Supporting old clients is not the issue. As you know some cannot even be upgraded (at least a higher version is not supported).   Upgrading from NW 8.2.4 to 9.2 should not cause any major issues (most is done automatically) but the resources and the GUI are very different. May I suggest that you …   - install a NW 8.2 server (eval mode), run some backups and upgrade him later   -  familiarize with the conversion and the new GUI     Next …   -  virtualize your NW Server   -  run a disaster recovery (without file Indexes)   -  upgrade this machine   -  train yourself again Finally, you are ready to upgrade the real NW Server.   The major issue is licensing. Dell recommends to use the new licensing server but with NW 9.2 you should be able to use your old licenses. You just need new auth codes but you have plenty of time as the new version runs for 90 days without authorization.  
I admit I am way behind on upgrading. Started reading the v9.2 upgrade doc a few times but easy to get pulled away on other priorities.  I am trying to buckle down this time. I am currently at 8.2.4 and ran into an issue where I found out support isn't even best effort anymore.    Also noticed v18.1 is now out.I have old servers that don't support the new client versions and it seems like Dell/EMC is being more stringent about support of much older clients so not sure how much I will be able to even back up once I get around to upgrading.At least my last clients with v7.x that couldn't be upgraded to some version of v8 are powered off with the understanding that they aren't going to be powered back on, unless someone higher up dictates otherwise.  That still leaves some clients that weren't able to be upgraded to v8.2.4.  One is stuck at 8.0.4. Are the catalogs transferable to a new system and app version?I am wondering if it wouldn't be easier to just get a new (or refurb) server.  Install the latest version on it, and either recreate the setup or hopefully there is some tool that would allow moving and upgrading the configuration files from the old machine so that I would at least have some kind of functional backup environment while moving to the new version.   Have others upgraded by switching to a new server?
way behind on upgrading