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by Information Technology Services
Have you ever purchased a car with the expectation that you would never have
to spend more money later for insurance, gas, registration and
maintenance?
Probably not. Well the costs associated with owning and operating
a computer are not much different. A computer, to be useful over time,
requires maintenance, electricity, and software registration, to name a
few.
Major
differences exist between the purchase of a computer and a car that
costs more dollars. The cost of setting up the location for a computer
can be expensive if electricity, phone lines and a proper desk are not
in place. There are also costs to lock down our computers and ergonomics
to consider. In addition, the length of time a computer remains useful
is about half the life span of a car, about 3-4 years, and so
replacement costs are higher.
A
recent statewide study of all community colleges by Gartner Group
concluded that the “Total Cost of Ownership” (TCO) of a single
computing device is $3,506 over a three year period. This amount is what
should truly be considered as the cost of owning and operating each
computer on campus. The college’s budgeting process does not provide
for this type of planning over multiple years. Most people, therefore,
think that the only cost they need to worry about and plan for is the
original purchase price of $800—$1,200. That is only about 1/3 of the
total cost of the computer!
Other
costs that are part of the TCO and are not included in the purchase
price exist; some are visible to the computer user and some are hidden.
Visible costs include hardware and software repairs and add-on
devices, and training costs to help users make the most of their investment.
Hidden costs include end user support like the Help Desk, development
support to keep software on the device current and within warranty,
communications support such as the network operation costs, and system
management support to keep things working well together.
Information
and Technology Services would like to make certain that all computer
users are knowledgeable about TCO. We stand ready to help you make the
most of your investment. When considering that computer or software
upgrade or purchase, contact us at x5915 to assist you in making sure
your
purchase is cost effective, appropriate for your needs and will serve
you well for the lifetime of the computer.
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