The constant and rapid progression of technology has made so many things easier, faster, and better. There is almost no aspect of our daily lives that it hasn’t affected. And the same goes for business. Technology drives the ship and we are all just along for an incredible ride. However, in its wake, it has generated an unintended hazard for businesses: EOL Technology.
EOL Technology: A Hazard for Your Business
EOL Technology, or End of Life Technology, is hardware and software no longer supported by the vendor with patches and updates. Often business owners hesitate to upgrade to newer equipment and software to save money. However, the consequences are costly in more ways than one. Consider the following 5 risks for businesses caused by EOL Technology:
1) Security Vulnerabilities
Security patches and updates keep your products protected against vulnerabilities that hackers and malware can exploit. Once a vendor stops supporting a particular product, you no longer receive these critical patches and updates. This leaves your infrastructure exposed to potential attacks.
2) Hardware Maintenance
You may find some vendors who offer extended maintenance on older products. Even still, using older machines translates to added costs. Replacement parts and eventual upgrading become increasingly more expensive.
3) Compliance Matters
Older technology makes it harder and more expensive to remain compliant with government and industry regulations. Failure to protect your data due to old technology can result in hefty fines and penalties. Not to mention the cost of proprietary and/or sensitive data being stolen. The impact to your business and your clients can be devastating.
4) Expensive Support
If you need support for outdated hardware or software, you may have trouble finding it and what you do find will be expensive. Keeping your software and hardware updated and upgraded will ensure you can always find adequate and affordable support. EOL Technology ends up costing you more in the long run.
5) Reliability Issues
Older hardware is prone to break down, fail, and have issues. This often results in disruptions and delays in your business operations, making you seem unreliable and potentially costing you clients. Keeping your hardware upgraded gives you the optimum reliability which enhances your brand.
The Ideal Solution
With the amount of hardware and software most businesses use, it can be extremely difficult to keep up with advancing technology. It takes time to research, compare, and test new technology options. Time is the one thing you don’t have enough of as a business owner. One easy way to make sure all your hardware and software is continuously updated and upgraded is managed IT services. When you find a good service provider you can trust, keeping everything up to date is easy.
Keep Your Tech Ahead of the Curve
Reliability, scalability, affordability. Your business technology needs to remain all three in order to keep your competitive edge. EOL Technology robs you of all three and may put your business data at risk to hackers and malware. Get started with managed IT services to make sure your hardware AND software is always up to date and reliable.
Contact Us to find out how managed IT services or on demand IT services could take your business to the next level.
