Used equipment is often a gray area for businesses due to fears of hardware failure. While a computer from the wrong vendor can pose problems to an organizational infrastructure’s processes, businesses have numerous options available to them as to where to purchase used or refurbished computing devices. Servers are a particular hardware component that is required for business operations. A company can save large amounts of money if the necessary technology can be purchased from a dependent reseller. A good understanding of how these products get the used or refurbished label can help curb the common fear of buying this equipment.

Used computer servers need not be a scary purchase for a business when extensive research is done prior to purchase. A server may be restored or sold as used for reasons such as model discontinuation or cosmetic flaws. It’s important to only buy from a reseller who guarantees their products through a comparable warranty and service agreement.

Used Servers: Organizational needs Determine if this option is appropriate

Refurbished products must meet all manufacturer specifications, are thoroughly tested by qualified technicians, and can provide increased reliability. Today’s resellers dominate multiple brands and offer better support than manufacturers with regard to capacity issues. Used servers may not meet the manufacturer’s requirements, but the reseller warrants them just the same. Extended testing, compatibility support, the same warranties, and different service agreement options make used equipment a good buy for the organization. The purpose of a server will also play a role in this decision because it must align directly with the reliability of the hardware deployed. For example, a used server is an ideal purchase for a test environment where technology needs to be duplicated. A company may prefer new when critical processes will be handled or choose to purchase refurbished server equipment at a reduced cost. A thorough understanding of the usage requirements will greatly enhance any of these purchase options.

Businesses have three options when choosing which servers to deploy within an infrastructure: tower, rack, or blade designs. Towers are ideal for small and medium-sized businesses where all network operations must be run from one or two machines. Rack designs still function as stand-alone equipment, but are mounted in a cabinet to improve space utilization. Blades offer the same space benefits plus increased efficiency due to the shared use of components. A tower will be the least expensive purchase; however, rack or blade designs should be considered for larger enterprises with more users and dedicated processing requirements. All types can be purchased as used computer servers from major brands like Dell or IBM among many others. Processing speed, storage, operating systems, and expected services will also contribute to this decision. The servers can be used for file sharing, web processes, databases, routine tasks, large media, email, and remote capabilities. One tower can handle all of these processes in a small business environment, while multiple racks or blades can be dedicated to each individual purpose. A company must first determine the exact specification needs and then decide if the used equipment can meet its implementation requirements.