YOUR QUESTIONS ON THE SECONDARY IT EQUIPMENT MARKET ANSWERED
There are many misconceptions that prevent people from considering refurbished IT hardware, one of which is the belief that it is of lower quality. However, research projects such as the one conducted by Ref Group have shown that this is not the case. Richard Kenny and Astrid Wynne, from Ref Group, discussed their findings on the quality of refurbished IT equipment at the Spiceworks SpiceWorld virtual event.
They discussed research that they had conducted that showed that properly optimized used IT equipment can perform better than newer equipment. They also highlighted the environmental benefits of using refurbished technology, including reduced emissions and less use of limited resources. Their presentation was well-received by attendees at the Spiceworks SpiceWorld event, and provided practical tips for businesses to improve their IT performance, decrease their carbon footprint and cut costs.
After the presentation, there was a productive question-and-answer session with the attendees. A variety of topics were discussed related to refurbished IT equipment, and some of the questions and answers are highlighted here.
Question: “What advice do you have for addressing security concerns with technology that can no longer receive updates but still works? I have been giving away older desktops and laptops with vPro technology to a community organization, but I am worried about potential security risks. ”
Answer: “When it comes to security concerns for older equipment that will no longer receive updates, it’s important to ensure that all data is effectively erased before the device enters the secondary market. Look for a provider that uses software such as White Canyon, which completely destroys data, making it impossible to recover. If the device is too outdated to be used in a production environment, consider recycling options that are compliant with industry regulations. Another option is to salvage useful components from the device, even if the software or hardware can’t be updated or secured.”
Question: “What should be done with equipment that requires a subscription for full functionality, but can no longer be renewed after a certain date, resulting in limited functionality? Are companies facing pressure to improve this issue?”
Answer: “The question of hardware that requires a subscription to access full functionality, such as firewalls with an “end-of-life” date, is a good one. Companies are facing pressure to improve in this area as the focus on sustainability increases. The Right to Repair and eco-design legislation aim to ensure products are supported and do not become outdated prematurely. Support for the right to Repair is gaining traction globally, and more businesses and consumers are recognizing that prolonging the life of IT equipment is the most efficient way to make use of the rare materials found in technology devices, and prevent them from ending up in landfills.”
Question: “Does buying new equipment result in more waste due to the disposal of old equipment?”
Answer: “The idea of reusing equipment instead of using it and then disposing of it is a compelling one. Even recycling equipment is not always the best option for the environment, as it often fails to recover all of the valuable materials within a device. This results in the wasting of critical raw materials during the recycling process. On the other hand, by extending the life of equipment through refurbishing, reusing, reconfiguring, and remanufacturing at the systems level, the need to extract, produce, and transport materials across the globe are reduced.”
Question: “I am planning to upgrade some of the hard drives in my office equipment with SSDs, will this result in an improvement in performance?”
Answer: “To prolong the lifespan of Desktops and Laptops, upgrading from an HDD to an SSD and increasing the RAM can improve their performance to an even better level than when they were first purchased. We suggest using solid state drives that not only enhance speed and responsiveness but also offer the same data storage capacity as mechanical hard drives.”
ABOUT REF GROUP
REF Group is a company that offers a wide range of new and high-quality refurbished IT equipment such as servers, storage, networking devices, laptops, and desktops from over 150 different brands including HPE, Dell, and Supermicro. They also provide services that cover the entire IT lifecycle, including refurbishing, upgrading, replacing, and repairing devices. They have a global inventory worth over $1 million.