Processing Units (NPUs), enhanced collaboration tools, and built-in AI capabilities for increased productivity.
Moving to the newer version of Windows might need a hardware upgrade, Datacom said.
"In Australia and New Zealand alone, there are millions of enterprise devices in active use that can't be upgraded to Windows 11," Mike Fuller, Datacom acting managing director for Australia, said, stressing the importance of timely migration.
"We're encouraging businesses to start the process now to make considered decisions, identify hardware upgrades, and create realistic timelines for procurement and implementation," Fuller added.
Datacom is working with device partners Dell, HP, and Lenovo, as well as silicon partners Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm, to provide a range of compatible devices for organisations needing to address compatibility issues or seeking high-performance hardware.
For the Windows 11 migration, organisations can choose to upgrade compatible in-situ PCs, purchase new PCs with Windows 11 preinstalled, or opt for new Copilot+ PCs with built-in AI capabilities.
As part of this initiative, Datacom will also assist organisations in implementing more sustainable IT asset management practices, focusing on asset visibility, proper provisioning, and lifecycle management to reduce waste.
Datacom's selection as a Microsoft SRI partner is down to its long-standing experience as a technology partner in the ANZ market, and its expertise in large-scale migrations and device renewals.
"What Datacom is offering is a hassle-free opportunity to modernise and level up your capabilities – not just avoid falling behind, but to really get ahead of the game," Chris Bright, device partner sales lead for Microsoft ANZ, said.
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