It’s very easy for a tech budget to get out of control. We all feel that pressure to make some cuts but we don’t want to lose any of our valuable assets. Tech equipment and maintenance are some of our most important resources and it’s difficult to know where to trim down. This article will give you 10 ideas about shrinking your IT budget without setting you back in productivity and innovation.
1. Virtualize your servers
One great way to pair down and to save money is to virtualize your servers. Rather than worrying about maintenance and repairs, you will have access to a virtualized system. Virtualizing involves consolidation which is easier to backup. Disaster recovery is easier and redundancy is greater with virtualization.
2. Managed Services
Some professional IT services companies may offer managed services. This is a convenient way to budget for IT expenses. Companies may allow you to choose maintenance and update plans that work for your business and your budget. It involves proactive evaluations and maintenance, along with software and security updates. You may even factor in costs of IT emergencies. The key cost to keep in mind is hiring a part time employee vs. having a team. A majority of the time, a part time worker can cost the same amount as getting a managed services team.
3. Purchase used equipment
Purchasing used or refurbished equipment is a great way to keep a reasonable IT budget. There tends to be a negative association with this kind of gear, assuming it will be faulty or inferior. While it can be risky, if you purchase from an authorized refurbishing company, you will likely receive like-new equipment at great prices – you can even get warranties. This can be the best way to buy switches, routers, cables, and access points on a budget.
4. Utilize open source
Open source software can help you to save significantly on licensing fees. Many enterprise level companies are now adopting open source in a wholesale fashion. There are some concerns that it will move you backward, but nothing could be further from the truth. Open source is becoming more popular and is a reliable, scalable, and secure option.
5. Prioritize spending
Having an organized IT budget on paper can help you to better prioritize your spending. Most likely, there are certain machines that are more critical to your business. It’s important to have money set aside for their maintenance and emergency repair. Anything that you can do without, put to the backburner. If you have a limited budget, you may not be able to fix every little thing as it happens. Be sure to know which assets are mission critical.
6. Repurpose resources
Many companies struggle with removing or upgrading old IT equipment. One solution is to repurpose it. For example, old desktops can easily be used together to create a powerful server system. It takes the stress out of disposal and saves you money in the long run. Another option is to contact an IT Asset Disposition company. They may purchase your old or obsolete equipment and give you money for its value, or even a credit toward upgrades.
7. Go green
Going green can help you save money on certain resources, like electricity and disposal efforts. It can also offer some tax credits and help your facility to become more streamlined.
8. Outsource to the cloud
If you struggle with costly server repairs and lack of space, outsourcing to a data center might be the right choice for you. Migrating from a local server to a hosted server can take some of the financial pressure off of you and will likely also give you cloud storage privileges. The cloud can offer certain backup services that will save you money as well.
These easy tips offer some great options for saving money while remaining competitive with your IT. Learning where to trim your budget can be difficult. It is always a good idea to contact a professional IT services company to evaluate your infrastructure and help you to prioritize. You may be able to pair down to fewer machines if you have ones with the right features. It is also important to have regularly scheduled inspections and updates to keep you from future costly repairs and crises.
CCNY Tech is an IT sales and services company. For over 25 years, CCNY Tech has been supplying IT equipment as well as providing maintenance and IT recycling services. Partnering with some of the top brands in the industry, they are experts in equipment and custom configurations. CCNY Tech IT professionals provides custom solutions to businesses of all sizes. Learn more at ccnytech.com.