One of the challenges is to develop a budget that accurately reflects not only the initial cost of a computer system, but all related expenses. To make certain that your computer systems remain an efficient tool for your agency, a basic understanding of the technical and economic realities is necessary. Too often, we treat computer purchases as a one-time expense. That is to say, you buy it, and you forget about it. This is not a cost-effective measure for the purchase of a computer system.
Computer systems require maintenance and support.
An appropriate analogy might be the purchase and maintenance of a car. In the long run, changing the oil every 3,000 miles will cost less than a complete engine overhaul. Keeping up with technology is undeniably expensive, but there are strategies to minimize expenses and prevent surprises from decimating your budget. Only thirty percent of the total cost of owning a computer system is the initial purchase of hardware, software and peripherals. Seventy percent of the ownership cost goes to technical support, repairs, training and upgrades.