So you have a server or two (maybe even more) in your office. They have their own room that is secure, air conditioning controls the temperatures nicely and everything seems to be working fine. The servers haven’t skipped a beat and have been running issue free for the last 5 or 6 years.
There is no indication that anything is going to change. Besides, you’ve got your backups. So if worse comes to worse, you’re covered.
Does this sound familiar?
Why would you want to consider replacing hardware that hasn’t failed?
Issue 1: Out of Warranty
Following the average server life cycle, service contracts typically expire after three to five years. More frequent failures result in higher labour costs, and replacement parts are expensive and hard to find. Altogether, buying a new server is often more economical than extending the service contract on a legacy system.
Issue 2: Predicting Failure
Continued usage beyond the optimal life span of servers often causes unplanned downtime due to mechanical components and software aging. Newer systems come with predictive capabilities that warn of incompatibility issues or imminent failures. Automatic notification and proactive support improve reliability, adhering to uptime Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
Issue 3: Software Compatibility
New versions of applications probably wont run on old hardware. This means you wont be able to update your software without first having the right OS and Hardware. Software compatibility can also contribute to speed and stability, making your systems less prone to slowing down or crashing.
Timing is everything.
If you are considering a hardware refresh, or if you’d like to talk about it, let us know. Coming up to the end of the financial year is the perfect time. If there is room left in this years budget, or if you want to do some work around capital expenses and associated tax implications, now is the time!