|
DOT-COMmunICaTions Salem Community Resource Centre, Central Street, HEBDEN BRIDGE, HX7 6HB | |
| tel: | (01422) 845 003 |
| web: | www.dot-communications.co.uk |
| email: | talk2us@dot-communications.co.uk |
|
DOT-COMmunICaTions Salem Community Resource Centre, Central Street, HEBDEN BRIDGE, HX7 6HB | |
| tel: | (01422) 845 003 |
| web: | www.dot-communications.co.uk |
| email: | talk2us@dot-communications.co.uk |
This article examines the reasons for regular replacement of ICT equipment and looks at the timescales, costs and planning considerations involved in a major upgrade.
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How many times do we see the latest computers advertised on television as 'future proof'? Whilst any computer you buy should always be able to do whatever you originally purchased it for, the chances are that after just a handful of those years, both the way you work and your expectations of your computer will have advanced significantly. With your equipment having little worth on the balance sheet and staff complaining of slow performance, can you afford not to replace these items?
Technology is bought in the context of a specific need. Over time these needs change dramatically. Twenty years ago, your typical office worker didn't even possess a typewriter. These days, most are expected to type their own letters, operate databases, communicate by email and browse the internet. We accept the associated technology costs because we can see that - duly kitted out - our staff are more productive, creative, organised and effective.
The main drivers for replacing stock are internal - taking advantage of those better, quicker and more effective ways of working. But even if you don't accept this rationale, there are other vital reasons to save now in order to replace ICT equipment in future. Reasons that, whether you like it or not, will necessitate this expenditure at some point.
Firstly, a computer is made up of a bunch of electronic components that are designed to push the limits of speed and performance at a given price point. With massive investment in technology, the pace of innovation is very fast. The 'latest' cutting edge component can go from expensive luxury to cheap and commonplace within months. In a year or so this product may not be manufactured any more. This means that, in general, the older the technology, the more likely it is to be uneconomical to repair. At the same time, with continued use and the action of heat, dust, power fluctuations, physical shocks and wear and tear (in the case of hard drives), the machine is more likely to fail.
Secondly, a computer is more than a box full of parts. The demands of the software you run may well necessitate a new machine before the hardware goes wrong. All operating systems have a lifecycle - usually 5 to 8 years - a period in which the vendor undertakes to fix bugs, offer upgrades and security patches. Inside this period, updates can slow a computer down. Outside it, the vendor is putting all effort into marketing and promoting enhancements that will only be available to customers of its new product. Your colleagues, clients, and those who provide support to you will be using and focussing on the new system. In time, you can find yourself needing an upgrade just to standardise and stay supported.
Thirdly, it's not just operating systems and hardware that have this inbuilt obsolescence. Application software (accounts packages, graphic design packages, office suites etc.) often demand the latest technical specifications. Whether this is actually necessary or not is another subject, but the effect is that all of those things you bought your computer for ALSO have a lifecycle involving new releases in an effort to become ever faster, more effective, more competitive, securer and more desirable. What's more, you can all but guarantee that that the latest releases will require ever more processing power!
Whether it's because things have reached the end of their lifecycle or because you will have different needs in future, you will have to replace most of your ICT equipment eventually. The key to success then is careful saving over time. If you have budgeted consistently over a number of years, you are free to choose the timing of your investment and are ready to pay for it before it creeps up on you.
From an organisational point of view, if you are looking at new premises, expanding staffing levels, upgrading a key company database or changing the physical delivery of services, these are all good times to take a look at whether the new system you have been saving for ought to be put into place too.
To aid your planning, the following table brings together the expected life spans for various items of computer equipment and a rough replacement cost including software, installation and support. This is not to say that these items have to be replaced at that time (see above) rather this should be used as a basis for saving. We also look at some of the mitigating factors that may allow you to prolong beyond what would normally be expected.
| Item | Cycle | Rationale | Mitigating Factors | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCs | 4 years | Current technologies can be out of date/ hard drives more unreliable within 3-4 years Reduced performance with updates and software User expectation increases |
Often scope for upgrading 'mid-cycle' 'Clean' install of operating system can prolong life | £500 per unit |
| Laptops | 2 years | Laptops more susceptible to wear and tear Expensive to repair Lower performance per £ | Can be expected to last much longer if not used much! | £500 per unit |
| Servers | 5 years | Being left permanently on and heavily used, suffers more stress on core components. Server software at end of supportable lifecycle. Server software upgrades may well require new hardware | Advisable to budget for routine replacement unless the organisation clearly does not need in future. | £2500-£5000 per unit |
| Monitors | 5 years | Health & safety and aesthetic reasons often drive organisations to replace. | Monitors rarely go wrong and usually come with 3 year warranties. There are few technical reasons to change them. | £100 each |
| Printers (large) | 3-5 years | All too often it works out cheaper to buy a replacement printer than to replace consumables | Some scope for reconditioned printers/components | £250-2500 |
| Core Networking Infrastructure | 10 years | Advisable to budget to take advantaged of future innovations | Networking equipment itself is unlikely to fail even with heavy traffic | £40 per person |
So by now you have the money set aside and a rough idea of when you might need to replace things. All that remains is to plan the upgrade properly, and this means taking the following steps:
The ICT systems you currently run are products of particular needs at particular times. Over a number of years these needs will change both in accordance with internal pressures (changes in the way you work and functionalities and performance you expect), and external drivers such as the lifespan of a particular operating system, database or item of hardware. Like it or not, the replacement of ICT equipment is an inevitable task that will have to be faced some day.
Careful saving over time, based on the expected lifecycles of equipment, will mean that you can afford to do it in a managed and organised manner - when it suits you and with minimal disruption to staff and the work of your organisation.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.
