(864) 249-0943
(864) 249-0943
December 15, 2015
Creativity and flexibility may not be two qualities that immediately come to mind when you are thinking about supplying a new data center or decommissioning an old one. However, the idea of “cost savings” is absolutely one that comes to mind, and creativity and flexibility are very closely tied to saving money when it comes to getting data center equipment into or out of a facility. At LEL International, we have spent years analyzing the data center industry, coming up with creative ideas for streamlining processes, and building relationships that help us connect buyers and sellers for the benefit of all parties. Here are a few of our thoughts on data center equipment and how a little creative thinking can save you a lot of money.
In many data center decommissioning projects, time constraints lead to wasted money. In their haste to get equipment out of the facility, project managers do not take the time to find the best possible destination for each unit, but rather discard it in the way that is most immediately convenient. In fact, a used piece of data center equipment may represent thousands of dollars in productivity or resale value, which is wasted when it is discarded/destroyed.
When we decommission a data center for a client, we often find that with a little research, we are able to find new purposes for used equipment at other locations within the client’s company. There is no expense to the company for repurposing equipment that it already owns, and it may allow the company to avoid buying new equipment in the near future. Sometimes it takes the eye of an outside expert to spot repurposing opportunities, but the cost savings are significant.
Even if there is no need for a piece of used data center equipment within the company, other companies in the industry may find it desirable and be willing to pay a competitive price for it. The data center owner probably does not have the connections or time to seek a buyer, but our agents do so on a regular basis and are ideally situated to find the best possible price for your used equipment.
Starting the data center decommissioning process without adequate planning is a sure way to waste money along the way. Our scope of work proposal is backed up by plenty of research, inspection of equipment, and anticipation of the order of events, from returning cooling system water to the local supply to bringing in cranes for loading equipment to taking transformers offline. By identifying when and how each step will take place, we minimize delays and the overall time it takes to complete the project.
Just as most companies do not have the time to find buyers for data center equipment during decommissioning, they do not have the time to search for high-quality used equipment when stocking a new data center. Purchasing used chillers, backup diesel generators, transformers, and other units could drastically reduce the initial investment, but buying new models is usually the more convenient, if far more expensive, option. With the help of LEL International’s agents, a client can quickly locate pre-owned data center equipment that exactly matches the new center’s needs at a far lower cost.
As you can see, saving money when working with data centers is often not a matter of devising a brand new idea, but taking the time necessary to analyze the big picture, determine what possibilities exist for maximizing resale/repurposing value, investigate those possibilities, and decide on a plan of action. When you partner with LEL International, you choose to put our experts to work on those tasks. Our clients are regularly surprised at the thousands of dollars in savings that are hiding in their used equipment and that they would have wasted without our help.
Exercising flexibility and creativity when commissioning or decommissioning a data center is worth the effort, but your company does not have to find used equipment, look for interested buyers, or plan every step of the process itself. Please get in touch with us today to talk with an agent about managing your next data center project.
Our business is buying, selling and decommissioning but our foundation is people.
You are first. Always. We seek to serve you with integrity, honesty, and the utmost customer service.
Our approach is different. Relationship over transaction. We are committed to embracing the challenge until we have the best solution for you.
WE ARE LEL.
