Virtualized business: Costs and benefits

By Editor | Published: July 11, 2019

Virtualization addresses many challenges that businesses face when upgrading their hardware and network. That’s because deploying virtualized systems offers an affordable and flexible solution to a typically arduous problem. But before you invest in a virtualized infrastructure, consider the following costs and benefits.

The advantages

One of the most significant advantages of virtualization is that it eliminates the need to buy more hardware to supplement your company’s requirements. Because it consolidates your physical servers, there’s no need to maintain and update unnecessary hardware. This means less time and money spent on maintaining and running your servers and managing desk side support.

Moreover, virtual machines have made backing up your entire data center a lot less demanding. That’s because virtual machines take up-to-date snapshots of your servers and redeploy them seamlessly to another device. Unlike physical servers that require you to create backups of your server and current data, virtual backups cut the waiting time for server reboots.

Virtualization also eliminates the risk of accidentally losing files. Should disaster strike your physical servers, you can easily migrate your virtual machines to another device and keep working as if the incident never happened.

Additionally, opting for virtualization allows your company to have a higher degree of technological versatility because virtual machines have the added flexibility to run on different platforms, servers, and hardware. This means you won’t be tied down to a single IT provider. What’s more, your company has the freedom to upgrade hardware without long server downtimes.

Finally, utilizing virtualization solutions puts your business in a good position to easily migrate to a prolific cloud environment.

Factors to consider

With no apparent disadvantages to virtualization, you’re probably getting ready to set up some virtual machines. But before you start virtualizing your business, consider the following factors first:

  • Initial costs to set up your network’s hardware and software still exist, so thoroughly check the services and devices that your company needs before moving forward.
  • Note that virtualization is an effective solution when you start with 5–7 servers running at your workplace. Usually, 10–15 is the optimal number of servers when you’ll start seeing a return on your investment. If you have fewer servers than the ones suggested above, then it’s probably best to opt for a different IT solution.
  • It’s important to consider your staff’s skills and experience with technology before switching to virtualized systems. Do they need training? How can you help them transition quickly to the proposed infrastructure?
  • Will your business have enough storage capacity? As a general rule, you should set aside 30–40 GB per user.
  • Think about setting up failovers to ensure the security of your virtual system.
  • Some applications are not compatible with virtualization such as mobile, media-rich, and certain security apps. So if your employees tend to use these types of software, it would probably be best to deploy a smaller-scale virtualization solution.
  • Pay attention to the conditions of your software license. Installing some applications on several computers could lead to increased costs.

Overall, the increased flexibility and reduced cost that a virtualized system offers are well worth the effort. While there are initial challenges to implementing virtual machines, many small businesses believe that the benefits outweigh the costs. To find out if virtualization solutions are for you, contact us today.

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Is virtualization right for your company?

By Editor | Published: July 11, 2019

Virtualization has become a popular solution for many businesses to back up servers, upgrade hardware, or move to the cloud. Deploying virtualized systems has proven cost-effective and efficient for many companies, but is it right for your organization? Here are some factors you ought to consider.

The advantages

One of the most significant advantages of virtualization is that it eliminates the need to buy more hardware to supplement your company’s requirements. Because it consolidates your physical servers, there’s no need to maintain and update unnecessary hardware. This means less time and money spent on maintaining and running your servers and managing desk side support.

Moreover, virtual machines have made backing up your entire data center a lot less demanding. That’s because virtual machines take up-to-date snapshots of your servers and redeploy them seamlessly to another device. Unlike physical servers that require you to create backups of your server and current data, virtual backups cut the waiting time for server reboots.

Virtualization also eliminates the risk of accidentally losing files. Should disaster strike your physical servers, you can easily migrate your virtual machines to another device and keep working as if the incident never happened.

Additionally, opting for virtualization allows your company to have a higher degree of technological versatility because virtual machines have the added flexibility to run on different platforms, servers, and hardware. This means you won’t be tied down to a single IT provider. What’s more, your company has the freedom to upgrade hardware without long server downtimes.

Finally, utilizing virtualization solutions puts your business in a good position to easily migrate to a prolific cloud environment.

Factors to consider

With no apparent disadvantages to virtualization, you’re probably getting ready to set up some virtual machines. But before you start virtualizing your business, consider the following factors first:

  • Initial costs to set up your network’s hardware and software still exist, so thoroughly check the services and devices that your company needs before moving forward.
  • Note that virtualization is an effective solution when you start with 5–7 servers running at your workplace. Usually, 10–15 is the optimal number of servers when you’ll start seeing a return on your investment. If you have fewer servers than the ones suggested above, then it’s probably best to opt for a different IT solution.
  • It’s important to consider your staff’s skills and experience with technology before switching to virtualized systems. Do they need training? How can you help them transition quickly to the proposed infrastructure?
  • Will your business have enough storage capacity? As a general rule, you should set aside 30–40 GB per user.
  • Think about setting up failovers to ensure the security of your virtual system.
  • Some applications are not compatible with virtualization such as mobile, media-rich, and certain security apps. So if your employees tend to use these types of software, it would probably be best to deploy a smaller-scale virtualization solution.
  • Pay attention to the conditions of your software license. Installing some applications on several computers could lead to increased costs.

Overall, the increased flexibility and reduced cost that a virtualized system offers are well worth the effort. While there are initial challenges to implementing virtual machines, many small businesses believe that the benefits outweigh the costs. To find out if virtualization solutions are for you, contact us today.

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4 Useful Google apps you didn’t know you needed

By Editor | Published: July 10, 2019

Facebook, Instagram, Gmail, Google Maps, and YouTube are applications that most smartphone owners know by heart. These cross-platform apps are so popular that they tend to bury other more use within the app store. Moving away from the “Most Downloaded Apps” section will reveal plenty of helpful apps you probably didn’t know you needed, such as the four below.

Chrome Remote Desktop
This cross-platform app gives users a highly reliable level of support. If you need remote assistance, you can grant someone temporary access to your desktop through this app, and revoke it once the issue has been resolved. The app also lets you access your own desktop from any of your mobile devices (smartphone, tablet, Chromebook) so you can work on your files or use programs. Simply install the Google Chrome extension, assign a pin for remote access, and start sharing.

Trusted Contacts
It’s a dangerous world out there, which is why location-sharing apps such as Trusted Contacts are heaven-sent. With Trusted Contacts, you can request location information from, or share yours with, a contact who’s also using the app. Location sharing has long been part of most apps with a GPS functionality, but what sets Trusted Contacts apart is its ability to send a person’s location even when offline. In instances when a person’s location is requested and there’s no answer within five minutes, the app automatically sends the contact’s last known location.

Google Handwriting Input
Typing on smartphones isn’t easy for everyone, and that’s why enhancements such as Swype are a welcome feature to touchscreen keyboards. Google Handwriting Input works like Swype, but is more flexible and doesn’t require precise strokes. You can handwrite your IMs and text messages, perform searches, and even create emojis using your finger or a stylus. This app may not seem like much, but it can be quite useful for those who communicate in languages with special characters.

Google Trips
Organizing business or leisurely travel is taxing and having to use multiple apps just adds to the chaos. Google Trips reduces the hassle by putting all data — such as itinerary, hotel location, available transportation, and other trip-related information — into one app and letting you access it online or offline. It also provides recommendations on popular attractions, day trips, and things to do based on the itineraries and other travel-related information you’ve stored in your Gmail.

The answer to some of your business’s most pressing needs may be hidden in plain sight in the App Store. We’re constantly on the lookout for process-enhancing apps and tools, so we know which solutions are best for you. Contact us today for advice.

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4 Google apps that will make your life easier

By Editor | Published: July 10, 2019

The sheer number of applications available in Google Play means spending hours distinguishing apps that improve your productivity from those that will dampen your efficiency. To save you time, we have chosen four apps that will make your life much easier.

Chrome Remote Desktop
This cross-platform app gives users a highly reliable level of support. If you need remote assistance, you can grant someone temporary access to your desktop through this app, and revoke it once the issue has been resolved. The app also lets you access your own desktop from any of your mobile devices (smartphone, tablet, Chromebook) so you can work on your files or use programs. Simply install the Google Chrome extension, assign a pin for remote access, and start sharing.

Trusted Contacts
It’s a dangerous world out there, which is why location-sharing apps such as Trusted Contacts are heaven-sent. With Trusted Contacts, you can request location information from, or share yours with, a contact who’s also using the app. Location sharing has long been part of most apps with a GPS functionality, but what sets Trusted Contacts apart is its ability to send a person’s location even when offline. In instances when a person’s location is requested and there’s no answer within five minutes, the app automatically sends the contact’s last known location.

Google Handwriting Input
Typing on smartphones isn’t easy for everyone, and that’s why enhancements such as Swype are a welcome feature to touchscreen keyboards. Google Handwriting Input works like Swype, but is more flexible and doesn’t require precise strokes. You can handwrite your IMs and text messages, perform searches, and even create emojis using your finger or a stylus. This app may not seem like much, but it can be quite useful for those who communicate in languages with special characters.

Google Trips
Organizing business or leisurely travel is taxing and having to use multiple apps just adds to the chaos. Google Trips reduces the hassle by putting all data — such as itinerary, hotel location, available transportation, and other trip-related information — into one app and letting you access it online or offline. It also provides recommendations on popular attractions, day trips, and things to do based on the itineraries and other travel-related information you’ve stored in your Gmail.

The answer to some of your business’s most pressing needs may be hidden in plain sight in the App Store. We’re constantly on the lookout for process-enhancing apps and tools, so we know which solutions are best for you. Contact us today for advice.

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4 Free Google apps you need on your device

By Editor | Published: July 10, 2019

Did you know that Google offers more than just Gmail, Maps, and YouTube? A quick browse through Google Play will introduce you to a host of apps that can make your life easier. Window shopping at the Google store, however, means an inundation of productivity-destroying entertainment apps, and you probably have no time to sift through them all. But we do, so make room on your device for these four extremely useful Google tools.

Chrome Remote Desktop
This cross-platform app gives users a highly reliable level of support. If you need remote assistance, you can grant someone temporary access to your desktop through this app, and revoke it once the issue has been resolved. The app also lets you access your own desktop from any of your mobile devices (smartphone, tablet, Chromebook) so you can work on your files or use programs. Simply install the Google Chrome extension, assign a pin for remote access, and start sharing.

Trusted Contacts
It’s a dangerous world out there, which is why location-sharing apps such as Trusted Contacts are heaven-sent. With Trusted Contacts, you can request location information from, or share yours with, a contact who’s also using the app. Location sharing has long been part of most apps with a GPS functionality, but what sets Trusted Contacts apart is its ability to send a person’s location even when offline. In instances when a person’s location is requested and there’s no answer within five minutes, the app automatically sends the contact’s last known location.

Google Handwriting Input
Typing on smartphones isn’t easy for everyone, and that’s why enhancements such as Swype are a welcome feature to touchscreen keyboards. Google Handwriting Input works like Swype, but is more flexible and doesn’t require precise strokes. You can handwrite your IMs and text messages, perform searches, and even create emojis using your finger or a stylus. This app may not seem like much, but it can be quite useful for those who communicate in languages with special characters.

Google Trips
Organizing business or leisurely travel is taxing and having to use multiple apps just adds to the chaos. Google Trips reduces the hassle by putting all data — such as itinerary, hotel location, available transportation, and other trip-related information — into one app and letting you access it online or offline. It also provides recommendations on popular attractions, day trips, and things to do based on the itineraries and other travel-related information you’ve stored in your Gmail.

The answer to some of your business’s most pressing needs may be hidden in plain sight in the App Store. We’re constantly on the lookout for process-enhancing apps and tools, so we know which solutions are best for you. Contact us today for advice.

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Exciting features to expect from macOS Catalina

By Editor | Published: July 9, 2019

macOS Catalina, Apple’s next major update to its Mac and MacBook operating system (OS), is all set for a late-September 2019 release, and Mac users the world over can’t wait to unpack its new features and updates. Here’s what you can expect from the latest macOS.

Music, Podcast, and Apple TV apps

At the 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Apple announced the end of iTunes. In lieu of the soon-to-be-defunct music service and software program, three new apps for music, TV, and podcasts will be introduced in macOS Catalina.

With an interface similar to iTunes’, Apple Music gives you access to your existing music library (even songs from CDs you burned) so you can easily import or stream your music. You can even look up the lyrics of the song you’re listening to in the Now Playing section.

Meanwhile, the Apple TV app works as your all-in-one hub for movies and TV shows: it lets you stream and download content from streaming services and subscription channels like HBO and Showtime. You can also use the app to rent or buy new movies or TV shows.

Apple Podcasts brings you hundreds of thousands of free podcasts, including those you’re subscribed to or have added to iTunes. Get episode updates on your Mac to keep up with your favorite podcasters, and look up episodes by guests, hosts, or topics with the app’s improved search function.

Sidecar

Turn your iPad into a second monitor for your Mac and extend your workspace with Sidecar. Just connect your devices via cable or wirelessly, and you can mirror your Mac’s desktop so your iPad shows the same apps and content as your Mac. And if your apps support Touch Bar, Sidecar enables touch input even if your Mac doesn’t have a Touch Bar. You can also use your iPad as a drawing tablet for your Mac if you have an Apple Pencil stylus.

Project Catalyst

Project Catalyst will soon make iPad and iPhone apps available on Macs and Macbooks. Catalyst makes it possible for app developers to port their iOS apps over to macOS, bringing an array of new tools and programs to your Mac.

The development tool is still a work in progress, though, so there are only a few universal iOS and macOS apps right now. These include Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts but you can expect to see a few more roll out with Catalina later this year.

Find My

Find My app combines Find My Friends and Find My iPhone into one seamless program. Aside from all the tools found in the individual apps, Find My offers new ones that work over Bluetooth, as well as Wi-Fi and cellular data, to find your or other people’s devices even when they’re offline. And because Find My uses a system that encrypts the location of lost or stolen devices, you’ll be the only one who can see it. This makes finding your Macbook, iPhone, or iPad more secure, not to mention easier.

Voice Control

Manage every aspect of your Mac with Voice Control. This accessibility feature built on the Siri speech recognition engine lets you dictate notes and messages and edit these as you go along. What’s more, Voice Control is smart enough to differentiate between dictations and commands. So if you say, “Buy milk. Click send,” only “Buy milk” will be typed out and sent as a message.

There are many more features and capabilities in the latest macOS, all of them designed to improve the way users work and play. If you want to learn more about how Catalina will enhance your productivity, drop us a line today.

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5 Cool features of macOS Catalina

By Editor | Published: July 9, 2019

macOS Catalina is the latest version of Apple’s operating system for Mac computers. From three new apps for managing music, podcasts, and your favorite movies and TV shows to productivity- and creativity-boosting programs, Catalina offers a myriad of exciting features that will enhance overall user experience. Read on to find out more.

Music, Podcast, and Apple TV apps

At the 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Apple announced the end of iTunes. In lieu of the soon-to-be-defunct music service and software program, three new apps for music, TV, and podcasts will be introduced in macOS Catalina.

With an interface similar to iTunes’, Apple Music gives you access to your existing music library (even songs from CDs you burned) so you can easily import or stream your music. You can even look up the lyrics of the song you’re listening to in the Now Playing section.

Meanwhile, the Apple TV app works as your all-in-one hub for movies and TV shows: it lets you stream and download content from streaming services and subscription channels like HBO and Showtime. You can also use the app to rent or buy new movies or TV shows.

Apple Podcasts brings you hundreds of thousands of free podcasts, including those you’re subscribed to or have added to iTunes. Get episode updates on your Mac to keep up with your favorite podcasters, and look up episodes by guest, host, or topic with the app’s improved search function.

Sidecar

Turn your iPad into a second monitor for your Mac and extend your workspace with Sidecar. Just connect your devices via cable or wirelessly, and you can mirror your Mac’s desktop so your iPad shows the same apps and content as your Mac. And if your apps support Touch Bar, Sidecar enables touch input even if your Mac doesn’t have a Touch Bar. You can also use your iPad as a drawing tablet for your Mac if you have an Apple Pencil stylus.

Project Catalyst

Project Catalyst will soon make iPad and iPhone apps available on Macs and Macbooks. Catalyst makes it possible for app developers to port their iOS apps over to macOS, bringing an array of new tools and programs to your Mac.

The development tool is still a work in progress, though, so there are only a few universal iOS and macOS apps right now. These include Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts but you can expect to see a few more roll out with Catalina later this year.

Find My

Find My app combines Find My Friends and Find My iPhone into one seamless program. Aside from all the tools found in the individual apps, Find My offers new ones that work over Bluetooth, as well as Wi-Fi and cellular data, to find your or other people’s devices even when they’re offline. And because Find My uses a system that encrypts the location of lost or stolen devices, you’ll be the only one who can see it. This makes finding your Macbook, iPhone, or iPad more secure, not to mention easier.

Voice Control

Manage every aspect of your Mac with Voice Control. This accessibility feature built on the Siri speech recognition engine lets you dictate notes and messages and edit these as you go along. What’s more, Voice Control is smart enough to differentiate between dictations and commands. So if you say, “Buy milk. Click send,” only “Buy milk” will be typed out and sent as a message.

There are many more features and capabilities in the latest macOS, all of them designed to improve the way users work and play. If you want to learn more about how Catalina will enhance your productivity, drop us a line today.

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First look: macOS Catalina’s exciting features

By Editor | Published: July 9, 2019

macOS Catalina is the 16th major release of Apple’s operating system for Mac and Macbook. Set for rollout in late September 2019, it offers a raft of useful new features and improvements that will give users a better experience. Here’s a quick look at some of them.

Music, Podcast, and Apple TV apps

At the 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Apple announced the end of iTunes. In lieu of the soon-to-be-defunct music service and software program, three new apps for music, TV, and podcasts will be introduced in macOS Catalina.

With an interface similar to iTunes’, Apple Music gives you access to your existing music library (even songs from CDs you burned) so you can easily import or stream your music. You can even look up the lyrics of the song you’re listening to in the Now Playing section.

Meanwhile, the Apple TV app works as your all-in-one hub for movies and TV shows: it lets you stream and download content from streaming services and subscription channels like HBO and Showtime. You can also use the app to rent or buy new movies or TV shows.

Apple Podcasts brings you hundreds of thousands of free podcasts, including those you’re subscribed to or have added to iTunes. Get episode updates on your Mac to keep up with your favorite podcasters, and look up episodes by guest, host, or topic with the app’s improved search function.

Sidecar

Turn your iPad into a second monitor for your Mac and extend your workspace with Sidecar. Just connect your devices via cable or wirelessly, and you can mirror your Mac’s desktop so your iPad shows the same apps and content as your Mac. And if your apps support Touch Bar, Sidecar enables touch input even if your Mac doesn’t have a Touch Bar. You can also use your iPad as a drawing tablet for your Mac if you have an Apple Pencil stylus.

Project Catalyst

Project Catalyst will soon make iPad and iPhone apps available on Macs and Macbooks. Catalyst makes it possible for app developers to port their iOS apps over to macOS, bringing an array of new tools and programs to your Mac.

The development tool is still a work in progress, though, so there are only a few universal iOS and macOS apps right now. These include Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts but you can expect to see a few more roll out with Catalina later this year.

Find My

Find My app combines Find My Friends and Find My iPhone into one seamless program. Aside from all the tools found in the individual apps, Find My offers new ones that work over Bluetooth, as well as Wi-Fi and cellular data, to find your or other people’s devices even when they’re offline. And because Find My uses a system that encrypts the location of lost or stolen devices, you’ll be the only one who can see it. This makes finding your Macbook, iPhone, or iPad more secure, not to mention easier.

Voice Control

Manage every aspect of your Mac with Voice Control. This accessibility feature built on the Siri speech recognition engine lets you dictate notes and messages and edit these as you go along. What’s more, Voice Control is smart enough to differentiate between dictations and commands. So if you say, “Buy milk. Click send,” only “Buy milk” will be typed out and sent as a message.

There are many more features and capabilities in the latest macOS, all of them designed to improve the way users work and play. If you want to learn more about how Catalina will enhance your productivity, drop us a line today.

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Considerations for server replacement

By Editor | Published: July 8, 2019

If you’re thinking about replacing a server for your small business, then that probably means your company is experiencing success and is starting to grow. That’s great news. But is it really time to invest in a new one? Or does waiting too long risk slowing your business down? Either way, it’s important to consider your decision carefully. As a business owner, you should take the time to answer the following questions before deciding on your aging server.

When do my servers need to be replaced?

This is a difficult question, but there are two factors you will want to consider — age and performance. The useful life of a server is around three years. While it’s not unheard of for servers to function properly beyond year three, relying on them beyond this point can be risky as hardware problems occur more often. This means you will have to deal with costly repairs and possible unpredictable downtime.

Performance is another factor to consider. Even if your servers are only a year old, it doesn’t make sense to keep them around until year three if they are slow and too costly to maintain. It’s important to do a cost-benefit analysis in these situations and look at how much money you will lose in repairs and downtime and then compare it to the cost of buying new hardware.

Do I have an alternative to buying new servers?

Believe it or not, the answer to your server problems might not necessarily be purchasing more physical hardware. One way to avoid this is by embracing virtualization. This process allows your servers to be stored and maintained off-site with everything being delivered to your office via the internet. 

There are two notable benefits of virtualizing your servers. First, you don’t have to spend a ton of money on new equipment. Second, virtualization is a scalable technology, meaning you only pay for the data capacity you use. For instance, if you only need two and a half servers, you can do that. This is in contrast to having physical equipment which would require your business to either make do with two servers or splurge and buy the third one even if you didn’t need all of that space.

Of course there are a few things you need to consider before making the switch to server virtualization. One of the biggest issues is security. Ask yourself if you feel comfortable keeping all of your data off-site. While this isn’t a concern for some companies, others may not see this as palatable. There are several workarounds to this issue, including the hybrid option where you keep sensitive data on-site and everything else off-site.

Can I do anything to prevent a full-scale server replacement?

Yes. It’s certainly possible for you to buy some time and give your current servers additional life, but these are short-term fixes, not long-term solutions. Server upgrades are a good place to start if your servers are less than three years old but are degrading in performance. Installingadditional CPUs or memory may increase server performance at a fraction of the cost of buying new servers.

You can also utilize old servers for non-critical workloads. It’s possible to extend the life of servers that may have four or five years of wear-and-tear on them via repurposing. Instead of swapping out all of your servers, use the old ones for non-critical processes and purchase new ones to handle critical workloads. This will help you get a better ROI on your technology while avoiding a wholesale hardware purchase which could cripple your budget.

If you have any questions about your servers and how you can increase their performance, get in touch with us today. We can help you procure new hardware or show you the benefits of virtualization.

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Ask these 3 questions about your servers

By Editor | Published: July 8, 2019

While you’re still alive and kicking, your heart should never skip a beat. It’s the same with your servers. They’re always working, ensuring your business stays operational even if you don’t pay attention to them. However, business owners tend to overlook their servers as most times it is a simple case of being out of sight, out of mind. This is a dangerous way of thinking because once your servers go down, you could start losing money and maybe even go under. Even if your servers seem to be running smoothly, do yourself a favor and consider these three questions.

When do my servers need to be replaced?

This is a difficult question, but there are two factors you will want to consider — age and performance. The useful life of a server is around three years. While it’s not unheard of for servers to function properly beyond year three, relying on them beyond this point can be risky as hardware problems occur more often. This means you will have to deal with costly repairs and possible unpredictable downtime.

Performance is another factor to consider. Even if your servers are only a year old, it doesn’t make sense to keep them around until year three if they are slow and too costly to maintain. It’s important to do a cost-benefit analysis in these situations and look at how much money you will lose in repairs and downtime and then compare it to the cost of buying new hardware.

Do I have an alternative to buying new servers?

Believe it or not, the answer to your server problems might not necessarily be purchasing more physical hardware. One way to avoid this is by embracing virtualization. This process allows your servers to be stored and maintained off-site with everything being delivered to your office via the internet. 

There are two notable benefits of virtualizing your servers. First, you don’t have to spend a ton of money on new equipment. Second, virtualization is a scalable technology, meaning you only pay for the data capacity you use. For instance, if you only need two and a half servers, you can do that. This is in contrast to having physical equipment which would require your business to either make do with two servers or splurge and buy the third one even if you didn’t need all of that space.

Of course there are a few things you need to consider before making the switch to server virtualization. One of the biggest issues is security. Ask yourself if you feel comfortable keeping all of your data off-site. While this isn’t a concern for some companies, others may not see this as palatable. There are several workarounds to this issue, including the hybrid option where you keep sensitive data on-site and everything else off-site.

Can I do anything to prevent a full-scale server replacement?

Yes. It’s certainly possible for you to buy some time and give your current servers additional life, but these are short-term fixes, not long-term solutions. Server upgrades are a good place to start if your servers are less than three years old but are degrading in performance. Installing additional CPUs or memory may increase server performance at a fraction of the cost of buying new servers.

You can also utilize old servers for non-critical workloads. It’s possible to extend the life of servers that may have four or five years of wear-and-tear on them via repurposing. Instead of swapping out all of your servers, use the old ones for non-critical processes and purchase new ones to handle critical workloads. This will help you get a better ROI on your technology while avoiding a wholesale hardware purchase which could cripple your budget.

If you have any questions about your servers and how you can increase their performance, get in touch with us today. We can help you procure new hardware or show you the benefits of virtualization.

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