Even though is was released way back in 2011, Drupal 7 still powers hundreds of thousands of websites worldwide. With the official end of life coming in 2021, it's time to plan for the future! But a lot of people have been putting it off, and for good reason. Time, cost, and general confusion are probably the top 3. Or maybe you don't see a reason at all.

While not an apocalypse of any kind (your site won't just stop working), there are real dangers and lost opportunities when running a CMS long past its expiration date.

Do you upgrade to Drupal 8, wait for Drupal 9, switch to a different CMS, or just stay put? Unfortunately, the answers aren't easy and can be complicated. Let's review what your options are today, when and how to consider an upgrade, and learn about the challenges to overcome. We won't get into the specific technical details on migrating or upgrading a site, but instead talk about the big picture and where you might begin your plan.

We'll cover:

Current state of Drupal 7 and end of life
When and how to plan an upgrade
What upgrades cost, and why they are so hard
Benefits of upgrading to Drupal 8
Alternatives to Drupal 8

Who is this for?

Anyone still using Drupal 7 (or earlier)
Anyone thinking of migrating to Drupal 8

Speaker: Dan Moriarty
https://2019.drupalcorn.org/session/apocalypse-soon-when-upgrade-drupal-7-8