How to Choose the Best Refurbished Servers
Making a great server choice begins by working with a trusted provider. I am so incredibly frustrated when users come to us that have bought from a rando junk-dealer on eBay and now think that all refurbished servers are a risk.
Over the decades, I've seen it time and time again, but the reality is there are great refurbishers doing excellent work for tens of thousands of happy companies.
How do you find and vet the best refurbished server resellers?
You should check the background of any organization offering refurbished servers.
- Have they been in business for multiple years?
- Do they have a book of repeat business?
- Do they have industry associations to back them up, such as the ASCDI or UNEDA? These organizations ensure that their members operate with the utmost ethics.
- Is there a product manager or expert who can provide you with guidance and price quotes on demand?
- Finally, and possibly most importantly, do they have an extensive inventory available with parts and components ready to ship, fully tested, and the engineers who can support and back those warranties and ensure that all equipment is original?
When looking at refurbished servers, it's useful to set a budget based on initial price, research, and comparison to the new systems being considered.
One might stick with one specific brand that they're looking at, such as comparing HP Proliant servers, but another approach could be to look at two to three similar types of servers from, say, Intel-based processors, comparing Dell HP and Cisco UCS servers or similar.
If comparing Unix systems to price out, perhaps look at both an IBM Power System server and an Oracle SPARC Solaris server, or an HP Integrity system based on HP-UX. With strong refurbished dealers, you have that option.
Where to Buy Your Refurbished Servers?
Well, jumping on eBay may seem like the easiest solution, but it can be extremely difficult to tell who the reliable resellers are on an open marketplace. (I remember something Obi-Wan once said about the Mos Eisley Spaceport!)
Establishing partnerships, and doing research to find the companies with the most extensive inventory of refurbished servers would serve a buyer well.
Looking for organizations with large engineering teams, technical centers, expansive inventories, and the ability to ship carefully and pack responsibly are all crucial.
This work will lead you to organizations with years of experience and a professional solution that will not only provide optimal direct pricing, but also the assurances that you need for reliable, refurbished servers.
Always make sure to buy from reliable sources, companies with years of experience, extensive inventory, teams of engineers and product experts, and the industry associations to back them, including organizations like the ASCDI and UNEDA.
More and more resellers are starting to pursue independent certifications the likes of R2v3 (so they can acquire more equipment direct from users) or ISO 9001 to demonstrate their quality and commitment to testing.Â
When you find companies who have invested thousands of hours and possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars to meet those standards, you're probably headed in the right direction!
Who Sells Refurbished Server Gear?
Companies in the re-use industry take great pride in what they do. Many consider reuse to be the highest form of recycling.
It's not only a career but a mission and a passion to extend the life of IT equipment.
There are thousands of companies around the world that deal in reused servers, storage and networking, but there are only a handful that have the scale of inventory capacity, engineering and product expertise to truly serve the most important customers.
While the vast majority of resellers are quite small, there are some larger companies that have been doing this for decades and service a world-wide client base, such as Alta Technologies.
Why Buy Refurbished Servers?
In the end, buying refurbished servers is a great choice for the IT user, not only for the incredible savings on equipment to stretch your budget or allow you to get your projects done on time, but it also means you're getting a reliable piece of equipment and extending the life of a system.
Due to supply chain shortages on the market, oftentimes a server or component might take weeks or months to be delivered new from the manufacturer. So, many companies will turn to the refurbished server market in order to get equipment delivered immediately.
Some projects just can't wait.
If you ever have questions or need direct consultation on how to choose the best refurbished or used server resellers, feel free to reach out directly and I will guide you through this market I've known my entire career!Â
Just email me at cdonovan@altatechnologies.comÂ
Summary: Discover what to look for in companies selling you refurbished equipment, and where to buy refurbished servers?Â
Last Updated:
04/05/2024
Questions about Refurbished Servers?
Contact us anytime… we’ve been doing business in the secondary market for IT hardware since 1995.
info@altatechnologies.com
763-475-2900 | 800-546-2582
Additional Reading & Resources:
- Article:Â What are Used Servers?
- Article:Â Using & Maintaining Used Servers
- Article:Â Types of Servers
- Article:Â New vs. Used Servers
- Article:Â A More Sustainable IT Future
- Article:Â Separating ITAD Fact from Fiction
- Article:Â Maximizing Your IT Budget
- Alta:Â Used Servers for Sale
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.