Episode III – PC-as-a-Service: The Last Aging PC

Now that Leia has partnered with an experienced Managed Service Provider and taken advantage of the automation capabilities endpoint management offers, her staff is more efficient and she has more time to focus on prioritizing strategic IT initiatives. As her next step toward a more efficient and updated environment, she wants to systematically replace her aging PC fleet.  

Some of her computers are over five years old, and crash more frequently, are slow to load essential programs, and are generally less reliable than the handful of newer computers in the fleet despite the preventative maintenance provided by automation. However, with PC-as-a-Service (PCaaS), the problems associated with aging PCs become a thing of the past. 

PCaaS combines hardware, software, and lifecycle services into one solution at a predictable per-device price each month. It’s a flexible solution that scales as her company grows, and reduces the burden of the cost sustained over the lifecycle of the PC, allowing for more predictable IT budget planning. And, each new PC is backed by the support of endpoint management, reducing the additional costs associated with managing and supporting outdated PCs. 

With PCaaS, her company is not restrained by changes in technology, but rather grows alongside them. Through three- or four-year PC refresh cycles, her staff receives the newest technologies faster, keeping them ahead of the ever-changing technological curve. 

Leia’s Managed Service Provider works with her to discuss her hardware and software needs, and devises a customized PCaaS plan that meets the varying needs of her employees. Based on their roles and responsibilities, they receive either a top-of-the-line PC that’s faster and better equipped than the Millennium Falcon, or a more basic PC that still provides more than enough compute power to perform their job functions. Either way, they no longer experience the problems associated with an aging PC that hinders their productivity. 

Now that she’s addressed her aging workstation fleet, Leia wants help managing the rest of her infrastructure, which includes servers, networking devices, and mobile devices. In Episode IV, her Managed Service Provider suggests using the force of complete end-to-end management.