One of the chief issues facing many of my clients is the ability to refresh their IT assets. Their concerns revolve around issues like migrating data, new operating systems, application compatibility, and of course, budget. It can become a game of the chicken and the egg, if I buy a new, server, PC, router, or firewall, will it become obsolete the moment I install it? If I don’t buy it, am I vulnerable to security threats, warranty expiration, patch availability?

Today, one of the biggest issues facing our clients is what to do about Microsoft Vista. Many have expressed that their key applications are not yet “Vista Ready”, yet they do not want to buy XP and have that Operating system for the next 3-5 years. Microsoft is going end of production with their Windows XP operating system at the end of June 2008. After that, unless you subscribe to one of the Microsoft programs with downgrade rights, at a premium, you will have no choice but move to Vista.

So what might be the solution? We are currently providing a program, 360 IT, where we provide Hardware as a Service. We provide our clients with the asset and all support for a prescribed term (usually 36 month) for a fixed monthly fee. We provide the Operating System, Office applications, and other requested software under the arrangement. If anything happens to that unit, it is our responsibility, not yours.

Is it leasing?

360 IT differs from leasing in that hardware replacement is the key component of the service. Should a unit fail, a new one is brought to you staged with your standard image. There is no need for you to deal with the manufacturer or have to reinstall all of your associated applications in the event a full replacement is required.

Additionally, we are held to a Service Level Agreement (SLA) that states how quickly a replacement unit needs to be on-site. An advance replacement will be shipped to the client and configured for use on your network. The difference is in the service to the unit that goes well beyond traditional leasing programs. In a traditional procurement/leasing model you may have many staggered agreements and are responsible for all asset tracking. In the 360 IT model that hassle is taken out of the equation in the 360 IT model.

End of Term

A critical step in the process occurs at the end of the initial agreement. In a 360 IT arrangement the refresh is a critical component of the service. As many of you may have experienced, migrating systems can be one of the greatest technology headaches of all time! There are concerns about moving applications, coupled with the fear of losing your data.

At the point of migration the images for the new units are created and tested prior to installation. Since we are providing the hardware we can backup all systems in the event we are missing any critical data before removing the units from your location. You receive new units and stay current with technology as new solutions evolve. All of this at a price point that stays consistent each month.

New Microsoft Products

So now let’s go back to one of the original concerns that has been expressed, “What do I do when Microsoft introduces new products?” Clients that are coming under agreement at this time will have the ability to choose which Operating system will be installed on the unit. When Microsoft has a new release the user will have the option to upgrade those units (only one Operating System choice pre environment) under the contract.

Services to perform the upgrade are included under the arrangement. If you are under a traditional leasing agreement, that will require you to bear that cost for each unit you upgrade. Often, the investment is lost when you return the asset as few clients reuse the purchased license.

There are many other advantages to the 360 IT solution, but most mirror what we have provided to date under traditional Managed Services (MSP) offerings. What we are providing to our clients is an added level of security in knowing that no matter whether the issue, software or hardware, your covered all the way around with 360 IT!

Brian Doyle