Anyone who is thinking about selling their networking equipment to an IT equipment reseller is focused on getting the best return on their assets. Here is the thing; the best way to retaining the value of your networking equipment, is to properly maintain your routers, PoE switches and servers throughout their life cycle at your company. The problem? Most IT professionals are not thinking about Asset Recovery Value until the equipment has been de-installed and is taking up space in their facility. By that time, it is too late to take the proper steps to ensure that you will get top dollar for your equipment when you are ready to sell.
Think of it this way….Networking Equipment should be treated just like a car. Before you laugh, hear me out on this one. Both a car and a switch or router are substantial investments that you know will eventually have to be replaced by a newer model. You would not drive a brand new car off the lot and never go for an oil change, or never clean and wash it, and you would certainly not drive carelessly and hit things, right? Of course not! Because you know that eventually you will have to resell it and if you do not take proper care of it, the car will be worth a fraction of what it should be. IT equipment is exactly the same! It is important to properly care for your equipment from the moment you take it out of the box to the moment you ship it to your network equipment reseller.
Here are some important things you can do to ensure that all of your networking equipment retains its maximum resale value
Asset Tag Placement
Asset Tags are simply labels to denote a company name, to declare ownership, as well as an IP address that is associated with a particular router or switch. While asset tags are a necessary piece of identification for a companies equipment, where they are placed is just as important. It is never a good idea to place an asset tag over any of the manufacturer’s stickers, including the part number sticker and the serial number sticker. Without access to the part number and/or serial number, it will be nearly impossible for a network equipment reseller to properly estimate the value of the equipment. It is also important to avoid putting any type of asset tag over any functioning part of your equipment including ports and memory slots. Not only will it prevent the router or switch from performing properly, asset tag stickers can get stuck in and damage the delicate parts of the Gigabit Ports.
Handle with Care
This one should be obvious, but it is easy to forget that these heavy routers and switches are comprised of extremely delicate circuit boards and back connectors. One good drop or forced shove into a slot can result in irreparable damage which will make your asset recovery value on that unit…zero dollars. So, take your time when removing and replacing switches in their chassis. Be cautious when moving chassis and firewalls from the moment they arrive at your facility to the moment they are shipped out to your network equipment reseller.
Keep it Clean
We are not just talking about the outside here! Although it is important to keep the outside clean, the inside of the units need to be kept clean as well. Many companies have a set it and forget it mentality when it comes to their network equipment. The 
problem with that? The insides of the routers and switches fill with dust and debris that can harm the intricate circuits boards that run them. This is exactly like never changing the oil in your car! Sure the car will run for a while, but eventually all of the build up from the old oil will seize your engine. No one wants to deal with that! So every few months, take 
an air can to the ports or fan units of your router or switch. This will prevent dust from ever having the chance to build up, and ensure that your equipment will run smoothly.
Used Cable Management
Ok, ok, you got me on this one! Using a cable management system is not 100% necessary and not managing your cables will not affect the asset recovery value of your gear. However… we here at DNI strongly recommend using some kind of cable management. 
Be it Velcro, zip ties or the cable management unit that comes attached to the front of the chassis,some kind of management for your networks cables is necessary to avoid future headaches. Basically, if you have a tangled mess of CAT cables hanging in front of your chassis, and a switch malfunctions, not only will it take you an extensive amount of time to determine which switch is down, you will also have to untangle the cables to take them out of the ports on that particular unit. Sounds like fun, Right? Without a cable management system, it will also be very difficult for you to find the complete part number and serial number stickers on your routers and switches. This will definitely make taking inventory for your Asset recovery evaluation a real chore. So do yourself a favor and implement some type of management system for the cables from the get go.
In short, the care that take with your networking equipment today, will greatly affect its resale value tomorrow. If you planning on taking advantage of an Asset Recovery Program, like DNI’s, it is important for you to properly maintain your network equipment. If all of the proper precautions are taken, you can be sure that you will receive the best possible return on your pre-owned IT equipment.
Want to know what else you can do to ensure that your Switches, Routers and Hubs retain their greatest resale value?
