Specialty IT Support: Hardware Lifecycle Solutions for Systems Integrators

There are few sectors that are in as great a need of IT cost containment as are the agencies and departments of the federal government. Systems Integrators (SIs) help ensure IT security, systems utilization and maximized up-time, yet costs are effectively contained. They are often the “unsung” heroes and heroines, for which many Americans have little knowledge. NASA and the Department of Defense are but two mission-driven agencies that benefit from this country’s SIs.

This concise blog is for them.

Your Program Managers are integral to discovering the needs of your federal clients, but they are also very much paramount to solutions architecting and then integrating various IT vendors into program buildout and service delivery. Hardware solutions are just one element of the programs to be built, but the hardware solution cost-savings can be reduced by a lack of awareness for Specialty IT Support companies that will:

  1. Proactively impact cost containment – often better than the OEM is willing
  2. Enable the ongoing support of legacy hardware
  3. Assist with spare parts management (inventory, testing, entitlement management)
  4. Drive down the costs of “on-premises” hardware assets to enable the insertion of needed “new” technology or enable greater budgets for cloud transition initiatives.

“Hardware lifecycle management,” as a best practice, has been growing in popularity over the last 20 years – especially as a means of containing costs, but also to minimize e-waste. Some in Enterprise IT are now measuring/tracking “levels of criticality” on a per asset basis, so that:

  • Expensive tech refreshes aren’t always a necessity, but limited to “real-need” scenarios
  • A hybrid hardware support model is possible. This is where assets under warranty are maintained by the OEM, but post-warranty assets are maintained by a significantly less expensive independent provider.
  • Specialty IT providers can be a dynamic alternative to traditional OEM solutions.

Can I name one Specialty IT provider that can help Program Managers adopt a Hardware Lifecycle Management program, custom-built for Systems Integrators?

Sure! Meet XS International! I welcome any connection requests at my LinkedIn profile. You may also visit our website or call me at (770) 740-0040.

About The Author

Based in the  Washington D.C. area, Doug joined XS International in 2014 as Chief Executive Officer. Prior to XSi, Doug served in leadership roles at, Cisco, Juniper Networks, Blue Coat Systems, Fortress Technologies (acquired by General Dynamics) and Tumbleweed Communications (acquired by Axway, Inc.). Past leadership roles included both sales and operational responsibilities, thereby establishing his skillset as a client-driven chief executive for XSi. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, then completed coursework toward a Master’s (Finance & Accounting) at Oklahoma City University. He enjoys distance running, golf, and cheering for Wisconsin sports teams with his wife, Mayra and four children.

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