Recommended Best Practices for Refresh of Computers
Assigned toUniversity Personnel
April 28, 2008
Most faculty and staff positions at Northern Arizona University (NAU) require the use of personal computers with up-to-date software for efficient and effective job performance. However, without proper planning and attention to computer replacement, departments run the risk of falling behind in keeping everyone productive in their jobs. This document briefly summarizes the rationale for regular computer replacement and recommends best practices for administrators responsible for computer procurements.
I. Perform an accurate asset inventory of computer systems within each college or department.
It is a good practice to know the age of the equipment in your area of responsibility. The best way to do this is to keep an inventory of departmental computer assets that is updated annually. The inventory should note at least the age of the computers and the property control number. However, it is better to also note the type of CPU, amount of memory, size of hard drive, and type of monitor.
Continuous advances in software functionality dictate the need for advances in computer hardware. Over time, the hardware system that performed well with one version of software will not support the newest version without an upgrade to memory, hard drive space, or processing power. Eventually computers fall behind to the point they cannot run the software to do the job. The inventory serves as a guide for planning on the size of the future maintenance debt being carried by the department.
II.Replace personal computers at least every four years.
The industry standard best practice is to replace personal computers every four years. This may seem shocking to some administrators at NAU, but this is also our recommendation—those who follow it will minimize faculty and staff frustration and reduce overall maintenance and support costs for the university.
While it is the goal to support all departmental computers in use at NAU, Information Technology Services (ITS) has found it necessary to develop a Full Support Policy due to the burden that maintenance of older computers places on time and resources. ITS supports computer systems that have been purchased within the last five years from a campus approved vendor. Computers that are older than five years will be considered for support depending on several factors, such as the age of the computer, the nature of the problem, parts availability, and current operating system and software minimum requirements.
Some units have found cost savings by exploring thin client alternatives to purchasing full-featured personal computers for selected personnel. Cost savings occur because the thin-clients are cheaper and typically last six, instead of four, years. Those interested should consult with ITS to discuss issues such as requisite server investments, accessibility, ability to predict the position’s software needs, or performance limitations.
III. Annually allocate a fixed cost for computer refresh based on the college or department’s available budget.
Clearly computers are not going away and just as clearly they do not last forever. Hence, at any maintenance refresh cycle, there is a need to replace a portion ofthe computer inventory every year. From a planning standpoint, the cost associated with purchasing new computers has remained relatively constant for the past several years. Further, to help stabilize cost and assure procurement quality, NAU contracts with a specific vendor to purchase personal computers, laptops, and servers. This not only sustains a lower cost to all members of NAU, but allows for the standardization of hardware configurations and repairs. This strategy also makes upgrades and maintenance more efficient and cost effective across the entire campus. Colleges can combine orders with other departments to obtain volume pricing, receive a warranty from the manufacturer, and be assured of in-house support by certified technicians when problems occur.
IV.Stay apprised of requirements for new computer software or other factors that might motivate a more aggressive replacement cycle.
Occasionally software changes accelerate computer obsolescence for a given individual, department, or college. Implementing a new administrative software package, for example, might require replacing the four, or five, year-old machines listed on the inventory for those affected individuals. While ITS tries to set minimum purchasing standards, there are occasions when an individual or group of faculty and staff need better than the minimum to run the software they need. Situations such as specialized research software needs, intense graphical applications, or even some high-end administrative software functions occasionally dictate computers beyond the normal minimum configuration.After computers are purchased, it is important to keep up with enterprise-wide changes by keeping in touch with some of the core ITS services such as the ITS newsletter, the ITS help desks, training programs, and IT Pro liaison monthly meetings. The PC Support team and others in ITS are always available to help administrators make computer-related decisions.
Finally, it’s worth noting that there may be additional environmental reasons to consider in replacing older computers. Newer machines have better power saving features. As one example, older (CRT) monitors consume 76 watts on average, while a newer flat screen (LCD) monitor only consumes 20 watts during the average workday. Reducing the number of older computer systems will help decrease the energy consumption of the campus, creating a more sustainable university environment in alignment with the goals set forth by the Campus Sustainability Program. If the replaced computers are viable for other uses; pursue the re-purposing, re-sale,or trade of replaced computers in order to defer the disposal of computer materials.
Endorsements:
Provost’s Academic Computing Advisory CommitteeFebruary 20, 2008
Steering Committee for Administrative ComputingApril 1, 2008
Associate/Assistant Deans’ RoundtableMarch 26, 2008
Academic Chairs CouncilApril 16, 2008
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