Modern businesses revolve around their IT networks, and your PCs are generally going to be the most important part of that network. Even with more data being stored online and more physical hardware being abandoned in favour of cloud-based services, the PC is still where you do your work. Unfortunately, PCs age, so you need to follow a proper PC life-cycle management plan to ensure they receive regular maintenance and are replaced when necessary.
Here are just a few reasons why PC life-cycle management is so important.
Keep Costs Under Control
You might think that you’ll save money by failing to maintain or replace your PCs, but that’s some seriously short-term thinking. In reality, costs go up as time goes by, so saving money today could mean having to spend a lot more in the future. Older computers are more likely to suffer problems, and the cost of fixing problems tends to rise when IT professionals must work with old, outdated hardware.
Include cybersecurity measures
It’s crucial to recognize that PCs are not only where work is done but also where sensitive data is often stored and accessed. Therefore, in the context of PC life-cycle management, it’s imperative to incorporate cybersecurity measures like endpoint security strategy or F5’s hybrid cloud security solutions (or similar solutions from other companies). Apart from them, regular software updates, antivirus software, and employee training on cybersecurity best practices should be integral parts of your PC life-cycle management plan. These measures will help protect your PCs and, by extension, your entire IT network from potential security threats, ensuring the continued smooth operation of your business.
Keep Hardware under control
When it comes to keeping network security up to date, you’ll mostly be concerned with software, such as your firewall and operating system. However, the hardware is also important. Older PCs represent a huge risk because they don’t always support the latest software. Even if they do, they may not support the latest patches.
Keep Productivity Optimal
Nobody likes working on an outdated device, so your team isn’t going to be particularly motivated by your failure to upgrade their PCs. Even if employees are raring to go, older PCs simply don’t run as well. Even in pristine condition, they’re always going to run slower than newer machines, especially when they’re struggling to integrate with new software and produce things like the network mapping that organisations need in order to interact with the network and carry out tasks such as troubleshooting to keep it running as efficiently as possible. Over time, lost minutes can turn into lost hours.
Keep Data Loss at Bay
At some point, an older computer will stop working. In most cases, the hard drive will fail, and this is where all your data is stored. Unless you’re very lucky, any data that has not been backed up online will be lost for good if the hard drive breaks down. Therefore, it’s crucial to regularly back up your important data to ensure its safety and accessibility even in the face of hardware failures.
