Articles
RSSRugged Vs. Commercial — Considering The Total Cost Of Ownership Of Handheld Devices
May 26, 2004
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Of the numerous decisions and options facing enterprises interested in deploying a mobile solution, a great debate surrounds the question of whether to integrate industrial grade rugged equipment or to use commercially available non-rugged devices. This question has proven to be complex for enterprises to answer as they attempt to balance the cost of projects and mitigate their impact on budgets, while selecting device features most appropriate for their application.
Since budgets are key influencers in the decision making process, price is a major concern. Higher priced components may present barriers that are difficult to overcome. However, this is more likely when components are viewed with prices rather than costs. Price, in relation to cost, is a one-time expenditure in a snap shot of the business lifecycle, whereas costs are ongoing and carry ramifications that can affect the business over time.
This document will examine the TCO of rugged and non-rugged handheld hardware in enterprise applications and dispel the myth that commercial non-rugged handheld hardware is more cost-effective with a better ROI. When examining the opportunity cost of hardware failure and resulting downtime to the enterprise, the total cost of ownership becomes clear.
