Still not convinced on used hardware being a smart choice?  Well, we are going to continue providing reasons you should be.

Here are 3 more reasons you should be buying used network hardware

Used Network Hardware  =  Reduce Maintenance Costs

Forget the cost of purchasing the equipment for a second, on average, about how much are you spending just to maintain it? When you turn to an equipment manufacturer or distributor, don’t you expect them to provide you with a full service solution and do the work for you? Most providers of used equipment offer warranties so rather than going out and buying new equipment or enlisting in a third party to come fix it, your provider will either repair your used router or switch or swap the product for an alternative device.

Used Network Hardware Supports Your Company’s Go Green Initiative

Whether your system has gone paperless, or you’ve invested in a solar powered roof to keep the electricity bill down, the latest and most efficient way of supporting green efforts for a company is to buy high quality pre-owned equipment. Re-used hardware is the highest form of going green.  Consider how fast technology changes and how each piece of equipment becomes obsolete before it has the chance to acquire a layer of dust on its surface. By re-using network hardware, your company is ultimately lowering the demand for devices and decreasing the amount of equipment they have to produce.

Quality Used Network Hardware Products are Guaranteed… and Then Some

When researching any product or service, it’s always reassuring to know that you are completely covered with a reliable warranty plan. To understand the process of refurbished equipment, you have to first understand the stringent process and requirements each piece of used network hardware must first endure to become certified as usable. Some might say that used equipment has to go through the ringer even more to prove its efficiency to go back out into the market.

People are always looking for ways to make e-waste recycling and disposal easier and more effective.  IT professionals are busier than ever.  So, finding a way to make your e-waste recycling and disposal processes less time consuming, less complicated and more effective can be highly valuable.

The good news is that a simple solution to dispose of and recycle your electronic waste isn’t difficult to find.  The Green Cube is a solution we provide and it makes e-waste recycling as easy as 1,2,3…literally.  It’s just 3 simple steps.

Using Green Cube® is a simple 3-step process:

1. You are mailed a Green Cube box.
2. You pack it with your electronics surplus.
3. Call 888.400.6991 to schedule your Green Cube pickup.

What do you do with old network hardware when you get new hardware?

I recently asked IT professionals on Spiceworks this question.

I got lots of replies with a variety of answers. It was good that I asked because it was a learning experience.

Here is a sampling of the kinds of responses I received:

• Thrown out
• Sold
• We look for a vendor with a trade-up or trade-in program
• Donated to churches, schools, charities
• New hardware? What’s that?
• We run it into the ground.
• We put our e-waste into a green IT box , fill it up, and have it taken away to environmentally dispose of the contents.

So, what do you do? Ask yourself if you abide by these 3 principles.

(1) Do you get value for your used hardware?

As an organization with financial responsibilities it’s a good idea to get value in return for your hardware. What does that mean? How do you get the most value? Well, if you take your hardware and simply chuck it you may be throwing away money (and inviting problems into your life). As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another’s treasure. So, check if your hardware still has market value. You could get more money than you think for it.

"A penny saved is a penny earned." - Ben Franklin

Companies like CXtec will buy a wide variety of network hardware, business phones and other devices. Plus, they have a cool option of getting cash for your equipment or you can get credit toward new hardware you want. People who get into this practice understand how much money adds up to over time.

(2) Are you thinking about security?

Far too many people are not thinking about security nearly enough when dealing with their used IT hardware. It’s so important. A company’s data is so valuable. Do not compromise it or leave it vulnerable in the process of disposing of it. Whatever you do or whomever you are working with, please make sure proper data destruction is being done.

(3) Are you thinking about environmental and other regulations?

Regardless of your situation, considering the environment and regulations is no joke. Sure, there are a lot of people trying to do the most resourceful and environmentally wise thing when it comes to old hardware. No matter what you do, you have to be thinking about environmental and other regulations. There are plenty of them and they are no joke. Unless you enjoy huge fines and really bad press, you had better handle your hardware correctly. That’s just how it is.

How does one do this?  Well, you can learn all the rules and regulations and take care all of that yourself. That’s commendable.

If you don’t have the time or resources for this, you have other options. You can partner up with a company who offers services that handle this process in a way that is fully compliant with regulations and is environmentally friendly.

Again, you can get money for your used hardware from companies who properly handle the hardware. This not only offers a way to be compliant with laws and regulations, but it is the most green option. Re-using something is way more green than recycling or disposing of it.

If you can’t get money for your hardware, you can choose services for recycling and disposing of your hardware appropriately. A good company can provide documentation that your hardware has been handled correctly. Look for companies that are well established, financially sound, have industry association and certifications. It’s best if you work with an R2/RIOS certified electronics recycler.

The lesson

When you are deciding where your old hardware goes keep these 3 things in mind. Abiding by these 3 principles can make your organization more profitable, resourceful and secure.

Employees of CXtec, and our sister company TERACAI, will be bringing our own personal electronic waste items to our Technology Certification and Distribution Center (TCDC) tonight.

Making Earth Month Count – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Our companies have set a goal of collecting 100,000 lbs. of e-waste during Earth Month (April). We’re looking forward to doing our part as employees by bringing our old PC’s, monitors, keyboards, mouse devices, cell phones, TV’s and a whole lot more to TCDC so they can be properly discarded or recycled.

We recently added 12,000 square feet of additional space to TCDC to accommodate our expansive IT asset disposal and technology remarketing services. This addition makes our LIFECYCLExpress® program one of the industry’s most extensive IT asset recovery programs.

Help us in our green IT mission!

If you’d like to help us in our mission of spreading the message of green IT, we’re offering 10% off every Green Cube® you order during Earth Month. You can fit up to 1,000 lbs. of e-waste in every Green Cube – it’s the ideal way to clean out your closets or storage areas of all that electronic waste you no longer have a use for,

We’re doing our part to eliminate e-waste tonight. We hope you’ll be right there with us!

To learn more about the Green Cube and our Earth Month efforts, check out www.cxtec.com/earthmonth or call us at 888.400.6991.

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Related articles

• What is Green IT? Green IT Demystified. (cxtec.com)
• The New York State Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act (cxtec.com)
• Greening the Workplace: Ways to be environmentally friendly at your office (cxtec.com)