What are the strategies to select the appropriate hardware and software to meet the business needs?

Purchasing new hardware* for your business can be a challenge given the many options available and different factors you need to consider such as features, compatibility, pricing, brand, etc. Since hardware items take up a significant part of your IT budget, careful consideration is required before each purchase.  

To find the best fit for your business, it’s important to think about how any piece of hardware will be used, who will be using it and how often, and what tasks they will be using it for. When you have a clear idea of this, it’ll be easier to know what to look for in your next hardware purchase. Here are a few things to consider when you are choosing between the different product options:   

1. What features should your hardware have? 

Before beginning your hardware search, create a list of “required” features that are critical to the operation of your business. Then make another list of “preferred” features that are not essential but would be useful and make life easier. By doing this you can eliminate many products from the search that don’t come with the “required” features or are too expensive. From there, you can make a final selection based on the number of additional, “preferred” features that the product has.  

2. What are your speed and performance requirements? 

Hardware devices typically have a processor or CPU that determines its speed and performance. The higher the processing power, the better your device is at handling complex tasks and larger workloads. In general, the latest generation processors will be more than capable of performing basic business tasks. There are also certain types of processors designed for specific, high-performance functions such as video editing or 3D modelling. Deciding how much processing power you need mainly depends on the type of tasks your device will be performing.  

3. What storage capacity do you need? 

Storage or memory refers to the amount of information that can be stored on a device to be accessed and used later. Almost everything on your computer requires storage, from basic documents and photos to complex programs and applications.  

When determining how much storage space you need, it is helpful to check how much you are currently using on your existing hardware. The storage capacity of your new hardware device should be well beyond what you actually need to keep stored. This is because of the amount of storage you have available directly impacts performance. The closer you are to the storage limit, the slower your device will be.  

Related: Simple Ways to Speed Up Your Computer

4. Do you need hardware that supports work mobility? 

Research shows that 52% of employees around the world work remotely at least once per week. Even if your company doesn’t do telecommuting, there’s a high chance that you or another team member might travel for business and need access to work files from somewhere other than the office desk.  

The hardware products you decide to purchase will have a major impact on your team’s ability to work remotely or to stay mobile throughout the day. Choosing laptops instead of desktops will allow you to work from anywhere. It is also worth investing in USB sticks or small, external hard drives to allow files to be accessible from different locations.  

5. What is your budget? 

In 2019, small to medium businesses allocated 41% of their IT budgets to hardware purchases. Given that hardware products are especially expensive, you’ll need to set a firm but realistic budget that also accounts for additional expenses such as customization, software subscriptions, accessories, training, technical support and extended warranties. You don’t want to search for the cheapest option only to have it break down within months. To protect your investment, it is best to opt for hardware products that offer a warranty.  

6. Compatibility

Will your new hardware integrate well into your existing hardware, software, office set-up, etc? You may discover that you need to invest in more than you initially planned to.  It is important to develop an IT strategy based on your business goals.  Your hardware purchases should support the growth of your business and not just be quick fixes for immediate issues. As your business grows, you will need to increase the network, storage and processing capabilities of your IT system. The hardware you choose now should have the flexibility to accommodate this change.  

If you need further assistance with hardware purchases, talk to our consultants at Insight IT. We can make the process easy and straightforward by evaluating your current IT system and finding hardware solutions most suitable for the long-term growth of your business. 

*Hardware refers to any physical tech products including desktop and laptop computers, servers, printers, portable storage devices, video cards, and telephony systems.  

Hardware and Software for Business One of the most important decisions a business will make is the purchase of computer hardware and software for the use of the business. Whether the company is a small Mom and Pop business or a large company with multiple locations, the criteria in deciding the appropriate automated accounting system is similar.

Some of the questions in buying a computer system are: What will be the cost? Will the software meet all the needs of our organization? What kind of internal

With so many options available, choosing computer hardware for your business can be difficult. You will have to keep in mind:

• your current and future hardware needs
• potential compatibility issues
• security concerns
• your long-term IT strategy

Your new IT systems should support your business goals and objectives, and align with your business strategy.

How to assess computer hardware needs

To assess your needs, look at how you intend to use computers in your business. Think about, for example:

• the tasks you plan to computerise - eg record-keeping, payroll, invoicing, advertising
• your basic requirements - eg networking equipment, operating systems or software
• your business-specific requirements - eg web servers for e-commerce businesses

Different types of businesses will generally have different computer hardware needs. A personal computer may be enough for a small start-up, but a growing business may need more advanced equipment to meet its changing needs.

See how to carry out a technology needs assessment.

Your staff may also require training if you purchase new equipment that you expect them to use. You can carry out an IT training and learning needs analysis to determine what type of training, if any, your staff might need.

Compatibility

When choosing hardware, make sure that any new or replacement components are compatible with your existing computer equipment. Consider the overall costs, including if it might be cheaper to install a new system rather than upgrade the existing components.

Security

Hardware theft or loss is a potential businesses risk. Whether by accident or malicious intent, loss of a laptop, a mobile device or storage devices (such as hard drives) can put your business' data security at risk. You should take steps to protect both hardware and data against a potential breach. Read about the different types of IT risk and the importance of managing IT risk in business.

Long-term IT strategy

Your IT strategy should take into account any future changes in your market, your employees and your products or services. If possible, integrate hardware refresh and software rollout strategies in your business. See also computer software for business.

When choosing new hardware for your business, it's good practice to keep a list of purchase dates and costs of hardware for accountancy, tax, warranty and insurance purposes.

Find out how to develop an IT strategy for your business.

Hardware life expectancy

Life expectancy for some computer hardware parts is three to five years. At some point, your hardware may fail or it may become too old to perform adequately for your needs. Many businesses work on a hardware replacement cycle of about three to four years for desktop PCs and five years for servers.

Disposal of old hardware

Before you dispose of old computer hardware, it is important to delete any confidential or sensitive data. You can do this by either:

• securely wiping the data
• removing and physically destroying the storage drives that hold this data

You should dispose of old hardware in an environmentally friendly way. In some cases, the manufacturer can arrange a free collection from you. Retailers or suppliers may charge you to dispose of the equipment.