Ways to Save Money on Business Computers

There’s little doubt that we’re in tough economic times and that we can expect the same for at least the short term. If crunches like this have an ill affect on businesses the size of the American auto industry, it seems pretty fair to expect that many smaller businesses are in for a struggle as well.

As smaller businesses search for ways to become more efficient and cut costs, their computer budgets are a great place to find value. Computers certainly contribute to efficiency and with a bit of planning, costs can be saved at the same time. So, without further ado, here are some ways to find savings in your computer department.

Avoid the Bleeding Edge

A simple formula in the IT (Information Technology) world is that today’s fastest, most glamorous, hardware is going to cost you – big. The simple truth is that the most up to date equipment will be much less expensive in 6 months and for most applications, will work just as well if bought then. In fact, for business purposes, high end fresh off the press equipment is often only needed for high end graphics or server applications.

Some businesses are even buying and using off-lease (used) computers as commodity items. This can be an effective cost saving measure if the computers are used primarily for bookkeeping, word processing, etc.

Standardize

While this is often easier said than done, the benefits of staying with similar hardware across the business can’t be understated.
Consider the typical small business with let’s say 8 computers that were all bought ad hoc as they were needed and from different vendors. A year or 2 down the road, the computers need to be upgraded to support new software.

Each computer will need to be assessed to determine what can be upgraded and what parts will be needed when on a more standardized network, it would be much less time consuming (and expensive) to simply determine what needs to be upgraded and apply the same upgrade to all of the computers on the network.

Virtualize

You would probably be surprised to know that many server CPUs are heavily underutilized; their workload is so small that the CPU spends a great deal of time idle. Virtualization can solve that problem, make the server room greener, save money, and even make disaster recovery far easier than even before.

Virtualization is described by Tech Republic as “... a method of running multiple independent virtual operating systems on a single physical computer.” In other words, using virtualization, more than one server can run on a single computer. At the heart of it, any one of these servers is simply a bunch of files rather than physical computers and as such they can be restored to a previous state very easily.

Virtualization is one of the hot topics in the industry today and Microsoft recommends that even if you have a need for only one server, it should be virtualized. This technology will show up more and more in small and medium sized businesses in the coming years and will help simplify how we do business.

Monitor

There literally is nothing more expensive to a business from a computing perspective than downtime. The sad truth is that most situations that result in downtime are preventable and would be caught with a proper monitoring protocol in place. Monitoring keeps a finger on the pulse of the network so to speak and can prevent costly problems before they occur.

Consider Software Alternatives

Ah yes, possibly my favourite subject. There are literally thousands of free and open source software packages out there that do their jobs as well if not better than their commercial cousins.  Some of the world’s most powerful and important servers run on free software. Quite frankly, it’s a mistake to discount free software in your business.

Let me give you two very simple examples. Many people have spent money for programs that create zipped archive files. A free alternative is 7-Zip which has one of the best compression techniques available. On a similar note, CDBurnerXP is free CD/DVD burning software that rivals the best of breed commercial available out there.

Just as computers bring flexibility and efficiency to a business, they can also bring economy. The trick is knowing where to find it.

Glen Bowes is a Microsoft Small Business Specialist, MCSE, A+, and Network+ certified IT professional. Glen can be reached at (905) 378-1215, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or at www.bowesit.com