The Miller Group Ranks 5/5 Stars For Replacing This Interior Design Firm’s Servers
As the backbone of your IT environment, servers are undeniably important. The average server only lasts 3-5 years, but most businesses use them for longer.
This inevitably leads to big problems, from downtime to security vulnerabilities.
If your old tech is working so poorly that it stops you and your staff from working, it’s time to replace it. The downtime caused by old hardware isn’t worth the money you save by hanging on to it.
This interior design firm got in touch with The Miller Group.
Download our complete story of success here.
The Problem
This design firm relied on an old, past-warranty server with an unsupported operating system. They needed to upgrade to a new server before they started facing severe problems:
No Room
Servers only have so much storage space to offer. Running out of room causes severe data continuity issues.
Performance Issues
The older hardware gets, the more likely it’ll start to slow down. With their entire firm relying on access to apps and data stored on these old servers, it was only a matter of time before their staff-wide productivity began to drop.
Failure & Data Loss
Hardware gets so old that it’s prone to fail at a certain point. For a range of reasons, it’ll just stop working.
When this firm’s server fails, it means they’ll experience downtime while they wait for it to restart, not to mention that they could lose data that isn’t backed up.
How Long Should You Use Out-Of-Date Technology?
In a perfect world? Not at all.
Sticking with old technology may save you some money in your IT budget, but its lack of functionality and security can slow down your business and put you at risk.
Maybe it’s time to consider upgrading—especially if your technology is approaching the end of life.
End Of Life means no more bug fixes or security updates for the hardware or software—it’s the end of support delivered by the manufacturer.
Over time, there will be a loss of usability and increased vulnerability. While it may work fine right now, it won’t be long before it becomes a problem.
That said, It’s not uncommon to procrastinate on technology upgrades. The process can be expensive and complicated, but the fact is that there comes a point in the technology life cycle when failing to upgrade can present many serious concerns.
As important as cost control is, it is equally important for owners and managers to ensure they’re maintaining their competitive edge, using secure technology, and working as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Without support, security updates, and bug patches, users open themselves up to several risks:
- Malware infection
- Out-of-date anti-virus
- Expired online banking protections
- Exposed private data
To get in front of these critical performance and security risks, this interior design firm hired The Miller Group to handle their hardware refresh project from end to end.
The Solution
Fortunately, this firm didn’t have to manage its server and infrastructure update on its own.
They could rely on The Miller Group to take care of it for them. They wanted an updated system to support their operations for years to come and knew The Miller Group would deliver.
We discussed their needs, assessed their systems, and updated them with a more modern, robust, and reliable foundation.
Our team installed a new server and made changes to the setup of the desktop computers to accommodate the needs of this interior design firm. To facilitate easy and secure access to files, The Miller Group implemented a new Windows 2019 server running Microsoft Active Directory.
Next, we joined each of the firm’s desktop computers to the Active Directory. We configured them to allow for single password access and file backup of Desktop, Documents, and Picture folders. File sharing capabilities were migrated from a specific admin’s PC to the server, and security permissions were created as necessary.
Furthermore, the server was set up with best practices for security and ongoing management of their infrastructure.
The Result
This firm has a productive workplace environment with their newly upgraded IT systems. We have built a highly secure and scalable system for the client while continuing to identify opportunities for cost savings by reducing inefficiencies that an old architecture produced.
They now have a robust IT system that meets their specific needs, and they got it without spending their time doing research or managing the project. That’s why they rated our service 5/5 stars.
“Overall, I am quite pleased with the results and would recommend The Miller Group again in the future,” says Matthew, a staff member at the firm.
Don’t Let Old Hardware Hold You Back
There are various reasons you may decide to hold off on making a major upgrade to your technology, such as the cost and hassle.
However, avoiding the issue for too long will do more harm than good and will affect your productivity, security, and ability to get work done.
We will do the same for you—don’t struggle with old or borrowed technology any longer.
Talk to The Miller Group team to start upgrading your systems.
