We’ve been explaining how knowing your source for networking hardware can provide added value, ease, assurance, ability, and stability, but there’s a subject we haven’t really touched on yet.

Of course it just makes perfect sense to know your source when you’re buying networking hardware from them, but have you considered that you should also know who you’re selling your used equipment to? You should. Here are five questions you should be asking.

1. Do they give you fair market value?

Hey, the first thing you’ll want to know will definitely be how much you can get! The most important factor when selling your used hardware will be getting the maximum return on your investment. It’s imperative that you do business with a vendor that knows the fair market value of your technology and makes you a legitimate offer. There’s no sense wasting your time with a partner that’s trying to bilk you. It costs you money in the long run. So have a good idea of the value of your equipment, and negotiate a decent deal that works for both parties.

2. Will you get paid?

The question that should follow closely behind how much you can get should definitely be if you’ll actually get paid in full. Yes, there are definitely the kind of disreputable vendors out there who will take your equipment, resell it at a profit, and then not pay you (or pay you a fraction of what was agreed upon). You can’t let that happen. Check out how much experience they have. How long have they been in business?

3. Are they reputable enough to belong to industry organizations?

It would help you be confident that you’ll get paid if you knew just how reputable they are. But how do you know? Well, are they a member of certain industry organizations? For example, CXtec is a member in good standing of ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc.), UNEDA (United Network Equipment Dealers Association), and AscdiNatd (Association of Service and Computer Dealers International and the North American Association of Telecommunications Dealers). This speaks to our commitment to doing business the right way. Look for membership in these kinds of organizations from your vendor.

4. Do they erase your sensitive info?

Your equipment probably contains sensitive, proprietary information. You still have liability even after your equipment has left your hands. With this in mind, it’s crucial that you ensure that your private info will be erased. Your equipment should undergo a full data cleansing and be returned to factory defaults. This is standard practice for us at CXtec. We even meet and exceed federal regulations and NAID (National Association for Information Destruction) standards. Look for nothing less than this level of protection from any vendor you choose to work with.

5. What is their business standing?

Another pretty reliable way to know who you’re dealing with is to inquire about their business standing. Using ourselves as an example, CXtec has been in business for over 30 years. We have a 4A1 Dun & Bradstreet rating and a perfect 80 Paydex score so our customers can count on us to pay them promptly and in full. These are the kinds of expectations you should have from your partner. Your budget is too precious to worry about squandering much-needed funds on a dealer who won’t come through for you. Look for one with a good reputation and a good business standing. It’ll pay off in the long run.

How does CXtec provide the best value with our equal2new equipment? The equation is simple. We buy quality hardware from end-users; certify it as equal2new using the industry’s finest refurbishing process, then sell it at fantastic discounts off list to our customers.

Simple right? It is, but it mandates that the first step in the process is really the most important. It’s imperative we get our hands on quality used networking equipment and phones, so that we can relay that value on to our customers. That’s why we pay top dollar for all the used networking hardware we buy.

We need phones

As you can tell by the title of this blog, right now we’re looking especially for Nortel 1140E phones. But this certainly isn’t all we’re looking for. Here are few other models we’re out searching for right now:

• 3Com 102PE
• Avaya 1603SW
• Cisco 7941G
• Mitel Superset 4025

These are just a few. To see a more complete list of our most wanted phones, just click here.

We need networking equipment

We’re also always looking for used networking hardware to buy. Here are some of the models we’re looking for now:

• 3Com 3300 8P FX
• Cisco Catalyst 3750X 48 Port Full PoE IP Base
• HP ProCurve 2848
• Nortel Baystack 5520
• Aruba AP-105 Dual Access Wireless Access Point

We’re looking for lots more. Check out a complete list of our most wanted networking equipment by going here.

Don’t see the equipment on our lists that you’re looking to sell? Hey, that doesn’t mean we don’t want it. Give us a call anytime at 800.767.3282 and we’ll offer you cash, credit or trade for your used networking hardware and phones!

Alright. I was speaking with some IT pros on a popular online community a while back.  A topic came up and the resulting responses baffled me.

The IT pros were talking about what they do with their used network hardware – routers, switches, and phones.   It was surprising to hear how many said that they just throw them out or dispose of them.  Wha wha what?  NOoooooo!  Why? Why?

Seriously, why would people just dispose of their network hardware when they can get some money for them?

Maybe some people don’t know they can sell these used routers, switches, phones and other hardware.  Maybe some people just don’t want to be bothered.  Whatever the reason, it only seemed proper to remind anyone who happens to visit this blog that we will buy your used network hardware.

After all, assuming that your are working to make your company financially healthier, it only makes sense to get the extra money. With it you can offset other costs or use it toward new purchases.  One thing is certain.  Company executives like “found money” and would be unhappy to hear of employees passing it up.

For the time it takes to find out what value your used network hardware has, it’s worth it.

If you have any routers, switches, phones or other network hardware sitting idle or you plan on getting rid of equipment, give us a call.  We purchase all kinds of network hardware and business phones.

For more information, you should visit our page about selling your network hardware.

While the dog days of summer have many of us on vacation, or basking lazily in the heat, IT professionals at government and military institutions are working diligently to get the best value for their budgets. The September 30 end-of-fiscal-year deadline is rapidly approaching, so it’s starting to turn from research time to buy time.

So how can you ensure you get the best value with your year-end budget money to be ready to implement your future IT initiatives?

Over our three decades of supplying government agencies with technology, we’ve learned a few tried and true methods.

5 Sure Fire Ways To Get The Most Value This Government Buying Season.

5. Utilize Exchange/Sale Authority mandates to trade in current technology

You already have networking hardware and phones that have value. It’s imperative that you utilize Exchange/Sale Authority regulations to trade those assets in to offset the cost of new equipment. US Code 40, Section 503 explains the mandate:

(a) Authority of Executive Agencies. – In acquiring personal property, an executive agency may exchange or sell similar items and may apply the exchange allowance or proceeds of sale in whole or in part payment for the property acquired.

An experienced partner will have knowledge of this authority and work with you to ensure you receive maximum value for your current assets. This, in turn, will offset your costs for new equipment. It’s a vital strategy every government IT professional should use.

4. Go green with a dependable recycling partner

Government agencies are being tasked more and more to implement green initiatives, and better handle e-waste. According to an article from SmartPlanet, a recent statement from government officials states, “Any contractor that purchases electronics through federal funds will be barred from sending the device to landfills.”

New mandates will essentially require contractors hired by the U.S. government to bring disused IT equipment to recyclers that have been certified and approved through federally-recognized sustainability programs.

Now more than ever it’s imperative that government agencies partner with reliable companies to handle their e-waste. The consequences of doing otherwise are becoming more than any agency could handle.

3. Take a closer look at your data center design

It’s a bigger issue that can’t be fixed overnight, but it’s critically important that government agencies use data center designs that save money, space and labor. Look for a partner that has in-depth understanding of data center cable standards, including TIA-942, IEEE 802.3ba and the current BICSI standards.

These institutions have benchmarks in place that allow you to achieve optimum performance in your data center cabling infrastructure. But they only help if you have a partner that understands them, and has the hardware to deliver solutions that will work for you.

The benefits you’ll realize are many: open airflow paths, reduced congestion, a smaller footprint, less hardware needed, and more efficient energy usage. All of these add up to more money and time saved for you.

2. Save money on refurbished networking hardware and phones

Finding quality pre-owned hardware can save government IT professionals a ton of budget money. When tasked with finding the ideal, yet most cost-efficient, technology solution, it just makes sense to not be reliant on the manufacturer. Their suggestion will always be to implement the latest and greatest solution, but many times that just isn’t necessary for your requirements.

If you can still meet mission objectives by maintaining your current infrastructure, why wouldn’t you save money and just acquire refurbished network hardware and phones? If you choose your vendor wisely, you can get top quality products at a fraction of the price of new.

This is a great strategy to make your tight budget funding go a very long way.

1. Institute a spares program

With the money you’ll save using these techniques, you can be empowered to institute a spares program at your facility. Nothing gives you greater peace of mind that you’ll be able to continue to meet mission objectives no matter what than having hot, swappable spares ready at a moment’s notice.

Downtime becomes a memory, your agency is constantly ready, and you sleep better at night. It’s an all-around win/win/win situation. But it’s only possible if you make prudent investments and make your budget money go far.

Consider these strategies this buying season. They could make that looming September 30 deadline a lot less stressful.

The school year has officially ended, for both colleges and K-12 schools, and the summer is upon us. So now all IT professionals in charge of supporting education institutions are beginning their busy season.

It’s time for upgrades, new implementations, moves, adds, changes… and the potential headaches that usually go hand-in-hand with them. You’ve got from now until August to make it all happen; wouldn’t it be great to have a few tricks up your sleeve.

Well, we at CXtec have worked with education IT professionals for decades and we’d like to share a few things we’ve learned about how to make the most of these short summer months.

1. Money Saved is Money Earned – This is the big no-brainer rule for everything in business, but it holds no less true for educational institutions. It makes every IT pro’s job a lot easier when they can procure the technology they need at a price that allows them to meet their stringent budgets. So how do you offset the price of the hardware you need? Trade in the hardware you already have. Look for a vendor who buys back your used equipment and allows you to put that funding toward your new equipment. You’ll save a lot on your bottom line.

2. Refurbished = Wise – Budgets are tight these days. This is especially true for those working in education. Take a good, hard look at those summer projects you have planned. Is there any place where you can work refurbished equipment into your plans, rather than forking over a whole lot of money for new hardware? Look especially at the edge of your network. That’s a great place to give refurbished hardware a shot. Then once you see you can get outstanding quality with refurbished, you’ll gain the confidence to start implementing in other areas. And that’s when you can really start saving precious budget money.

3. Green Initiatives are Here to Stay – If you think all those posters you’re seeing on the walls of your school touting recycling and saving the Earth are only a passing whim these kids are having, you’re wrong. The green movement is real and it is going to become a major priority for you, if it hasn’t already. It’s time to find a reputable vendor to handle your unwanted IT assets and e-waste. It’s imperative to work with a partner you can trust to properly recycle and dispose of your used IT equipment. Your students’ and faculty’s sensitive data must be cleansed, and your hardware absolutely cannot wind up in a landfill. Imagine the bad press and repercussions of your school’s sensitive data being released. Imagine the legal ramifications of your hardware being found in a dump. Do things the right way and get a quality recycler you can rely on.

Summertime Is Smiling Time

Follow these three simple rules and we promise you’ll have a much sunnier summer, filled with fewer budget headaches and stress. We’ve seen lots of education IT pros enact their summer projects with ease over the years, so keep us mind if you’re looking for a partner to help make your life a little easier this year.