May 2026 Volume 8

OPERATIONS & MANAGEMENT

Servers A server is a different animal. Since servers are configured for specific purposes, they’re generally high-quality machines to start. Depending on the servers’ physical environment (for example, a climate-controlled, dedicated server room, or on the other extreme, the shop floor) they may run reliably for up to 6 years or longer. But they don’t last forever. When to Consider Server Replacement Be aware of these signs that it may be time for a server refresh: • Expired manufacturer warranty and no extensions are available. • End-of-support is approaching for operating systems or firmware. • Replacement parts are hard to find. • “Band Aid fixes” like adding a new server as a less expensive, short-term fix for overall slow response during peak shifts. • The business relies on “that one IT person” when something goes wrong with the older server. • Security is outdated and newer protocols like modern encryption, multi-factor authentication, or zero-trust tools can’t be implemented because the server is too old • Backups are slow or backup recovery is unreliable. • Your IT team describes server issues as “intermittent,” “random,” or “we can’t reproduce it”, which means small failures are happening that aren’t easy to pinpoint or resolve. These only grow over time. • Business expansion plans are delayed because the existing server infrastructure can’t handle new applications or processes. If your server refresh is being delayed to save money, but operating costs and risks continue to grow, it’s time to reconsider the strategy. Proactive Server Replacement Is a Risk Mitigation Decision Proactive server replacement is more than simply replacing equipment - it helps mitigate operational risk from unexpected downtime. Infrastructure reliability protects not only data, but metal, equipment, customer trust, and throughput. If servers are over three to five years old, located near production, increasingly unreliable, or negatively impacting efforts to modernize, don’t wait.

Plan Now, Avoid Surprises Later Organizations that manage hardware proactively treat technology assets the same way they treat physical plant and equipment: monitored, maintained, and replaced when risk outweighs return. Ultimately, hardware replacement should be driven by business impact, not habit or crisis. Waiting for failure may seem economical, but unplanned downtime, security incidents, and productivity losses consistently cost more than a well timed refresh. Lifecycle management is a crucial part of a reliable IT strategy. Your IT team should track device ages, make timely replacement recommendations, and schedule upgrades so your team never experiences unexpected interruptions. In a business environment where reliability and security are inseparable from performance, the right time to replace computer hardware is not when systems stop working, but when they stop working for the business.

Jim Kerr is President of CRU Solutions, a leading Cleveland-based managed IT services firm he founded in 1982. CRU Solutions has been serving the team at FIA for over 10 years. Find us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and X, or at www.crusolutions.com. Email: jim.kerr@crusolutions.com

SUPPLIERS GUIDE AND RFQ

Stop hunting. Start sourcing. With the FIA Suppliers Guide, tap into a curated list of material and equipment suppliers. And when your need is unique, submit a custom RFQ and connect with the perfect partner — all in one place.

www.forging.org/ suppliers-guide

www.forging.org info@forging.org (216) 781-6260

FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2026 57