An unfortunately large number of businesses struggle with outdated servers, trying to do more with less. While there’s a common assumption that using the same hardware for years will minimize IT expenses, in reality the opposite is true. Slow system performance can and will hurt your bottom line. Keep reading to learn tell-tale signs you need a server upgrade.
5 Signs You Need to Upgrade Your Server
Your server is the heart of your company. It stores applications, software, files, and information that keep your business running smoothly, if it’s up-to-date. However, every few years, it will become obsolete as technology continues to evolve. Here are the most critical signs that your system performance can be enhanced by an upgrade:
1. Your Warranty Is About to Expire
Server warranties, on average, last for around three to five years. Once they expire, the manufacturer has no further responsibility to provide support. There’s no guarantee that replacement parts will be in stock, and if they are, they’ll probably be more expensive than current parts.
Furthermore, maintenance costs increase by up to 200% in the fifth year of your server’s life cycle. Upgrading minimizes costly downtime and eliminates the need for technicians who specialize in legacy systems.
2. You’re Running Out of Disk Space
Storing all of your company’s data requires a massive amount of disk space, especially if you are growing rapidly. Rather than hiring an expensive technician to clean up your disks, purchase a server with enough storage for your current and future needs. While you can add disk space now, there are limits to your expansion capabilities.
3. Your Applications Are Exhausting Your Resources
Many applications critical to business success are very resource-intensive. For example, video editing software and enterprise resource planning solutions, like Microsoft Dynamics or SAP, require a great deal of processing power. If your server specs are inadequate, system performance suffers greatly. Depending on how your system is set up, it can affect everything from your e-mail and website hosting to your cybersecurity.
Before you install any new software, ensure you meet all hardware requirements. Your server should provide adequate storage, processing power, and RAM to run all the software your business needs to be successful.
4. Your Power Bill Is Sky High
Legacy servers require a lot of power to operate. And thanks to the stress they are put under, they overheat frequently. This means, the longer you keep your legacy server, the more you’ll spend to power it and keep your server room cool.
Cutting-edge servers, on the other hand, regulate power better, feature more energy-efficient processors, and have better internal cooling systems. Furthermore, new operating systems come with smart power settings that change energy consumption automatically based on current workload.
5. You’re Concerned About Security
Refusing to retire your outdated server system leaves your company vulnerable to cyber attacks. Older servers no longer receive security patches and hackers have had more time to learn how to defeat their firewalls.
Furthermore, it becomes increasingly hard to find compatible firmware updates. This leads to subpar solutions to simple weaknesses in security. To eliminate the risk of this happening, purchase a server that comes with the latest firmware and regular security patches as your machines become susceptible to cybersecurity threats.
Schedule A Consultation Today
Ancient servers lead to massive power bills, downtime, costly maintenance, and the inability to protect your data from cyber attacks. Don’t ignore the signs you need a server upgrade any longer. Take advantage of our free tech assessment and contact us today to learn what we can do to help take your business to the next level. Now serving in the Las Vegas and Tri-cities areas, including the cities of Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco.
