Over time, your data center equipment becomes outdated, less secure, and difficult to integrate with new technology. That means, at some point, you will need to upgrade to newer equipment and systems. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to throw away or keep your legacy equipment (old data center equipment).
What to Consider Before Upgrading to New Data Center Equipment
Before we discuss the benefits, we must go over what you must consider before buying new data center equipment:
- Power Supply
The first thing you must ensure is that you have 24/7 reliable electricity. Secondly, your updated equipment will likely use more power while being able to achieve more, so you need to make certain that you can balance the supply vs. demand for electricity.
- Cooling
You may already have a cooling system to cool your legacy equipment. However, your newer equipment might require more sophisticated cooling to reach its maximum potential and even overclock if it needs to during moments of heavy system traffic.
- New vs. Used
While you are upgrading to newer technology, it doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be brand new from a box. You must weigh the pros and cons of new vs used equipment. If you have a tight budget, you can still make a big upgrade in technology if you are buying used. however, If you have an ample budget, we would always recommend buying brand-new equipment.
Benefits of Decommissioning Legacy Data Center Equipment
Here are the benefits of decommissioning legacy data center equipment:
- Sell Your Decommissioned Data Center Equipment
Just as you can buy it as you upgrade, you can also sell decommissioned data center equipment. Some companies will take away your burdensome technology and either recycle it or sell it forward to someone else. You can also rely on them to help with the removal of the old systems while keeping your legacy data safe.
- Secure Your Legacy Data From Outside Threat
As technology and OS (operating Software) get older, it becomes increasingly easier to attack it from the outside. With each year, your data center equipment becomes more and more susceptible to hacker exploitation. That means you could get attacked by specialized ransomware and deal with devious predators.
- Open up Storage Space in the Data Center
Newer systems will have more compact technology. That means that it’s possible that decommissioning your older systems will open up some more storage space in your data center. More storage space would mean a larger, faster, and more robust system.
- Consolidate Data Silos
Data Silos are archives of data managed by a single department in the company. When you retire or decommission your older systems, it gives you a chance to consolidate the data across all departments. That makes for seamless communication across all departments and gives you access to a previously obscure bigger picture of what the data in your company looks like.
- Save in Maintenance Costs
Older technologies require more maintenance and problem-solving to integrate with increasingly newer systems. In contrast, newer systems can integrate seamlessly and need less maintenance. The costs saved in maintenance, added with the money gained back by selling the retired hardware, makes upgrading easier on a company’s budget.
