Outdated Technology Is Expensive And Dangerous

This firm needed someone to modernize their outdated IT systems—that’s why they called Servcom USA.

This client is an active construction and engineering firm. Between their many divisions, they deliver a range of vital construction services, from building automation to systems integration and more.

This firm needed to update its IT systems. They were relying on an aging server and needed to migrate their critical applications to newer operating systems in order to stay current, protect against cybersecurity threats, and improve their performance.

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Are Your Servers Out Of Date?

As the backbone of your IT environment, servers are undeniably important.  The average server only lasts 3-5 years, but most businesses use them for longer.

This inevitably leads to big problems:

No Room

Servers only have so much storage space to offer. Running out of room causes severe data continuity issues.

Performance Issues

The older hardware gets, the more likely it’ll start to slow down. With their entire firm relying on access to apps and data stored on these old servers, it was only a matter of time until their staff-wide productivity began to drop.

Failure & Data Loss

At a certain point, hardware gets so old it’s prone to fail. For a range of reasons, it’ll just stop working.

When this firm’s server fails, it means they’ll experience downtime while they wait for it to restart, not to mention that they could lose data that isn’t backed up.

The Risk Of Aging Hardware

Outdated technology is a major risk.

If your old tech is working so poorly that it stops you and your staff from working, then it’s time to replace it. The downtime caused by old hardware isn’t worth the money you’re saving by hanging on to it.

The economy of downtime is unforgiving—it grinds your business to a halt, racks up expenses, and keeps you from getting anything done. Additional costs include…

Expense Vs. Revenue

During downtime, you incur all the expenses of running a business without the revenue you would usually generate.

Loss of Focus

Even if downtime does not grind everything to a halt, some of your staff will have to divert themselves from their normal work to mitigate the problem—again reducing productivity.

Affected Service Delivery

Furthermore, while your systems are down, you can’t deliver services or sell products to current and potential new clients.

Cost Of Repair

However you approach fixing the problem, it’ll cost time and money.

Sticking with old technology may save you some money in your IT budget, but its lack of functionality and security can slow down your business and put you at risk.

Maybe it’s time to think about upgrading—especially if your technology is approaching end of life…

What Is End Of Life?

End Of Life means no more bug fixes or security updates for the hardware or software—it’s the end of support delivered by the manufacturer.

Over time, there will be a loss of usability and increased vulnerability. While it may work fine right now, it won’t be long before it becomes a problem.

That said, It’s not uncommon to procrastinate on technology upgrades. The process can be expensive and complicated, but the fact is that there comes a point in the technology life cycle when failing to upgrade can present a number of serious concerns.

As important as cost control is, it is equally important for owners and managers to ensure they’re maintaining their competitive edge, using secure technology, and working as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Without support, security updates, and bug patches, users open themselves up to a number of risks:

• Malware infection
• Out of date anti-virus
• Expired online banking protections
• Exposed private data

3 Key Signs Your Technology Needs To Be Replaced

There’s certainly something to be said for getting as much out of a computer as possible.

Hardware is expensive, and so, it makes sense that you’d want to wait as long as possible to replace it. However, eventually, it’ll cause more problems than it’s worth.

At a certain point, it’s better for you and your business as a whole to pay for an upgrade. Do you know when that is?

If you’re unsure as to whether your technology is too old, consider these red flags…

It’s Multiple Generations Out Of Date

To be fair, a single generation out of date doesn’t mean you need to upgrade. But 3 or 4 generations? Then you’re getting to the point when you’ll be at “end of life” when the developer is no longer offering support like patches or upgrades.

This leads to a degradation in usability, and greater security risks. When a newer version is released, it means the clock is running out on how long the providers will continue to support the version you’re using. Don’t push it too long, or you could put your data at risk.

It’s Slowing You Down & Costing You Money

If your old tech is working so poorly that it stops you and your staff from working, then it’s time to replace it. The downtime caused by old hardware isn’t worth the money you’re saving by hanging on to it.

Ponemon Institute estimates that every minute of even partial downtime can cost as much as $5,600.

The main cost of downtime is not the fix itself, it’s the halt in your business’ productivity. If server failure takes critical systems offline, employees will be unable to complete their tasks, yet your normal business expenses will carry on.

Repairs Don’t Last Very Long

The older your hardware gets, the more often you’ll need to call someone to fix it. The more you need someone to fix it, the less effective those fixes become.

That means paying more and more for support to come in and get it running again, the returns on which will quickly diminish.

How Servcom USA Solved This Client’s Problems

Fortunately, this firm didn’t have to manage the update of its server and infrastructure on its own.

They could rely on Servcom USA to take care of it for them. They wanted an updated system that would support their operations for years to come, and knew Servcom USA would deliver.

We discussed their needs, assessed their systems, and updated them with a more modern, robust, and reliable foundation:

• We implemented a new on-premise virtual server to protect the firm’s critical accounting data
• We deployed a brand new accounting server, migrating Foundation Accounting software to the new server
• We achieved significant performance and speed improvements
• We ensured the new server meets all modern security standards

With their newly upgraded IT systems, this firm now has a productive workplace environment. We have built a highly secure and scalable system for the client while continuing to identify opportunities for cost savings by reducing inefficiencies that an old architecture produced.

They now have a robust IT system that meets their specific needs, and they got it without having to spend their own time doing research or managing the project. They know that Servcom USA will keep them current.

Don’t Let Your Outdated Technology Put You At Risk

There are a variety of reasons why you may decide to hold off on making a major upgrade to your technology, such as the cost and hassle. However, avoiding the issue for too long will do more harm than good, and will affect your productivity, security, and ability to get work done.

We will do the same for you—don’t struggle with old or borrowed technology any longer. Talk to the Servcom USA team to start upgrading your systems: