Leading on from ’15 Reasons an IT Hardware Audit will Save You Money’, this post explains how the results can aid in making changes to your organisation.

1. We can reduce your IT hardware warranty costs by ensuring that only used equipment is covered, and by replacing older equipment where warranties are more expensive.

2. We can reduce your IT hardware repair costs by ensuring that all used equipment is covered.

3. We can reduce your downtime by optimising when you should replace your IT hardware and ensuring that older equipment is maintained.

4. We can reduce your IT hardware costs by not having to replace stolen equipment, by more accurately re-allocating spare equipment and by ensuring you have an accurate record of equipment that must return when they leave.

5. We can ensure that you are health & safety compliant by getting all your IT equipment PAT tested.

6. We can reduce your IT costs through better planning of your equipment refresh.

7. We can reduce the risk of major replacement programme being refused.

8. We can reduce your software licensing costs by only covering equipment that is being used.

9. We can reduce your insurance costs by covering exactly the equipment that is being used.

10. We can reduce your 3rd party support costs by covering only the equipment you have.

11. We can ensure your legal compliance with HMRC by ensuring you have an accurate fixed asset register.

12. We can reduce your leasing costs by ensuring that you’re only paying for the equipment you actually have.

15 Reasons an IT Hardware Audit will Save You Money
What is Hardware Auditing? Hardware Asset Management & Inventory

Let us begin our journey together and save you money. Get a free no-obligations quote now or call 0800 013 2182.

The post 12 IT Hardware Audit Results That Will Save You Money appeared first on Capital.

The purpose of IT Cleaning in Universities is explained with examples connecting the past and present. We have used Cambridge, Manchester and Bath as examples.

Cambridge 1931

Educating a future great

Alan Turing considered by many to be the father of modern computing enters King’s College Cambridge as a Mathematics undergraduate.Turing’s concept that any single same machine could follow the same set of instructions to produce exactly the same result gives rise to the computer program. Turing would go on to be a primary driving force behind breaking the German naval signal codes at Bletchley Park during WWII. Latter work at Manchester looked at using computers to study Morphogenesis the biological theory of growth and form.

The physical side of computing like the hardware poses the eternal questions what do I need and when do I need to replace? Even extending the operational life by a year or two can save thousands. Regular cleaning extends the life of your IT Equipment.

Manchester 1957

State of the art computing

We’ve come a long way since this picture was taken of the ‘Baby’ at Manchester University in 1957 but the need to clean and maintain your systems remains. Manchester was at the forefront of technological innovation in the fifties and British Universities continue to cultivate the brightest of minds and technologies.

Today you will have made substantial financial investments by running multi-location, high availability IT Service Departments with the aim of providing your students with the technological environment for them to succeed. In our information driven society can you afford downtime for the sake of something as simple as regular cleaning?

Early Collaboration 1979

South Western Universities Regional Computer Centre – housed at Bath Campus

ICL 2980 network linking the computers at Bath, Bristol and Exeter Universities, University College Cardiff and the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology. Total cost £2.5mio, around half of the go-it-alone route for individual Universities. The network had 12 disc stores of 20 million characters each. Collaboration is a recurring theme in the educational sector but businesses are resistant because they perceive a risk in losing proprietary information.

One thing really stands out to me in this photo…imagine having to clean those tiles. This is the main problem with the do-it-yourself method, most University IT staff don’t want to do the cleaning. You can provide them with all the materials but over time it tends not to get done. General cleaning will cover floors, desks and windows but they don’t touch the IT equipment. The Capital service ensures that your IT cleaning gets done thoroughly and regularly our reputation depends on it.

1980’s

Tape Deck Data Centre

A piece of nostalgia for those of us old enough to remember having to leave the tape recorder load and save programs in your bedroom during the early 80’s. Today you will be using petabytes of data storage facilities linked to multiple mirrored sites and some solid state physical on site memory. The exponential growth rate in storing and managing your data will be a major consideration in all future architecture and hardware decisions.

Thankfully we don’t have to rely on magnetic tape any more. How are you saving and backing up your information? Data centres are unique places, secret bunkers, old converted warehouses and modern, purpose-built facilities. Getting in can be a challenge, keeping them clean is essential for optimal operation. We are specialist data centre and computer room cleaners for nearly 30 years.

5 reasons why universities need IT cleaning and hardware auditing
7 Common ways germs are spread
7 Tips: How To Keep A Clean And Germ Free Office
Who has flu in your office?
10 Reasons why IT cleaning is better than office cleaning
What is Freshers’ Flu? Causes, symptoms and prevention
Dirty Keyboards and Smartphones contain more germs than toilet seats
Do you have a Seasonal Allergy? Hay Fever, Allergies, Rhinitis & Pollen
How many dirty keyboards produce this much dirt?

To find out more about Capital’s computer cleaning services, contact us on 0800 013 2182 or contact us here

The post University IT Services: Past and Present appeared first on Capital.

With nearly 3 decades of experience, we’ve worked in pretty much every sector imaginable. One of the most challenging and fulfilling is that of retail. The retail sector is challenging as working in-hours whilst the shop is open can compromise customer service and brand image of the store. Visible cleaning can get in the way and threaten the experience of the customer. It is about finding the balance to fulfill the needs of the organisation and customer.

Location and size can vary depending on the organisation. Retail environments range from large department stores to a small group of shops located nationwide. This means that each solution needs to be bespoke.

Furthermore each organisation has bespoke EPOS systems, IT equipment, technical rooms and facilities. This means a bespoke solution is the only option. With our experience we are able to offer solution we know that work.

We work closely with customers to learn of specific details and issues.  Once items and locations have been finalised, we need to agree where the equipment will be cleaned. Cleaning out-of-hours means equipment can remain on the shop floor. However whilst the shop is open, a safe and a hygienic space is required to conduct our specialist cleaning.

Size, location, type of equipment and logistics are our most common concerns when conducting cleaning in the retail sector. It must be stated that general cleaners are not professionally trained to clean IT equipment or technical facilities.

Reasons to conduct cleaning

Reducing the risk of equipment malfucntion and failure – Computer and data centre cleaning
Dirty Keyboards and Smartphones contain more germs than toilet seats
7 Common ways germs are spread
Research: How quickly do germs spread? Germs & Sanitisation

Example

One client we cannot mention due to contractual agreements requires us to clean till points across 200 sites nationwide. This 6-monthly clean requires the cleaning to be completed in time for Winter and Summer sales. Many of the challenges mentioned above had to be solved in order to provide an efficient clean. The main problem was the build-up of dust on till drivers which caused overheating leading failure or malfunction. Subsequently an engineer call-out-charge costs £1000 per visit. The best solution for us was to provide a regular clean on a 6 monthly basis. We conducted an initial clean in one store in order to plan for nationwide coverage. As a result driver malfunction has significantly reduced.

Examples of what can be cleaned

• Tills/ EPOS  – Touchscreen, till drivers, keyboard
• IT Hardware
• Store rooms
• Server and data rooms
• Technical rooms and facilities

Retail can cover

• Department stores
• Shopping centres
• Supermarkets
• Small shops
• Nationwide store coverage

Services for retail

• Computer cleaning
• Data centre cleaning
• Hardware auditing
• Preventative maintenance

Let us know what you want cleaning and get a free no-obligation quote now. Call 0800 013 2182 or request a quote online here.

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