The time to upgrade

I am often asked when the best time to upgrade computer systems is. The question is quite generic and there are a few good answers.

First, it is a good idea to do an assessment of the current technology infrastructure.

For smaller businesses, the infrastructure may consist of a couple of computers, printers, switching, and a broadband router.

Larger companies may use software to do the asset compilation.

In either situation, it is a good idea to have an idea of what the current state of your systems is and the area that should be tackled first.

I like to look at technology infrastructure in 3 distinct areas:

Network Infrastructure – This includes devices such as switches, hubs, routers, etc. and any other device(s) that facilitates the information flow on your network. For some areas, this could also include specialized services such as VoIP.

Server/Client Infrastructure – This includes your servers (email, file/print services, terminal services) and client computers (desktops, laptops, PDA’s, etc.)

Software Systems – This is a fairly large area which is comprised of OS (operating systems), business applications (software productivity suites), security, etc.

There are many reasons to upgrade in any one of these categories. In some instances, it is necessary to upgrade one to gain upgrade benefits in another.

For example, some OS upgrades require hardware upgrades. You may need to upgrade the server memory, processor, or hard disk space to accommodate a new OS. These considerations must be made when researching possible upgrade paths.

After you have performed an assessment of your current infrastructure (talk with your current technology provider if you need assistance) you should have a solid idea of the key areas that can benefit from upgrades.

In next weeks’ column, I will discuss some of the possible upgrades you should consider and the best method of implementing these types of investments.