Category: Hardware

SHI Financing: Smarter, better budgeting

Posted by at 11:26 AM

SHI doesn’t just have one of the best selections of hardware and software in the business; we also have one of the best and most flexible financing and leasing programs. Sometimes we don’t do as good a job as maybe we should promoting the fact that we can finance your purchases of software, desktops and notebooks, mobile devices, storage, networking products, and a wide range of other solutions.

With interest rates at all-time lows, financing your purchase of hardware and software has never been easier, or more economical. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

  1. Talk to your SHI representative about the financing options that are available to you.
  2. Settle on the terms of the financing contract, and choose a payment structure (quarterly, monthly, yearly, etc.).
  3. Sign on the dotted line, and away you go!

What kinds of deals can you finance?

  • Large or multi-year software deals: If a big project comes along, it’s in your best interest to spread the payments out over time. Many software publishers are now selling multi-year terms that allow organizations to use SHI financing and make annual payments.
  • Hardware deals: As technology power goes up and the price goes down, it is logical to lease. Financing lets you more cost-effectively refresh your technology to ensure your organization is always using cutting-edge technology.
  • Surprise requirements: This includes your non-budgeted items, perhaps license compliance issues or end-of-quarter purchases. SHI financing allows organizations to spread out payment of these purchases over time, or even defer them. Continue Reading…

Think digital signage isn’t for you? Think again.

Posted by at 12:13 PM

digital signage solutions from SHIAdvertising has been around for as long as humans have had something to sell. Historians have found examples of commercial messages in Pompeii and lost and found advertising on papyrus in Ancient Greece and Rome. As time rolled on, advertisers found opportunity to place ads on everything from billboards, cars, buses, boats, to even an athlete’s skin. Now the question becomes, how can business leaders capitalize on advertising in the digital world to drive their businesses into the next decade?

Enter digital signage. Already seeing widespread use in malls, airports, and train stations, digital ads are making their way into every industry. What’s driving this shift? Since digital signage can be both frequently and easily updated, it saves you the printing and construction costs associated with traditional signage techniques.

Think there isn’t a place for digital signage in your organization? Look to these four industries for inspiration and direction. Continue Reading…

The impact of sequestration on IT

Posted by at 3:53 PM

I chose not to blog about sequestration until now because, like most people, I never really thought it was going to happen. Much like January’s fiscal cliff, the prevailing sentiment was that the “D.C.” in Washington would stand for “Don’t Cut” and that an 11th hour deal would be made.

But now that the deadline has passed and the only thing delaying the start of sequestration is a presidential signature, we must all seriously begin to consider what will happen to those affected by the automatic spending cuts.

As reported by Computerworld this morning, the potential budget cuts are already causing uncertainty within a sector that relies on secure funding to foster growth and innovation: IT. Even though the official OMB report from the White House says that “no amount of planning can mitigate the effects of these cuts,” IT organizations should still start anticipating what those effects will be in order to properly manage them.

If cuts are indeed made, here are some questions IT managers will need to consider. Continue Reading…

5 ways the Dell buyout will (or will not) affect the channel

Posted by at 10:12 AM

When word broke about Dell’s decision to go private, it triggered a firestorm of reactions across the industry. Responses ranged from the customer doomsday predictions featured in HP’s official response to Microsoft’s 83-word, $2 billion endorsement. News articles do everything from analyzing the events that led to this strategic move, to identifying the implications of the buyout, and predicting how the deal will ultimately play out in the future.

While I can appreciate the continued dialogue and debate, those of us tasked with supporting IT organizations all day, every day really just want to know: What does the Dell buyout mean to us, right now?

In the days following Dell’s announcement, SHI customers have approached their account teams to learn how the acquisition will (or will not) affect them. Here are the five questions we’ve been asked the most: Continue Reading…

Are your cables causing a disconnect in your data center?

Posted by at 11:19 AM

Even though much of today’s business depends on the health of the network and the supporting data center, companies often ignore a crucial component: the cables. You might be laughing, but there’s a reason for the old saying, “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” You can have the most up-to-date, biggest, fastest servers around, but if you don’t have the right cable to connect them, they mean nothing.

I’ve spent eight years helping clients put the right cabling in place for their data centers, and I can tell you that cables and cable management are often taken for granted. So today, I want to shed light on the importance of correctly setting up and maintaining your data center’s cables. I’ll start by explaining the two sides to cables: the human and the technical. Let me talk first about the human aspect. Continue Reading…

5 ways to lower your printing costs now

Posted by at 3:51 PM

If you asked 1,000 IT directors to name their least favorite subject, printing would easily top the charts. IT generally hates having to think about printing, and I can understand why. Printers have developed a reputation as noisy, unreliable money toilets that can also send faxes. They’re a pain to support, and they distract your attention from supporting the business’s core operations and projects.

But if you take the time to examine what is actually happening in your environment, you can be an IT hero to your company. There’s real money to be saved here, no matter how you estimate it. So when you’re ready to take the plunge and address your printing, here are five key steps to get you pointed in the right direction.

Continue Reading…

A Microsoft Surface user review

Posted by at 9:58 AM

I’ve never owned a tablet device. No, really. I’m serious. Twenty-two percent of adults across the U.S. (and counting) own tablets, but I was not one of them.

Until recently, that is. Two weeks ago Pat Hart, SHI’s Director of Software Licensing, determined to bring me out of the dark ages, handed me a newly released Microsoft Surface. His instructions to me: “Try not to break this thing on the first day.”

It was good advice and, for a moment, seemed likely that I would fail this task. Getting the device out of the box was a challenge. It was like the Surface was packed inside a giant Chinese finger trap: The harder I pulled on the black and white interlocked cardboard box, the more the device refused to budge. I dropped the package on my kitchen counter five to six times before my wife finally came to see what was making all that noise. She took the box, flipped it over, and the Surface slid gently out onto the counter.

Surface (and spouse): 1. Ed: 0. Continue Reading…

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