Hardware-as-a-service practice gaining in popularity

There will be a gradual transition from traditional hardware leasing, where leased devices are managed in-house, to a hardware-as-a-service model, where leased devices are managed by a hardware manufacturer or managed service provider.

That’s according to a new report from IT industry marketplace Spiceworks, based on a survey of 1,115 IT buyers from organizations across North America and Europe, conducted in January.

Nearly half of those surveyed (48 percent) currently lease one or more types of hardware. Among those organizations, 24 percent manage all leased hardware in-house, and 24 percent use the HaaS model for at least one type of device.

Although most commonly used for printers, adoption of the HaaS model among other end user devices (laptops, desktops, tablets and the like) is expected to grow among organizations that already lease hardware.

Among organizations using HaaS, 71 percent said the HaaS model helps reduce the time and resources required by the internal IT team. Nearly half also said HaaS provides improved troubleshooting and support, easier setup and maintenance of devices and a reduction in the amount of obsolete technology in the workplace.

In addition, nearly 40 percent said using HaaS led to a lower total cost of ownership for devices and reduced expenses.
Among organizations that don’t subscribe to HaaS, 56 percent said it’s because they already have the resources to manage their devices inhouse, 42 percent have concerns about giving up control of their hardware.