From the developed
model to the actual model, costs continue. There are several factors that
continue to make demands of financial resources.
Upgrades
The IT industry is dominated by
change. No sooner are new, cutting-edge technologies installed, it seems
they are out of date. Technology and growth move at a staggering rate. In
the High Street, as the higher-purchase consumer makes the final payment on
equipment purchased a scant 30 months ago, knows fine and well that the
equipment is already antiquated. This of course affects not just High Street
consumers, but businesses also.
Money lavished on development
costs and system implementation, is not the end of the matter, indeed, this
is just the beginning. Granted, it is highly unlikely that such large sums
of money will be spent on one-off purchases again, but ongoing costs are
intrinsic to the nature of this work.
The table below is a summary of
some situations that incur the need for upgrade at one point or another.
Situation
|
Solution
|
More traffic to Web server
|
Install faster access
media (ADSL etc)
Upgrade RAM, CPU, Hard
disks
|
|
Increased security
risk |
Install Firewall/Proxy
Server
Upgrade to more secure
Firewall software
Upgrade to more
complex monitoring software
|
|
More Local users |
Upgrade network by:
|
|
Performance Slump |
Faster network cards
Segment and Subnet
(Switches and bridges)
Upgrade to faster
cable
Upgrade to faster
components (Switches and hubs)
|
|
New Software
Incompatibilities |
Upgrade Operating
systems
Upgrade Applications
Software
Upgrade hardware
|
|
New Hardware
Incompatibilities |
Upgrade Software for
smoother integration
Upgrade Existing
Hardware
|
Upgrading can be kept at bay for
a time, limited for another time, but can never be avoided. When
installations are put in place, it is advisable, if at all possible to
provide more than is required. This way, your application will deal with
growth without incurring immediate costs. As use increases, the system can
cope because of the measured over-compensation, wisely inbuilt at the design
stage.
Inevitably,
the need will arise for new components, and this is where a well-designed
system can stave off higher costs for a time. Building your system with the
ability to expand, will lessen the amount of immediate spending, preventing
it from being too costly in the early stages. Applying some savvy at the
design stage, will allow upgrading to be carried out without having to
replace core components. For example, installing hubs on the network with
spare ports, will allow network expansion without cost (apart from the new
node!). If there are no spare ports, then a new hub is required. Use latest
software releases to prevent hardware and software incompatibilities at an
early stage. Use the fastest technologies affordable to avoid wholesale
upgrades. The basic rule here is more of everything as budg |
