When the world shifted from an in-office environment to an anywhere-based work model, knowledge workers and service workers alike turned to endpoint devices for collaboration, communication and work. It is no exaggeration to say that the humble laptop and PC emerged as critical remote enablement tools for business continuity and productivity in the lockdown months. Even as we enter the next phase of work from anywhere (WFA)— endpoint devices will continue to be at the heart of workplace innovation. Per the recently released essidsolutions 2021 State of IT report, the greatest chunk of hardware budgets will go towards laptops, desktops, and servers in 2021. The report projects small businesses (24%) are expected to spend more hardware budgets on laptops versus enterprises (13%)*.
Yet, despite its functional value, endpoint devices don’t figure high in digital transformation (DX)Â initiatives. Proponents of DX like to argue that next-gen technologies such as Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR), automation and artificial intelligence (AI) hold the key to workplace innovation, often overlooking the core tech infrastructure that underpins productivity, team collaboration, employee experience and security. Put another way, organizations often fall into the trap of spending on bleeding-edge technologies only to shortchange the core business fundamentals, says the recent IDC and Intel report titled Why the PC Is the Technology Foundation to Company SuccessOpens a new window *.
Nursing Outdated Endpoints Is the Biggest PC Fleet Mistake
It is not uncommon for IT teams to use outdated technology that compromises end-user productivity and experience. This is a structural failing seen across organizations that continue to use endpoints beyond their prime. Old endpoints lack strong authentication measures to secure connectivity and updates to defend against cyberattacks that target BIOS and firmware. Over time, as devices age, they also get laden with junk data and files, as well as multiple software versions that slow down overall machine performance and hamstring digital work experience.Â
Newly distributed enterprises should understand the cost implications of not taking the end-users’ needs into account when it concerns connectivity, productivity and data security. Frequent crashes and system downtime are clear signs that devices are begging for a refresh. This long-standing oversight of nursing endpoints Opens a new window beyond their prime may prove to be the achilles heel for many organizations that are not investing in more future-forward hardware strategies. Learn More: 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Planning PC Fleet StabilityÂ
Why It’s Time for a PC Refresh Cycle
Despite the compelling evidence in favor of ensuring health and currency of the PC fleet, we still see that 48% of organizations use laptops for five or more years, and 8% use them for seven years or more, a 2018 essidsolutions research on hardware lifespan indicate*. Â
To stretch IT budgets, IT teams tend to delay PC refreshes and extend PC lifecycles. While this allows organizations to avoid upfront PC acquisition costs, older PCs add to maintenance costs, thereby increasing the total cost of ownership (TCO). The 2018 report found 49% of IT professionals cited maintenance costs as one of the top reasons for replacing company-owned hardware.Â
The Top 5 Reasons to Update Outdated Endpoint Devices:Â
1. Endpoint Security
By far, enterprise security is the biggest issue weighing on the minds of ITDMs. This is with good reason — over 70% of breaches originate on the endpoint, making it the #1 target for attackers per IDC*. Meanwhile, a whopping 42% of all endpoints are unprotected at any given time, 2019 Endpoint Security report by Absolute found*. Organizations past the hurdle of WFH migration are now contending with critical security consequences. As IDC’s Tom Mainelli, Group Vice President and Lauren Guenveur, Senior Research Analyst say, Opens a new window ‘devices operating from poorly secured untrusted home networks are a potential getaway for malware and DDOs attacks.’ Citing the 2020 Bitsight report, analysts remind us that home networks are 3.5x more likely than corporate networks to harbor at least one family of malware*.
Securing endpoint devices is hard enough within the network perimeter. With corporate-issued devices operating outside the firewalls, ensuring each device is up-to-date, patched and securely configured is even more challenging for remote IT teams. The problem is further exacerbated when PC fleets consisting of devices which are 3+-years become vulnerable to cyberattacks due to a lack of security updates and End of Life (EOL) software. Older endpoints can’t keep up with today’s security challenges — they lack hardware-integrated security enhancements to safeguard PCs below the OS and at BIOS level.Â
Don’t: Cling to out-of-date devices and risk the company’s security posture. Even a small-sized DDOS attack can take down the company’s network and bring it to a standstill.Â
Do: Make PCs your frontline defence against attacks. In a data-centric world, PCs are positioned to take on a greater role in fending off cyberattacks. IT leaders should ease the burden on IT security and operations teams by deploying modern endpoints integrated with hardware security solutions that protect PCs below the OS and at BIOS level, Mainelli and Guenveur emphasize.  Â
2. Remote Manageability and Operational Efficiency
For businesses with a completely decentralized workforce and hybrid workplace models, the motivation for efficient and effective fleet management is compelling. No access equates to no business. Endpoints are a crucial link for remote workers accessing applications and corporate resources to get their jobs done. However, the distributed nature of work has greatly increased the complexity of PC fleet management. More machines drive greater maintenance needs, but outdated devices just make it an even more difficult and obtuse task. To tackle remote management and monitoring pains, IT teams should stay current with updated PC fleets that protect from the BIOS up, and ensure vulnerabilities are addressed in a timely manner. Â
Don’t: Make PC maintenance in the work-from-anywhere era more complicated than it has to be. Failure to enhance ease of manageability and consistency can hugely impact costs and budgets and prevent IT from meeting crucial goals. Â
Do: Empower IT Ops to ‘maintain from anywhere’ in a time of work from anywhere. Modern PC fleets provide IT pros with a slew of advantages they simply don’t have with old endpoints. Remote management functionality by the Intel vPro® platform allows IT to troubleshoot and deploy patches more securely even when the device is powered off or out of band, helping organizations to reduce cost and complexity.Â
3. Prioritizing Organizational Data
In the age of pandemic, securing data has become a key pain point for IT teams. New attack vectors are on the rise in an increasingly mobile, distributed world that threatens to chip away at the organization’s data security. There is a fundamental belief that antivirus and legacy VPNs can safeguard corporate data, but that’s no guarantee of success. In fact, increased security spending doesn’t necessarily translate into better security outcomes. IDC analysts Mainelli and Guenveur estimate that even by 2023, just over 50% of the data that requires some level of protection will actually be protected. IDC’s 2019 Personal Computing Device Commercial Survey Opens a new window says data is the most valued business asset. Yet, despite the growth in cloud management and storage tools, a whopping 40% of data is stored locally.Â
IT teams struggling with legacy infrastructure can’t defend against the new family of malware or distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks that open the door to data leakages and thefts.  Security incidents such as ransomware attacks show no sign of slowing, and have amplified during the pandemic, with a hard-hitting impact on data security for organizations of all sizes and data security maturity. With PCs becoming the first line of defense, IT leadership should bolster data security by investing in contemporary digital workplace solutions that enable remote manageability and recovery operations, and help safeguard data in the event of a breach.Â
Don’t: Don’t rely on outdated PC fleets that risk sensitive customer and organizational data. Safe to say, if your organization comes under attacks, your customer data is exposed as well.
Do: Hardware-based security solutions should be the starting point for IT teams intent on modernizing PC fleet management efficiencies. The multi-perimeter era requires new monitoring and additional visibility capabilities to handle new data security challenges. And new endpoints don’t just drive productivity, they’re key to protecting your business’ data.Â
Learn More: 3 Device Management Challenges For Modern IT Operations (And How to Overcome Them)
4. User Productivity, Collaboration and Employee Experience
Digital device performance issues that impacted employee experience weren’t so urgent before the pandemic, but the crisis has highlighted the challenge presented by these new workplace realities. The inability to meet end-users’ tech expectations can hugely impact job satisfaction. Amid the initial rush to remote work, 74% of U.S. employees surveyed experienced repeat IT issues while more than half of employees reveal suffering from slow-running corporate-issued devices, a sobering report from endpoint management solution provider 1E reveals*.  In a digital world, new and efficient endpoints are pivotal for driving a productive and engaged workforce and enabling a climate of collaboration and innovation.Â
Unfortunately, there are reams of research that indicate the growing IT-employee disconnect over corporate-issued device performance during the pandemic. For instance, 1E’s survey found 36 million American workers (53%) reported that their device performs slower outside the office. Another startling finding, 48% of U.S. workers flagged device performance as a top three issue that hinders productivity and overall employee experience.
PC downtime can cost millions of dollars at a time when workers are increasingly reliant on digital applications and services. A Forrester report titled The Economic Impact of the Intel vPro® Opens a new window Platform reveals that workers with 3+-year-old endpoints are likely to be 12% less productive, resulting in a potential estimated cost of $7,794 per year, per user*.
Don’t: Ignore the power of the PC as a key factor in employee experience. The millennial and Gen-Z workforce expect consistent and quality digital work experience in remote settings similar to what they experienced in their offices. Delaying PC refreshes will only add to the end-user’s frustration, hit productivity and negatively impact the next generation of knowledge workers.Â
Do: Reprioritize employee experience in the context of distributed workforces. Sustaining employee experience is essential to both user productivity and customer experience. Amid unprecedented large-scale WFH environments, up-to-date technology can simplify connectivity and power productivity. For instance, the 10th Gen Intel® vPro® platform delivers up to 40% better overall application performance than a three-year-old laptop.**
5. Lower IT Costs and Streamline Maintenance Operations
In a changed world, keeping businesses running and customers satisfied with the applications and tools they need to get the job done is crucial. This needs a well-oiled, streamlined and effective device maintenance operations, led by IT. In fact, 80% of a computer’s total cost of ownership (TCO) is maintenance and tech support, per Forrester report The Economic Impact of the Intel vPro® Platform.Â
Older endpoints raise IT maintenance costs — a 2018 Microsoft Pan-Asia SMB PC study found endpoints that are 4+ years old are 2.7 times more likely to be repaired, resulting in 112 hours of productive time lost*. Various versions of software installed over the years doesn’t help to streamline security operations, leading to not just lost productive hours on the part of the employee, but lost IT hours addressing avoidable issues with remote PCs.Â
Don’t: Ignore the real cost of maintenance caused by inefficient devices. This is now almost a truism in technology — maintaining outdated endpoints adds up to operational costs. Yet, businesses compromise agility, scalability and stability by nursing 3+ year old devices that add to ongoing IT costs.  For more complete information about performance and benchmarks results, visit www.intel.com/benchmarksOpens a new window
Do: Leverage this easy opportunity to cut costs and improve maintenance outcomes. The Forrester study, The Economic Impact of the Intel® vPro® platform found organizations that deployed the Intel® vPro® platform helped save an estimated 7,680 security support hours annually. Additionally, fast and more timely patch installation boosts end-user experience and contributes to the low cost of ownership. IT leaders should weigh in on: where is the money better spent — maintaining old PCs or driving new business value? Â
Learn More: Why DASH Alone Is Not the Answer for Modern PC Fleet ManageabilityÂ
Bottom Line
IT leaders don’t apply the “if it ain’t broke yet†philosophy to the enterprise laptop fleet by holding on to systems beyond the acceptable limits of reliability and manageability. This approach can risk both the end-user and business security and productivity. Enterprise fleets which include a mix of business-class PCs, laptops, and desktops require the same attention and detail in todays’ remote environments that have spawned new threats and significantly transformed the way enterprises conduct businesses.Â
Additionally, the next-generation workforce (digital natives who consume the latest tools & apps) expect a higher standard of digital workplace technology to remain at optimal productivity. Aside from the obvious productivity and manageability benefits, modern endpoints also deliver return on investment (ROI) in the form of increased business agility. Organizations will be better served by deploying modern devices that are engineered to provide greater reliability, stability and security. Like most long-term DX initiatives, IT leaders should build a roadmap to measure current and future needs, and follow stringent PC refresh cycles to improve employee experience and drive business outcomes.Â
Notes
Notices and Disclaimers
**Performance results are based on testing as of May 4, 2020, and may not reflect all publicly available security updates. See configuration disclosure for details. No product can be absolutely secure. Software and workloads used in performance tests may have been optimized for performance only on Intel® microprocessors.
Performance tests, such as SYSmark* and MobileMark*, are measured using specific computer systems, components, software, operations, and functions. Any change to any of those factors may cause the results to vary. You should consult other information and performance tests to assist you in fully evaluating your contemplated purchases, including the performance of that product when combined with other products. For more complete information, visit intel.com/benchmarks.
Overall Performance: As measured by SYSmark 2018 Overall Score on pre-production 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-10810U vs. 8/15/19 testing of 7th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-7600U. SYSmark 2018 is published by the Business Applications Performance Corporation (BAPCo), a benchmarking consortium.
SYSmark tests Windows* desktop applications performance using real-world scenarios: productivity, creativity, and responsiveness. Mainstream applications used in the scenarios include Microsoft Office*, Adobe Creative Cloud*, and Google Chrome*. Each scenario produces individual metrics that roll up to an overall score. REFRESH CONFIGURATIONS,. NEW: Pre-production system with: Processor: Intel® Coreâ„¢ i7 -10810U (CML-U 6+2) PL1=15W/25W, 6C12T, Turbo up to 4.9GHz, Memory: 2x16GB DDR4-2667 2Rx8, Storage: Intel® 760p M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD, Intel® Optaneâ„¢ Memory H10 with Intel RST driver, and Samsung SSD 970 Evo Plus with Samsung driver, Display Resolution: 3840×2160 eDP Panel 12.5â€, OS: Windows* 10 19H2-18363.ent.rx64.691-Appx68. Power policy set to AC/Balanced mode for all benchmarks except SYSmark 2018 which is measured in AC/BAPCo mode for Performance. Power policy set to DC/Balanced mode for power. All benchmarks run in Admin mode & Tamper Protection Disabled / Defender Disabled, Graphics driver: 2020-02-11-ci-master-4102-revenue-pr-1007926-whql, Temperature: Tc=70c for all performance measurements. Tc=50c for MobileMark 2018. 3-YEAR-OLD:OEM system with Processor: Intel® Coreâ„¢ i7 -7600U (KBL-U 2+2) PL1=15W, 2C4T, Turbo up to 3.9GHz, Memory: 2 X 4GB DDR4, Storage: Intel® 760p M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD, Display Resolution: 1920×1080, OS: 10.0.18362.175.
Power policy set to AC/Balanced mode for all benchmarks except SYSmark 2018 which is measured in AC/BAPCo mode for Performance. Power policy set to DC/Balanced mode for power. All benchmarks run in Admin mode & Tamper Protection Disabled / Defender Disabled, Graphics driver: n/a Bios version: n/a , Temperature: Tc=70c for all performance measurements. Tc=50c for MobileMark 2018.
Intel technologies may require enabled hardware, software or service activation.
No product or component can be absolutely secure.
Your costs and results may vary. Intel does not control or audit third-party data. You should consult other sources to evaluate accuracy.
© Intel Corporation. Intel, the Intel logo, and other Intel marks are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.  Â
*Sources:
The 2021 State of ITOpens a new window by essidsolutions Ziff Davis
Intel | Data Center Solutions, IoT, and PC InnovationOpens a new window , 2020
Data Snapshot: The Lifespan of Computers and Other Tech in the Workplace IDC Says 70% of Successful Breaches Originate on the EndpointOpens a new window , 2019
2019 Endpoint Security Trends Report by AbsoluteOpens a new window Identifying Unique Risks of Work from Home Remote Office NetworksOpens a new window , 2020
The New Digital Workplace: Employee Experiences with Remote WorkingOpens a new window by 1E, 2020
The Economic Impact of the Intel vPro® PlatformOpens a new window by Intel and Forrester, 2018
True Cost of Not Replacing Computers Revealed, Microsoft NZ News CentreOpens a new window , 2018