| Maximize depreciation and overcome obsolete technology with a refresh strategy. | |
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| By David Baum |
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| It's amazing how quickly new technology becomes outdated. Sure, most users can limp along with older desktop PCs, but at what point does an outmoded system become counterproductive? To maximize depreciation and overcome technology obsolescence, you need to develop a solid refresh strategy. While it's tempting to believe that your computers will run indefinitely, most electromechanical components (such as disk drives, optical drives, and fans) have a limited life span. As the years tick by, the chances of a system malfunction rise exponentially. "Stretching the upgrade cycle too far will ultimately cost money—not only in lost productivity and opportunity but in increased security risks," says John Hunt, president and CEO of CompuVision, a network systems integration firm. "Hackers have had more time to exploit vulnerabilities in an older operating system, and the system vendor may no longer be actively developing security patches." Since the life cycle of today's PC is typically three to four years, one strategy for keeping systems updated is simply replacing one-third of your organization's units annually. Another tactic involves purchasing new PCs for power users every year and handing down older systems to other employees on a revolving basis. Both methods help spread tax deductions while minimizing upgrades and repairs. Hunt believes that investing in discrete components such as memory and disk drives generally makes sense unless a PC is more than three years old. "By then, you're better off with a whole new system so you can take advantage of faster system buses, better memory, and communications improvements," he says. As mobile clients become more capable and cost-effective—and as users have more opportunities to work wirelessly—consider replacing desktop systems with portable PCs in the next cycle.
iQ Magazine, Second Quarter 2005 |
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