Today, most businesses cannot function effectively without high-quality IT assets. When devices begin to fail, it becomes inevitable that the company will eventually need to upgrade its IT infrastructure.
When upgrading IT assets, there are several important factors to consider in order to ensure a smooth transition. Upgrade frequency, equipment quality and employee opinions are just a few of the things to keep in mind when making the decision!
To help you get started, the IT experts at Groupe SL explain how to manage IT asset upgrades for your business.
Reasons for upgrading a company’s IT assets
Before jumping in, it’s important to understand the reasons for upgrading a company’s IT infrastructure.
There are several significant problems companies may face that require an IT asset upgrade:
- Aging equipment that is slow and underperforming
- Obsolete equipment with inadequate cybersecurity
- Heterogeneous devices that are causing organizational problems
- Employees complaining about their equipment
If your business is experiencing these problems, you should seriously consider upgrading your IT infrastructure.
Consider the long term and determine your technical specifications
When upgrading your IT assets, it’s important to consider the long term. While it can prove to be a very costly undertaking depending on the size of your company, investing in high-quality equipment will pay off in the long run.
Here are the most important criteria to consider when planning an IT asset upgrade for your business.
Consider your employees’ opinions
The first step is to consult your employees and take their concerns under advisement. Since they are the ones using the equipment every day, they are best placed to tell you what isn’t working and whether or not upgrades are urgently required.
Ask your employees for their opinions and determine which problems are most commonly faced (lag, bugs, etc.). That way, you’ll be able to get a sense of the state of your IT infrastructure.
With the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting increase in remote work, it has never been more important to ensure that your employees have the equipment they need to work efficiently.
Homogenize your infrastructure
It’s also a good idea to consider homogenizing your IT infrastructure. If your company has many different models of devices, upgrading your assets can be a good opportunity to homogenize them.
Using the same model across your IT infrastructure has undeniable benefits for your company. The devices will have better synergy, and you’ll avoid problems such as two computers being incompatible because one of them is too old to support Windows 11. It will also make your IT infrastructure management easier.
Note: Some employees will always require more advanced equipment than others in order to perform their tasks effectively (web designers, developers, etc.).
Opt for good-quality, high-performance equipment
When upgrading your IT assets, it’s always better to invest a little bit more to get high-quality equipment. With better tools, your teams will be able to work more efficiently, which benefits your business as a whole.
Furthermore, investing in high-quality devices will save you from having to upgrade them again in short order because they have become obsolete—not to mention that the expense of repairing poor-quality devices might well end up costing you more in the long term.
Consider security concerns
Last but certainly not least, security is a vital consideration when upgrading your IT assets. With the rise of remote work, cybersecurity has become more important than ever.
A newer device with the latest and most widely used software versions drastically reduces the risk of security breaches. Companies such as Microsoft focus their efforts on their latest software versions, while older versions are less carefully maintained, particularly when it comes to security.
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When to upgrade a company’s IT assets
You’re probably asking yourself how often you need to upgrade your IT infrastructure.
Unfortunately, there is no universal answer to this question. It depends on the equipment you have, the duration of the warranty on your devices and the needs of your employees. Of course, if you opt for devices of mediocre quality, you will need to upgrade your IT assets more frequently.
Experts recommend upgrading a company’s IT infrastructure every three years. It’s also advisable to have a specialized IT firm help you through the transition.
Upgrade your IT assets with Groupe SL!
Upgrading your company’s IT infrastructure is a major undertaking. When equipping your business with new devices, there are many criteria to consider to ensure that the resulting infrastructure is as efficient and up to date as possible.
The best solution is to have an IT expert upgrade and manage your IT assets. There are many professional firms such as Groupe SL that offer comprehensive IT infrastructure management services.
Contact us today! The Groupe SL team will be happy to discuss your needs and help you upgrade and manage your company’s IT assets. 😊
