The Hindu Business Line : PC upkeep costs can be cut by half: Wipro study

Wipro's research found reducing the number of unique hardware configurations could result in estimated desktop PC support savings of 23 per cent to 51 per cent.

Bangalore , Aug. 14

WIPRO Technologies, the global IT services division of Wipro Ltd, announced that a study by the company found that many enterprises can cut their annual desktop support costs by more than half (55 per cent) by standardising their PC configurations, and generate significant savings by replacing their desktop systems every three years.

The study surveyed 30 global companies with an average of 33,000 desktop personal computers (PCs) deployed, to identify the management best practices that lead to the highest reliability levels while minimising overall hardware support costs.

Wipro Technologies' Product Strategy and Architecture (PSA) Practice conducted the study and analysed each company's desktop environment and PC management processes to derive the study findings.

"This is the first time that the real costs of poor desktop lifecycle management and multiple PC configurations have been clearly documented," according to Mr Theo Forbath, Chief Strategist and Practice Leader of Wipro's Product Strategy & Architecture Practice.

" The study provides a detailed analysis of how enterprises can significantly reduce desktop support costs by consistently configuring new PCs and systematically decommissioning older PCs.''

The study resulted in two key findings: Desktop support costs can more than double as the number of desktop hardware configurations increases.

For instance, companies with 20 desktop hardware configurations spend approximately $275 in annual support costs per desktop, compared with companies with 40 desktop configurations who spend about $540 in annual support costs per desktop.

Wipro's research found reducing the number of unique hardware configurations could result in estimated desktop PC support savings of 23-51 per cent.

Desktop support costs exceed the cost of new PCs as companies attempt to extend their useful life beyond three years. According to the study, companies with a three-year desktop lifecycle pay approximately $485 per PC in hardware configuration-related support costs, compared with approximately $590 in support costs for companies with four-year programme and $690 for companies with five-year programme.

Wipro's PSA Practice interviewed CIOs, IT directors and senior IT managers at the 30 participating companies.

The PSA team examined the companies' costs associated with deploying new desktop computers, deploying new operating systems to existing desktop PCs, and deploying major application software and minor software updates to existing desktop PCs.

After analysing the surveyed companies' existing desktop management practices and annual support costs, Wipro developed a theoretical cost model to determine the optimal level of desktop complexity and length of desktop lifecycle to produce the greatest savings in support costs.

Wipro's analysis found, for instance, a company with 40 PC hardware configurations takes more than three times longer to successfully deploy a minor software update than an organisation with 10 configurations.

The study reveals steps to reduce PC management costs.

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PC upkeep costs can be cut by half: Wipro study