By CEC
Technology changes quickly – and it ages just as fast. From security systems to conferencing solutions, these purchases can reach the end of their lifecycle quickly and become a drain on your budget, your time, and your resources. Relying on aging systems to run your organization can also lead to frustration and unplanned downtime.
So … is using old technology worth it?
If you’re trying to make outdated tech work to support communication, security, and collaboration, here are a few things that may happen as a result.
- Potential Cybersecurity Problems
The possibility of an incident like malware, ransomware, or a data breach increases when you use outdated technology. Systems can’t protect themselves against the latest threats when they lack up-to-date security capabilities. Cyber threats change every day. If your technology isn’t current, your risk is constantly increasing.
Security Boulevard (a leader in security blog content) says that 60% of 2019 breaches involved systems that hadn’t simply deployed available patches to address known vulnerabilities.
Outdated surveillance cameras, AV systems, and even videoconferencing solutions are all potential vulnerabilities. For example: Recent research conducted by our partner, Genetec, indicates that more than 68% of cameras currently run outdated firmware. A simple update would quickly address the issue; without this update, these cameras are more vulnerable to cyberattacks.
- Lost Productivity and Downtime
When technology works like it should, it fades into the background. You don’t think about the system that’s keeping watch over your building or facilitating quick video chats throughout the day – you’re focused on your core business.
When technology isn’t working correctly, it becomes all you can focus on because it’s preventing you from being productive (or even putting your safety at risk). If it becomes more of a hindrance than a helpful business tool, then people may opt not to use it at all.
Systems that run slowly or freeze lead to wasted time for whoever’s impacted by the delay (employees, students, patients, visitors, etc.) – and possibly loss of revenue for your organization as well if these crucial systems aren’t functioning.
- Increased Maintenance Costs
As it ages, technology becomes more expensive to maintain. Service-call frequency increases, replacement parts become more difficult to find, troubleshooting takes longer, and downtime happens more often. (And don’t forget the amount of time spent trying to determine whether someone in-house can “make it work” before deciding to call for outside help.)
These hard and soft costs add up quickly, leading to more time and money required to keep outdated technology running.
- System Failure
Technology doesn’t last forever – even if you do everything you can to keep it going.
We’ve worked with hospitals that were relying 1970s nurse call systems, commercial buildings with fire alarm systems that dated back to the 1990s, and manufacturers using two-way radios from the late 1980s. In some cases, the systems were still limping along. In other cases, they weren’t.
At some point, every system will reach the end of its life – but waiting for it to break before you replace it is waiting too long. This puts you in reactionary mode, where decisions have to be rushed to get a new solution in place. When you have the opportunity to be proactive, you can take your time, weigh your options, and decide what type of investment you want to make when it’s time to replace outdated technology.
How to Make Sure Your Technology Will Last
Technology investments – especially right now – can be intimidating. There are so many important priorities to juggle when deciding how to use capital funds.
CEC released its Managed Systems Program (MSP) earlier this year for that very reason. Among its many benefits, this service ensures that your technology is always up to date. You don’t have to plan for security upgrades or maintenance because we handle it all. We package the technology you need into an affordable monthly usage payment. At the end of the term, you have the option to upgrade to new technology.
Want to learn more about our MSP program or talk about whether you need a plan to replace your technology? Send us a note – we can help!
