The true lifespan of most hardware is closer to five
years than after three years, when many vendors will push companies
to upgrade, according to hardware refurbishment specialist World
Data Products.
Market analyst Gartner believes that extending the lifespan of
hardware can knock 10-20% off the total cost of ownership, so you
need to monitor hardware usage very carefully.
World Data Products says there are a number of clear indicators
that determine when it is time to ditch or upgrade your hardware.
These include: changes in requirements or major falls in
performance; rising maintenance costs; unacceptable levels of
reliability; and incompatibility with new equipment added elsewhere
on the network.
Boredom can also be a factor. You should recognise that your
staff expect regular influxes of new technology. Reassigning
equipment to less critical applications should maintain your
people's interest without compromising cost.
