Why do manufacturers declare products End-of-Life and End-of-Service?

There are many reasons why manfucturers declare equipment End-of-Life and End-of-Service such as:

 

  • Manufacturers keen to sell new technology to customers to keep their shareholders happy
  • The demand for particular models means manufacturing is discontinued
  • The replacement parts for particular models are not produced any longer
  • Technical staff training focuses on new technologies meaning less staff with in-depth knowledge of legacy models

Most large manufacturers are stock market listed and have the added pressure of being seen to be continually innovating and producing financial returns for their shareholders.

 

But just because a product has been declared End of Life or End of Service, doesn’t mean it’s the right time for a business to upgrade.

 

  • The installed infrastructure may be perfectly adequate and meeting the business needs.
  • Other legacy application and infrastructure may rely on other legacy products which may not be supported by new technological advances.
  • The business does not have enough funds or is not willing to meet the budget for procuring new infrastructure.
  • Purchasing new infrastructure not environmentally friendly.
  • When replacing infrastructure, the cost of the kit is just the start.   The implementation and new staff training costs need to be factored in.
  • Installing new infrastructure can introduce unnecessary risk to a business.   Is it 100% compatible and can it happily co-exist with your existing infrastructure?