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2 November 2010 ‘Hardware as a service’ from Sandpiper While software-as-a-service applications continue to increase in popularity, hardware-as-a-service (HaaS) solutions are a relatively new concept. Systems Integrator Sandpiper hopes to change that with its has FocusID, a managed service solution to enable companies to cope with peaks and troughs in their business by eliminating both potential equipment shortages and the need to hold buffer stock. FocusID outsources the ownership, deployment, management and support of automatic data capture systems to Sandpiper. In that sense it is similar to other managed services bundles. Where it adds potential value is by incorporating fluctuations in demand into the contract. "Companies that operate in unpredictable or seasonal-demand environments will find this key feature of significant benefit in balancing operational technology needs against operating cost," says Simon Hagenbach, managing director. "For example, the contract can specify thirty units for nine months of the year, and forty units for three months. So companies have a mechanism for more accurate forward planning and expenditure forecast budgeting as a result of fixed, known costs for the duration of the contract."
HaaS should not be confused with leasing, he says. "With leasing, the customer takes possession of the hardware and is responsible for the management and routine maintenance, unless an additional maintenance contract is taken out. "In a HaaS managed solution, by contrast, we take on responsibility for operations, maintenance and performance. Upgrades, equipment in use, maintenance and management are all included in the set monthly fee." © Ivory Square Publications Ltd
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