Calculating the Budget for Refurbished Servers

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Calculating the Budget for Refurbished Servers

I would love it if every IT admin could choose their infrastructure based on user needs, project demands, and even to allow you the opportunity to get your hands on the latest tech.. but in the real world, there's one word that hangs over everything - BUDGET!

While solutions like refurb servers can help you get everything or at least most of  what you need, budgets still matter.

Where do you start to budget for servers?

When calculating a budget for your servers, budgeting begins with the application and then the specifications needed for the physical hardware.

I often work with our own IT department to review our budgets and we go for pricing out at least three option types in both new and used condition:

1) Budget out the minimum specs required
2) Budget the dream scenario
3) Budget a compromise scenario that serves today, with growth built in for three years ahead and upgrade optionality down the road

Of course, you could go online or request a quote from an authorized partner for new servers. For comparison sakes and optionality, that's not a bad place to begin, but it's not where you should stop. When pricing out a server, you should always compare your discounted quality options, and that includes new open box and refurbished server products from reputable dealers.

Many users will find they can save 80% to 90% off of the price of new, whether that is on an identical model or perhaps a very comparable model, one which would serve the specifications of the application similarly.

So, when calculating the budget, take time to explore all hardware options, because it may allow you to do more with that budget available to you, and provide better long-term capacity to your users, for your company's growth.

Summary: When calculating a budget for your servers, you start with the application and then the specifications needed for the physical hardware.

Questions about Refurbished Servers?

Contact us anytime… we’ve been doing business in the secondary market for IT hardware since 1995.

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Author: Corey Donovan

Corey is a reuse advocate with 20 years experience in ITAD and serves as President of Alta Technologies, the gold standard for quality in testing and refurbishing servers, networking and data storage hardware, since 1995.

An active member of the Right-To-Repair movement, Corey also serves on the ASCDI Board, is a member of the Forbes Business Council, Vistage, SIA and UNEDA. He enjoys local adventures with his family and dog, Freya, near Minneapolis, MN.

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