Why Own IT Hardware When You Can Rent It and Save So Much!
If you are running a business, then it’s likely that you’ve come across the model of software as a service multiple times by now. In fact, there’s a good chance that you are already using this model within your organization. Closely simulating this very model, that you already know and love, is another popular service provisioning model known as hardware as a service. Just like in SaaS model where you use a software on a subscription basis, in HaaS model you lease hardware equipment from a managed services provider and use this hardware for your business by paying a monthly subscription fee to the provider.
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty of what hardware as a service is, how it all works out, and what are the benefits of such a procurement model.
Understanding Hardware as a Service In Depth
To put it in simple and basic words, HaaS can be described as IT hardware on lease from a managed services provider (MSP). Instead of spending a great deal of money in purchasing hardware equipment, you rent the requisite hardware equipment from the MSP. The actual ownership of the equipment will belong to the MSP, but you will be able to use the equipment at your organization’s site as part of your technology infrastructure. The range of equipment that you can acquire from the MSP on rent is quite vast, including workstations, network switches, servers, routers, hard disk drives, etc. From basic to cutting-edge, you can rent and use any type of hardware equipment you need in a HaaS model.
There will be a service agreement between you and the MSP that will govern the use and management aspects of the equipment. The responsibility of the MSP will not only be to install the equipment at your office, but also to support, maintain, and upgrade the hardware from time to time. All you will have to do is make monthly payments for using the hardware that you have rented from the MSP, and rest everything will be taken care of by the MSP.
5 Key Benefits of Hardware as a Service That Make It So Attractive
Reduce Hardware Related Costs Significantly
The most obvious advantage perceivable with IT hardware on lease is the significant reduction in the cost associated with the technology hardware for your business. Since you’re only renting the hardware from the MSP, the cost of purchasing expensive hardware is automatically eliminated. But this is not all! Within the monthly subscription cost that you’ll be paying to your MSP, you will not only get installation of the equipment, but you’ll also get regular support, repair, and maintenance service for the equipment throughout its life cycle. Doesn’t that sound incredibly cost-saving?
Access to High-Quality Equipment for Just About Everybody
For a large-scale organization, the cost of buying and maintaining latest hardware equipment may not be so significant. But for a small- or medium-scale business, this cost can prove to be a big burden on the overall operating cost. As a result, these smaller businesses may find it difficult to leverage the advantages of cutting-edge hardware technologies that everybody else might be using, including their own competitors. Through HaaS model, even SMEs can use the sophisticated hardware that’s typically used by the bigger organizations. The monthly rental cost would be an amount that they can easily afford.
Not Be Tied Down With Equipment for a Long Time
The problem with buying and owning IT equipment is that you are kind of entering into a long-term commitment with the equipment bought. Given the fast pace at which new hardware technologies keep foraying into the market, the equipment that you have purchased today might hold little value for you tomorrow. But since you’ve already made an investment into the equipment, you might have no other choice but to continue using it even when there are other better alternatives available. On the other hand, in HaaS model you’re using IT equipment on rent basis only. Hence, you have more flexibility in changing the hardware equipment according to your needs.
Explore New Hardware Technologies With Minimal Risks
Deploying a new hardware technology is similar to taking a leap of faith. While you do certainly hope for the best, you can never rule out the possibility that the technology may not work out for you after all. Due to such risks involved with every new technology, businesses often feel skeptical in trying their hand at something new and ground-breaking.
In this regard, HaaS model acts like a safety net for the businesses, giving them the courage to be a little more adventurous with the hardware technologies they use. Since there is no equipment purchase involved in the HaaS, businesses can implement a latest hardware equipment for a short while and see if it’s something that’s working out for them. If the outcomes are positive, they can just continue using the equipment at low cost by renting it from the MSP. However, if the outcomes are not so positive, they can just stop renting the equipment and be done with it.
Make Hardware Maintenance Much Easier On yourself
From scheduled hardware upgrades to unexpected hardware repairs, hardware maintenance is an area that requires much attention. If you want to make hardware maintenance easier on yourself, then you’ll find HaaS to be just the perfect choice. In this model, your MSP will be the one looking after all the maintenance, upgrades, and repair related work, thus taking a big load off your shoulders. Anytime something stops working or starts giving you trouble, you just have to let your MSP know about the same and the issue will be resolved in no time. Additionally, since the MSP will also ensure that the hardware equipment is regularly upgraded, you wouldn’t have to worry about any security issues looming either.
