Perhaps you’re old enough to remember dialing a rotary telephone, listening to an eight-track tape or even working with Windows 98.
Well, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. In a business context, the final stages of a product’s existence — its end of life (EOL) — have broad ramifications for maintaining productivity, ensuring support and preventing security issues.
In particular, end-of-life hardware and software products can create considerable risks for businesses and the data infrastructure they rely on. Having the right IT network support and planning for the inevitable changes are crucial for preventing the kind of problems that can impact the bottom line and your overall business success.
Four Areas of Risk to Your Business
There are many potential hazards when your technology becomes outdated. Here are four key areas where you could face exposure when it comes to end-of-life tech issues:
- Vendor support: When products are currently in service, vendors guarantee ongoing support to address problems that occur. But once a product reaches the end-of-life stage, that support also will end.
- Cyberattacks: When that vendor support stops, and you can’t patch or upgrade, your systems become much more vulnerable to malware or other forms of cyberattacks. Vendors will not continue to provide updates to address problems.
- Noncompliance: Along the same lines, if your systems fall behind in terms of technology, you can also fall out of compliance with government or industry standards or regulations — a key issue for any business, but particularly if you’re working as a government contractor or with government programs.
- Downtime: When your system goes down, the costs can add up quickly. Systems at or near the end of their life cycle are more prone to operating problems. You should take necessary steps to prevent downtime.
Manage Potential Perils Before They Arise
Technology changes quickly, and business success relies on your ability to keep up with those changes and adapt them to fit your needs. Inherent in that process is turning to an IT managed services provider to plan for the inevitable end-of-life technology. Product lifecycle management provides a systematic approach to managing the series of changes your information system will go through — from its design and development to its ultimate retirement or disposal.
Because of our extensive experience with IT management and support, V2 Systems can address your concerns and help you create a business plan with network solutions tailored to your business, taking into account the lifespan of your technology.
Since 1995, Manassas Park, VA-based V2 Systems has employed local systems administrators, network engineers, security consultants, help desk technicians and partnering companies to meet a wide range of clients’ IT needs, from research, to implementation, to maintenance. Concentrate on your VISION…We’ll handle the TECHNOLOGY!