Pointers for Buying Used Software and Hardware for a Business
By ksp | April 3, 2012
From salon owners to tech-startup stores, every owner wants to save a couple of bucks by investing in worthy equipment. Most business owners skip the problems and hefty cost of getting from the manufacturer and instead purchase straight from a vendor, cutting the cost of an item by 20%. A business owner may save a few dollars ordering a refurbished item, but it may not be in their best interest to do so. Some items were meant to be ordered used, while other computer materials, such as security networking items, should be gotten new to avoid any headaches cropping up down the road.
Server
Say you’re a big startup business searching for new hard drive space or a CPU component, and you search around and discover that the best investment would be to purchase larger servers to handle the workload. A server could be the ideal solution to resolving your hard drive, CPU and RAM problems and getting information out fast, but the big price tag that comes with many of these items is a serious blow to your bottom line. You could invest in a used server and save a couple of hundred dollars, as many still function well for years even if purchased used, but word to the wise, just make sure you get the device from a respected vendor to ensure you’re not getting robbed.
Modules
From the most standard GLC T module to the more advanced ones, these tiny items are depended upon by every large scale operation to help push and receive information quickly without causing any slow downs of the servers. Modules are great refurbished devices to pick up, and purchasing these expensive items at a discounted cost could be worthwhile, but always be sure your investment comes with a warranty if you are ordering one from a merchant. Your warranty will come in handy in the future, especially when modules are used on a day-to-day basis, often for hours at a time, making the need for a guarantee worthwhile to have.
Security Networking Equipment
You can get away with buying used Cisco brand SFP modules, but getting security items used is just plain wrong. Compared to modules, these security system networks cannot breakdown without you risking the trust of your customers, and if a worm or virus infects your systems, it’s nothing but bad press from then on. In the end, you could wind up paying more with that old, outmoded item you ended up getting than if you had just ordered new equipment. Spend money when you have to, and just get new software to prevent future issues.
