Can you afford not to upgrade your desktops?

by TechRepublic Staff | Apr 07, 2004 7:00:00 AM

Tags: Desktops, PRODUCTIVITY, TechRepublic Staff, desktop, Desktop Upgrades, tool

Takeaway: The Desktop Upgrades Pack will help you decide whether a desktop upgrade will meet your organization's needs, choose the right desktop upgrade vendor, and check vendors' references.

Some organizations try to save money by holding onto older desktops, but costs can accrue quickly by having to support and secure obsolete equipment. Upgrading your desktops may actually make better business sense, regardless of the size of your IT budget.

Our Desktop Upgrades Pack includes four tools, described in detail below, that will help you decide whether a desktop upgrade will meet your organization's needs, choose the right desktop upgrade vendor, and check vendors' references.

The Gap Analysis: Desktop Upgrades tool's three detailed worksheets (Requirements, Gap Report, and Solution Benefits) will help you determine whether a gap exists between your current system's desktop capabilities and your organization's future requirements. If you establish that a gap exists, our tool will also help you determine if a desktop upgrade can help you close those gaps.

The Vendor Selection Checklist: Desktop Upgrades tool's detailed worksheets (Criteria Ranking, Vendor, and Comparison) will help you assess the desktop upgrade products and services available from various vendors so that your determination is based on the facts and issues most applicable to your organization's needs.

The Vendor Reference Questionnaire: Desktop Upgrades tool allows you to record important contact and demographic information on up to six separate references. Find out how each reference rates the vendor(s) on 10 critical, technology-specific questions. When you've completed the data from all the references you're contacting, the tool will pull the information into the Comparison worksheet for a side-by-side look at how their vendor ratings stack up.

The Financial Scenario Planner: Desktop Upgrades tool helps you decide whether to buy, build, lease, or stay with your current desktop capabilities. We've organized each worksheet to help you determine variable costs, such as monthly software fees, and fixed costs, such as personnel. We've also included sections that allow you to track implementation charges, projected fixed costs, and variable costs, including hardware leases and consulting fees.

Click here to check out our Desktop Upgrades Pack.