Small Business Tech Tips

In the 20+ years I’ve been in IT, it never ceases to amaze me how good manufacturers are at predicting the life span of their computers. Manufacturers must hire the same actuary mathematicians as insurance companies. After all, manufacturers are not in business to fix failed equipment (i.e. pay out claims). They are in the business of selling you new stuff.

The warranty you get on that shiny new computer, laptop or server is your insurance policy with the manufacturer.

They set their warranty policies according to how long they statistically believe their equipment will last. Hence when you have a server with a 3 year warranty and it’s about to expire, you should either extend the warranty (if that’s possible) or start planning to replace it.

The value of the machine to your organization should determine what you do when you get to the end of the warranty period.

If the machine is the server your entire company depends upon then the last thing an accounting firm needs it to do is give up the ghost on April 13th. Or if you’re an online retailer, then you certainly want your database server getting back to work on Black Friday.

Conversely, if the machine going out of warranty is one of half a dozen on the shop floor, then maybe you can afford to push your luck, knowing that if one dies, another can be used.

Here’s a simple guide on how often you should look to replace your computing equipment:

• Laptop – Every 2-3 years. Laptops take a beating. All that moving around shortens their lifespan compared to desktops. If you have a laptop that stays put most of the time then you can expect it to last longer.
• Desktop – Every 3-4 years. The need to replace desktops this often is minimal. Desktops can be handed “down” to employees performing less vital functions over time and therefore if they fail, the impact to the business reduces as time goes by.
• Server – Every 3-5 years depending on whether the manufacturer offers to extend the warranty. Even if you can get one covered for 6 years, once you pass the five year mark, start planning on replacing the machine or demoting it to a less important role.

-Jim De Vico

General Manager, Los Angeles
Everon Technology Services

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Tags: Apple, dell, Desktop, End of life, laptop, server, Warranty

This entry was posted on Friday, April 22nd, 2011 at 8:00 am and is filed under Small Business Computer Tips, Small Business Management Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.