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<br /> <br /> Memorandum <br /> <br /> <br />To: Honorable Mayor and City Council <br /> <br />From: Hannah Lynch, Finance Director <br /> <br />Date: August 23, 2021 <br /> <br />Re: Computer Replacement <br /> <br /> <br />At the August 9, 2021 Budget Work Session, the City’s current computer replacement <br />program was discussed. Currently, City Hall and Public Services computers are replaced <br />every 4 years and Public Safety computers are replaced every 5 years. <br /> <br />In talking to Jason Swalley from Metro-Inet, 3-5 years is the industry standard for many <br />reasons: <br /> <br />“In my 27 years as an IT professional, I have not worked in an enterprise that had <br />greater than a 5-year replacement cycle for standard desktop hardware. In the private <br />sector, a 3-year replacement cycle was VERY common to maintain optimal performance <br />and efficiency in the workplace and because of depreciation of the asset for tax purposes. <br />Incidentally, we do recommend a 6-year replacement cycle for ruggedized computers <br />based on their elevated cost, durability and manufacturer support. That cycle is built-in <br />to our replacement schedule recommendations. I can rationalize our 5-year replacement <br />cycle in a number of ways: <br /> <br />1. Hardware failure. Over time, electronic components fail or degrade to the point <br />where, while a computer may still function, will do so at a diminished capacity. <br />Even the new solid-state hard drives (SSDs) lose storage capacity and reliability <br />as they degrade over time. I can provide more technical detail about the aging of <br />electrolytic components and their relationship to computer performance, if <br />needed. <br />2. Obsolescence. After 5 years, desktop computer components begin to lose driver <br />support and other important capabilities as the operating system progresses. We <br />are in the midst of such a change right now. Windows 11 is being released soon