Johannesburg, 25 Aug 2020
The modern world has evolved from one that is product-oriented to one that is much more focused on service. In fact, the ‘as a service’ model has now become commonplace, with everything from software to platform and infrastructure delivered in this manner. Thus, it is unsurprising that hardware as a service (HaaS) is becoming the go-to option for organisations seeking to defray the capex costs usually associated with purchasing new equipment.
At its core, it is essentially a scenario where the customer leases the hardware it uses, instead of purchasing it outright. HaaS is usually accompanied by a bundle of services that may include software, maintenance and upgrades, to name a few.
Bearing in mind that hardware today can quickly become outdated, suggests Xavier Nel, head of product at CloudGate, it will soon depreciate in terms of value and what it can deliver. HaaS, on the other hand, usually has a refresh option built into the contact, eliminating this particular challenge.
“The aim with HaaS is to reduce upfront costs for the customer, enabling them to buy hardware as an opex cost, which is much more palatable financially – and in a struggling economy, cost efficiencies have never been more critical,” he says.
“This is why mini PCs (MPCs) are a perfect fit for the HaaS model, as they offer similar benefits, but are less expensive than a typical desktop PC, enabling the service provider to craft a more cost-effective total offering.”
Nel explains that in terms of ongoing costs, MPCs offer enormous reliability, since they typically utilise solid state drives (SSDs) and have no moving parts, while their small size means they are far easier to implement and support. Their diminutive size also means they are easier to secure and store, and keeping additional devices on site for immediate swap-out is a simple matter, which increases the turnaround on the SLA the provider is able to offer.
“Because MPCs are both powerful and small, they are able to fit neatly into a wide range of solutions a provider is able to offer, which can really speak to a customers needs. Obviously, remote working is a key demand at present, with many businesses facing the challenge of ensuring that staff have reliable connectivity and are able to stay operational, even during load-shedding. Once again, the compact nature, and low power draw of the MPC means that it requires a much smaller UPS to stay operational under these conditions.
“Managed service providers (MSPs) are constantly seeking out new innovative offerings to deliver to customers. With this in mind, there is a definite growth in interest in MPCs, simply because the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the economic has been so far reaching and has forced so much adaption.”
According to Nel, many businesses are undertaking a belt-tightening process and are seeking more cost-effective ways of achieving what they need. When it comes to the triumvirate of cost, reliability and size, he adds, MPCs offer clear benefits in all three.
“Significant uptake of these devices as part of an organisation’s HaaS offering ultimately requires a mindset change. We are certainly witnessing the start of such a shift, but it still needs to play out properly in the longer term, where I have no doubt it will become a compelling proposition for both MSPs and their customers.
“As we move forward, I think the market leading providers will be the ones who cleverly tailor their bundles to offer more compelling options to their customers. There is no doubt that MPCs provide many unique benefits in the HaaS space and that these machines will soon become an essential part of the bundles and services offered by the most successful MSPs,” he concludes.
Share