DaaS Lifecycle Management Tech: Modernizing Municipal Services Department Operations

By Nadav Avni, Chief Marketing Officer of Radix Technologies

Governments, especially local ones, tend to fall behind when it comes to tech equipment. A small budget is often the biggest issue when managing local government IT infrastructure. Many local governments can’t prioritize maintenance tasks or replace computers until they stop working. There’s often little focus on lifecycle management. 

What’s more, IT issues aren’t exclusive to old computers. Administrators and end users also face poor security, inadequate backup systems, and antiquated networks. The list goes on and on. 

Even if a small town gets enough money to upgrade all its hardware and software, then what? Office-grade computers have an average lifespan of five to seven years. Meanwhile, most retail software undergoes updates every year. What happens if the money runs out just as your fleet starts showing signs of obsolescence? 

Identifying the Needs of Your Municipal Services Department

Digitizing your municipal services makes everything easier for both public officers and private citizens. For instance, storing your data on secure servers eliminates the need to keep files of printed copies. Providing online services also drastically reduces long lines and helps secure approvals more quickly. 

At the same time, digital operations can save money and resources for the department. With less demand for printouts, offices can save on consumables such as electricity, printer ink, and paper. With digitization, everything from applying for a business permit to filing for claims becomes a faster and more streamlined process. 

Of course, digitization doesn’t really solve the problem of limited budgets for municipal IT systems. It often further bloats the budget requirement. Given the need for current model hardware, updated software, and lifecycle management, local governments must also hire an IT staff to maintain the entire fleet. How can cash-strapped locales desperate for modernization afford this kind of technology? 

The device-as-a-service (DaaS) model is a potentially game-changing solution. Rather than using limited funds to purchase hardware and software, municipalities can contract with a DaaS provider for ready-to-use equipment via a subscription service. In addition to modern hardware and up-to-date software, a DaaS contract also includes security, maintenance, and service support. 

How DaaS Improves Lifecycle Management of Tech Devices

Another important aspect of the DaaS model is that it takes IT management, maintenance, and security out of the customer’s hands. Instead, the service provider handles everything, so users only need to login and launch apps. 

The DaaS provider installs software updates and applies patches as part of the deal. This enables local governments to scale back on IT staffing. They can then use the savings to enhance the DaaS subscription or invest in other areas. 

In terms of lifecycle management, a DaaS agreement is ideal for municipal offices. Governments receive all the tech benefits and none of the worries, so workers can use modern technology to serve the needs of the public. Their equipment arrives updated and ready to use.

With a competent mobile device management (MDM) platform, the service provider can perform crucial maintenance tasks remotely during each device’s idle hours. Depending on their contract, customers can replace their existing devices with newer hardware as soon as it hits the market. 

Streamlining Device Procurement and Modernization

Subscribing to a DaaS model means governments can assign their IT as operational expenses (OpEx) instead of capital expenditures (CapEx). CapEx usually requires approval from an oversight committee every time it gets invoked, while OpEx budgets are usually folded in every year. 

A DaaS agreement also means that when work demands increase, the provider can supply additional devices at nominal costs. Similarly, a slowdown in operations allows customers to scale back and pay only for the devices they use. 

Rather than navigating the usual government red tape on bulk hardware purchases, municipalities can have their subscriptions up and running in a few days. More importantly, service support that’s on call during office hours ensures all government devices are in peak working condition. Otherwise, help is just an email or phone call away. 

How to Get the Best Value Through Lifecycle Management 

A reliable device management platform is key to the DaaS lifecycle management system. Remote capability is a must, as most maintenance services will require a secure connection between the device and an administrator module. 

Cloud systems offer encrypted, redundant, and highly secure connectivity. By keeping tools and software available in the cloud, service provider IT staff can make short work of updates and patches. Depending on the device manager, admins can perform updates on one device, several, or the entire fleet. 

Securing units is also part of lifecycle maintenance. To prevent unauthorized users from accessing files or tweaking system settings, IT admins can perform remote actions to deny unauthorized logins or disable compromised hardware. In case of emergencies, admins can also wipe the entire data storage unit to prevent data theft or loss. 

Finally, under a DaaS model, the provider will retrieve and dispose of old and non-functional units. They’ll also ensure the hardware is wiped clean and disposed of properly. For their part, municipalities simply start using new equipment.

DaaS Can Modernize Budget-Conscious Municipalities 

While money remains a key concern for local governments that want to modernize their services, there are available solutions that don’t require sizable expenditures. A DaaS subscription system can fulfill small towns and cities’ needs for modern IT hardware. 

Such an agreement eliminates one-time purchases of hardware and software bundles. It gives local governments the chance to upgrade their services with modern equipment. 

A DaaS contract also includes full management responsibilities for your fleet of modern devices. As long as the service provider utilizes proper mobile device management solutions, performing updates and fixing problems shouldn’t take long. In the end, governments are better able to serve the public thanks to improved IT services.