# Deciding to end service

If you're considering ending your 2i2c service, this page will help you understand your options and plan next steps.

## Why communities end service

Communities may choose to end their 2i2c service for various reasons:

- **Funding changes**: Grant periods end or budget priorities shift
- **Infrastructure transition**: Moving to institutional or other managed services
- **Project completion**: Research project or program concludes

## Alternatives to ending service

Before deciding to end service, consider these alternatives:

- **Ask for community guidance**: Sometimes communities need guidance to encourage hub uptake and use, we can suggest a few ways to make the hub more useful for you
- **Service adjustments**: Reduce hub capacity, change cloud providers, or adjust service configuration and support expectations to lower costs
- **Pause or hibernate**: Temporarily reduce activity while maintaining your configuration

Contact [2i2c support](../../support.md) to discuss options that might better fit your needs.

## Plan your transition

If you decide to end service, plan ahead:

- **Timeline**: Provide 2i2c with at least 30 days notice
- **User communication**: Notify your hub users about the decision, timeline, and actions they need to take
- **Data export**: Ensure all users export their work, see [](../../user/service-lifecycle/offboarding.md)
- **Infrastructure replication** (optional): Replicate your hub independently (see [](../../admin/service-lifecycle/replicate.md))

## Next steps

When you're ready to proceed, [contact 2i2c support](../../support.md).

For the technical implementation of ending service, see the [admin guide on ending service](../../admin/service-lifecycle/ending-service.md).
For internal process detail, see [Compass: Offboard a Community](https://compass.2i2c.org/services/interactive-computing/offboard/).