'IT Hardware and Software Maintenance Decision Tree
For Both types of Maintenance contracts there needs to be a file setup for each contract,
so that the administrator of the contracts can quickly find any information concerning
that contract that is needed. A spreadsheet listing all contracts with a summery of each
is very helpful.
All maintenance contracts need to have a responsible person assigned to them. This
person should be an expert and/or the main person responsible for that software or hardware
item.
About 60 - 90 days prior to the end of the contract and/or termination deadline, go
to the responsible person and obtain the answers to the following questions:
UpGrade Maintenance
- Is this product still in use? If no, will it be in the near future or? can we drop
maintenance?
- Are all licenses being used? Can we decrease the # of licenses
- Do we plan on upgrading this product in the next 3 years? If not, do a cost analysis
to see if it would be cheaper to drop maintenance and rebuy the license when or if you
ever decide to upgrade.
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Technical Maintenance
- Is this product still in use? If no, will it be in the near future or? can we drop
maintenance?
- Are all licenses being used? Can we decrease the # of licenses
- How often have you had to use this maintenance, if at all? When this product malfuntioned,
did your own employees resolve the problem or did you use the maintenance? If your own
employees resolved the problem, then perhaps your employees have the expertise to handle
your maintenance on this product.
- Does the hours of use of this product coinside with the hours covered under maintenance?
If the use of this product is during business hours, you wouldn't want to have 24x7 maintenance
coverage. If you do use this product 24x7 and it malfuntioned on a business night, could
you wait till the next business day to have it repaired? What if it malfuntioned on a
weekend or holiday night, could you wait till the next business day to have it repaired?
- When you call this vendor for maintenance, how long before they respond? How long
before you are up and running again?
- Does this vendor offer a "time and materials" rate? What hours is it available?
How fast do they respond?
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