Surface-as-a-Service and your old IT

The best garbage is none
Regardless of whether it is viewed as a PR stunt or the effectiveness of the measures adopted, initiatives such as those of Facebook, Microsoft or DHL can be expected to achieve a concrete reduction in greenhouse gases in contrast to the airy climate protection targets of the governments. An important contribution to climate protection, which can reduce the emission of climate-relevant gases in a variety of ways, is a rethinking of waste. So-called “e-waste” should have a particularly high priority. In a global comparison, Germany ranks fifth with 1,9 million tonnes of electrical waste. E-scrap is particularly problematic as waste, on the one hand because of its relatively short useful life and on the other hand because of the difficulty of recycling the raw materials it contains. It is not uncommon for devices to end up on the trash that could have been used for several years after appropriate processing. If the implementation of the EU directive from 5 in the “Law on the placing on the market, return and environmentally compatible disposal of electrical and electronic equipment” has made manufacturers more responsible, too many devices still end up in the garbage. One of the things that can help is the used equipment business.Reconditioning beats recyclingRecycling e-waste instead of dumping it in open landfills far away from your own front door is a start. Unfortunately, the numerous examples of toxic, towering mountains of rubbish all over the world indicate that there is still a lot to be done here. Recycling often takes place in countries that lack the necessary infrastructure to process the waste safely and properly. In Ghana, for example, copper cables are stripped of their plastic sheathing in an open fire. Children put themselves in danger only to remove parts from the garbage that are worth a few cents. Toxins enter the environment unhindered and make the local population sick. But even professional recycling consumes a lot of water and releases additional CO2. "Refurbished" devices, i.e. devices that have already had their first life cycle, are a cost-efficient and sustainable solution for avoiding unnecessary e-waste. Refurbishment means bringing the device into a perfect optical and technical condition and returning it to its original purpose. This is possible above all with devices from the business segment, as they are usually more robust, durable and more powerful than hardware intended for end users. The latter is usually not worth the effort, due to the large variety of models and the significantly stronger signs of wear. However, the higher quality is also reflected in the price; business models are often many times more expensive than comparable consumer devices. Companies are increasingly relying on leasing models such as Aluxo's Surface-as-a-Service for their IT equipment. For companies, these offer the advantage of always being equipped with the latest hardware and minimal effort for maintenance and support. Similar to a leased vehicle, the device is returned to Aluxo after a certain mileage has been reached. If the leasing contract continues, the customer will even receive a new device and a replacement for the transition period free of charge. If desired, all data and settings can be transferred to the replacement device and work can continue seamlessly. After 2-3 years, the devices need to be replaced and the question arises as to what to do with the "old" devices.

From old to new

The new cooperation between Aluxo and bb-net ensures that the supposedly obsolete devices go through a second life cycle. bb-net is a passionate specialist in the “refurbished” business. At the beginning of the process there is a visual inspection of the device; slight scratches already result in a lower classification of the device. This is followed by a thorough cleaning. Dust and other particles that accumulate during use are completely extracted. All devices are anonymized and stickers attached to the outside are carefully removed. Finally, the housings are polished to a "high gloss" using special cleaning agents. Here, too, bb-net attaches great importance to environmental compatibility. All cleaning agents used are environmentally friendly.

But the service from bb-net goes far beyond mere cleaning. The employees replace lost plastic feet, panels or entire keyboards, whereby bb-net even has some spare parts specially made. The latter also includes SSDs and RAM memories, which bb-net runs under its own brand tecXL. This seemingly special approach guarantees maximum compatibility and reliability of the installed components. If the optical defects cannot be remedied, the devices go as “2. Wahl ”on the market, including a two-year guarantee. The scope of the guarantee also includes the repair of defective devices within 72 hours.

70 percent of the devices are being upgraded, for example with more RAM, a new battery, a larger hard drive or SSDs. A server then records them with either Windows 10 Pro or Home including recovery partition, drivers, Libre Office and a security suite. Extensive tests are carried out after all “restoration work” has been completed.

Data protection and license protection

After receiving the device, bb-net professionally cleans it of old data so that under no circumstances confidential information, such as customer data, remains on the device. Bb-net is the only IT refurbisher in Germany that has introduced fully digital data recognition that monitors the preparation process and guides employees through the process step by step. In this way it can be proven that the device has been completely cleared of old data, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and the Federal Data Protection Act. Mobile data carriers such as memory cards, discs or SIM cards are removed and irretrievably shredded. When Aluxo receives the devices back, the customer can be sure that they will start using their device on the greenfield.

The procedure is fully coordinated with the MAR program from Microsoft (“Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher”). bb-net is an official partner here, one of only 69 companies worldwide that have this status.

Second Life for Surface

The device then gets its second existence either again as part of Surface-as-a-Service or through resale to specialist dealers, commercial end users or to schools and public institutions. For these target groups, the cost advantage over new devices is a particularly decisive advantage.

Logically economical

The cooperation between Aluxo and bb-net is all about sustainability. Both companies are demonstrating their contemporary environmental awareness and are implementing a green market strategy. Such a model offers first-time users all the advantages of the latest technology, while users benefit from inexpensive devices that are practically as good as new in the second life cycle. This means that all users are declaring war on an almost insatiable hunger for resources and an escalating CO2 footprint.

https://bb-net.de/alt-gegen-surface/