When to Know It’s Time to Upgrade Your Technology

When you ask a managed service provider or other technology expert when you should be upgrading your technology, you’ll likely get a pretty nebulous answer like, “it depends.” That’s because there isn’t necessarily a hard or steadfast response to this question, and the answer will change depending on various factors that are inconsistent across businesses.

Today, we aim to answer this question and include some of the variables that will change when you should upgrade your technology. You might realize, after today’s article, that you’re long overdue for one, in which case you should absolutely reach out to Horne & Benik to discuss a strategy for approaching your upgrade.

When Performance Becomes an Issue

No technology solution you implement is going to last forever. Before you know it, your hardware and software will likely become an issue—especially if it’s not maintained properly over time. You might look for warning signs such as slow performance, frequent crashes and errors, or difficulty running new versions of software and applications. You can significantly enhance productivity by keeping up with the latest operating systems, which will help you stay relevant and competitive in your chosen industry.

When Security Becomes a Risk

Security and compliance are other factors to consider for upgrading your infrastructure. We have already mentioned operating systems, which are their own can of worms, but you should be routinely updating your software with patches and security updates as they are released to keep your systems secure. That said, all software eventually reaches an end of life—including operating systems—and when this happens, they stop receiving updates critical for security and compliance. If your systems no longer receive these updates, you should absolutely start the upgrade process.

When Your Business Needs Change

What if your business needs to shift in a different direction or your business grows and requires a different set of technologies? This is another symptom that it might be time to upgrade your systems. If your business undergoes a growth spurt, you might need to upgrade parts of your infrastructure to ensure it can keep up with the workload, especially when emerging technologies and resource-intensive systems are involved. Consider your business’ needs and whether they align with your current infrastructure; if you need help, our technicians are happy to help, too.

Want Some Help with Your Upgrade?

Our trusted technology professionals can help guide your upgrade practices and ensure everything goes off without a hitch. Find out more with a comprehensive consultation! All you have to do is call us at (603) 499-4400.