The rising cost of living and crazy electricity prices!
With the rising cost of living and the never-ending hike in electricity prices, it’s no wonder we’re all trying to cut costs wherever we can!
If your company’s server is getting up there in age (we’re talking three years or more), it could be sucking thousands of pounds out of your budget in electricity costs alone. WOW!
How much is your old server costing you in energy? The truth may shock you!
A server’s energy use can range from 500 to over 2,000 watts, depending on its size, model, and workload. To find out a specific server’s energy use, measure its power consumption or check its technical specs.
Using Energy Saving Trust’s national average prices of £0.34 per Kwh (valid as of October 2022 when the price freeze on energy was introduced), we can calculate the potential savings for different energy outputs.
If your business’s server runs 24/7, using an average of 30.416 days per month, you can estimate just how much that server is costing you in energy expenses. Let’s take a look!
| Power supply in watts | Cost per day | Cost per month | Cost per year |
| 200w | £1.38 | £42.05 | £504.61 |
| 400w | £2.77 | £84.10 | £1009.23 |
| 600w | £4.16 | £126.41 | £1516.93 |
| 800w | £5.54 | £168.46 | £2021.55 |
| 1000w | £6.92 | £210.50 | £2526.16 |
This table can help to show how much your current server is costing you. However, just so you’re aware the average relative performance of a server tends to drop significantly over time. In fact, it goes down by 22% in the third year, 33% in the fourth, and a whopping 59% in the seventh year. This will cost your business more each year, which will only continue after the current energy prize freeze defrosts.
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s not just the cost of powering and running your older servers that you need to worry about (the panic continues!)
While it’s true that the initial cost of maintaining and managing a server is generally consistent for the first three years, things start to get a little dicey after that. Businesses often find that they’re spending substantially more to keep their outdated servers running, and it can end up costing more to maintain these old servers than it would to just replace them with newer ones.
Cost of support:
It’s important to know whether you’ll be going with a managed or unmanaged server, as this can affect the type of support you’ll need. Will your service provider offer support as part of the package, or will you have to pay extra for it? Make sure to factor this into your budget before deciding, as unexpected support costs can really add up.
Paying an additional fee (such as pay-per-ticket) may appear less expensive initially, but it can end up costing you more in the long run, so be careful. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Software license fees:
Running new software on old hardware is a recipe for conflict and inefficiencies. It’s just not going to work. For example, newer software that is designed to work with more modern hardware will probably just slow your old hardware down even more. That’s the last thing your old server needs. Save yourself the headache and consider upgrading to newer hardware before trying to run new software.
Hardware malfunctions:
Old servers can not only cause numerous malfunctions and lagging, but it also requires ongoing, expensive patching and repair work to keep it from completely breaking down. The costs of trying to maintain old hardware will only continue to add up over time.
Personal cost:
Let’s not forget the cost to your own sanity of having to deal with a slow server or the constant worry that today could be the frightful day that your servers pack in and your data is gone for all eternity!!! Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but you get the point.
These additional costs can really add up and put a strain on your business, so it might be worth considering an upgrade to a newer server at some point. Trust us, it could save you a lot of headaches (and money) in the long run.
Panicked about server lifespans? Here’s how long to keep yours!
Well, it’s up to you, but it has been standard practice to replace servers after a few years of use. However, the answer isn’t always as clear-cut as it would seem; it now stands at three to five years.
Did you know that:
For servers older than five years, the average downtime per server rises from 2.6 hours in the first three years to 5 hours. (Imagine wasting nearly a full workday due to an old server).
Service agreements are often only valid for three to five years because sustaining older systems is very expensive for the hardware manufacturers or your MSP. You will need to renew existing contracts in order to be within warranty, which is frequently more expensive than getting a new server.
Additional indicators of ageing servers that should be treated with a pinch of salt include servers running hot, unforeseen reboots or failures, and computers getting slower.
If you find yourself becoming more and more resentful of your server that’s a good indicator that works for us too. Don’t let an outdated server hold you back – upgrade and move on to better things!
Wow, congratulations on making it to the end of our rant about old servers and how they’re the worst thing in the world! If you’re still clinging onto those nostalgia-filled, outdated servers, maybe these benefits will finally convince you to let go:
Efficiency unleashed: time to upgrade your server
By selling your old servers and using the funds to purchase newer, more efficient ones, you can boost your organisation’s performance and get more done. It’s a win-win!
Upgrade your server and declutter your office
Old servers may be taking up physical space in your office that can be used for more important duties.
Sell it and boost your business’s revenue
Why let your outdated servers collect dust in storage when you could be making some extra cash by recycling or selling them? Use the revenue to boost other departments in your business and make the most out of your old equipment
Server holding you back? Upgrade and watch performance soar
By upgrading to a newer model, you can get more storage, faster bandwidth, better security features, and overall improved performance. Plus, by upgrading your servers, your organisation can become more competitive in a variety of situations. Upgrade and watch your company reach new heights!
For safety’s sake, for goodness sake
Older servers are more prone to poor performance, security breaches, and complete failure. Not to mention, they’re more susceptible to malware and viruses because they lack modern security measures. Don’t let an outdated server hold you back – upgrade to a newer model and stay safe and secure.
It’s simple to do
Decommissioning IT equipment or selling used servers may seem like a daunting task, but it’s quite simple! Don’t let the unknown hold you back from upgrading and improving your business. Take the plunge and see how easy it can be.
Not sure if it’s time to say goodbye to your old server? No problem! We’re here to help you decide. Don’t hesitate to get in touch and we’ll be happy to lend a hand.
