Money saving IT tips any company can do (2024)

CDW – Pare down hardware, software, power and other costs: money-saving IT tips (including some time-savers that can translate into cost savings) that any company can do:

Power, cooling and space:

• Upgrading Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs) to newer energy-efficient units can cut energy use and save money.
• To save power, have the staff turn off their monitors, task lights, etc. on nights and weekends, while leaving the CPU running.
• Use blanking panels in server racks and “air locking” grommets in raised-floor panels to minimize cold air loss.
• House servers in a “cooling closet” or other area where they can be “spot cooled” instead of using general office air conditioning.

IT system/network administration/management:

• Have your IT vendor pre-configure and asset tag products prior to delivery at you office.
• Have your IT vendor configure or “ghost” your software onto hardware products prior to delivery.
• Make use of hardware and software asset management tracking, often available free from your IT vendor.
• Use free tools like Microsoft’s Software Update Services (SUS) patch management to keep systems up to date.
• Create system images of your configurations, i.e. using Symantec Ghost, to restore systems instead of rebuilding/reinstalling software.
• Use LogMeIn software to access or control a PC or Mac from a distance.
• Consider outsourcing IT network administration for installation, support, maintenance and repair.

Security:

• Use a Unified Threat Management (UTM) appliance instead of purchasing individual security solutions like firewalls, antivirus software, e-mail filters, etc.

Servers:

• Consolidate servers by using blades and virtualization to replace old, inefficient units, thereby saving money on power, cooling and space.
• Bring in applications that can run on your current server along with other applications to avoid having to buy another server and save on power and cooling.

Software:

• Take advantage of money-saving software volume licensing programs often available for as few as five desktop PCs.
• Implement time-saving software license tracking and management, often available at no charge from your software vendor.
• When possible, switch from software licensing covering “total-users” to “number-of-active-users” in order to save on fees.
• Consider open-source software as your server and even desktop operating system as a way to possibly cut costs.

Networking and communications:

• Consider web-managed switches (smart switches) offering many features of managed switches at close to unmanaged switch prices.
• Avoid the cost of dropping cables by equipping your office with a wireless (802.11 Wi-Fi) network.
• Add to office productivity by saving staff the time and hassle of having to delete unwanted e-mail by using anti-spam filtering software.

Telephony:

• Switch your phone service to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and save nearly 40% on local calls and as much as 90% on international calling.
• Save about 40 percent in cabling costs for new buildings by using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) for telephone service.
• Use the same staffer for network, data and telephone setup and maintenance by switching to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone services.
• When appropriate, use Skype for collaboration (conference calling), especially for international calls.
• Use audio, video and multimedia conferencing and collaboration software and web services as an alternative to expensive travel.

Storage:

• Instead of file servers, use lower-powered, lower cost and easier-to-administer Networked Attached Storage (NAS) appliances.
• If you have a lot of files, consider de-duplication software to reduce space demands and eliminate the need to purchase extra storage.

Printers:

• Use multifunction printers (MFPs) combining copy, print, scan and fax functions to eliminate having to purchasing individual devices.
• Consider a color printer for small print runs to save the time and cost of using an outside print shop.
• Multifunction printer (MFPs), single machines offering copy, print, scan and fax functionality, can help save money on print consumables (paper, toner, etc.).
• Multifunction printers (MFPs), providing multiple functionality, take up a small footprint thereby saving office space and possibly cost.
• Networked multifunction printers (MFPs), strategically located to a workgroup, can help save money by eliminating the need to purchase extra printers.
• Use printer management software to limit the use of more costly color printing to designated individuals, time of day, etc.
• Save on paper by promoting 2-up (two page images per side) and duplex (both sides of the paper) printing as well as the reuse of sheets.
• Save on paper by having the staff print only the pages of documents and web sites that they need.
• Consider non-brand printer consumables; recycle used cartridges; and look for rebates and other price reductions.
• Small energy efficient print servers can reduce power use and take up less space, compared to older, larger print servers.