Early this year, a quiet turn of the calendar marked Year 6 for $1.8 million worth of desktop and server computers at a cutting-edge product development company where I was CIO. The strategy used to put this into place was simple – we based it on our cars.

The average automobile, if you follow the maintenance schedule, protect it from rust and drive reasonably, should last you six to 10 years. The maintenance schedule is based on your use of the car as a complex tool to get you from Point A to Point B. Your computer is also a complex tool and your usage will determine its maintenance and protection needs; how you follow through with those needs will determine how long you’ll get to use your computer, and when you’ll need to put monies toward its replacement.

This five-part routine is based on my experience since the early days of personal and “mobile” (Kaypro II) computers in the 1980’s. It is equally applicable to both Windows®- and Macintosh®-based computers, although I use Windows® XP as an example throughout simply because of the Windows® prevalence. I am assuming an office / cubicle-based computer. If your computers are located in dusty warehouses or manufacturing floors, step up the physical annual maintenance routine to be quarterly.

1. VERIFY YOUR PHYSICAL SETUP

Just as it’s hard to keep a car in top condition out in a pasture, it’s hard to keep a computer functioning well if it’s in a poor environment. There are three factors to consider: temperature, air quality and electricity.

For most computers, room temperature should be between 60-85 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity level between 50-75% (to minimize any static build-up). While most offices are kept at this level, check with your landlord to ensure when you leave at night that the HVAC does not change (or is cutoff) to be above or below these levels.

Air quality is important because computers require air circulation to prevent overheating. There are two rules of thumb: First, the vents on the case need a good 3-4 inches of clear space (no blocking cable tangles, etc.) to get good airflow; that’s roughly the width of your hand from thumb to pinkie finger. Second, if you use air cleaners / ionizers, keep them at least 2 feet from the computer or any particles heading for the cleaner will be drawn into the computer first.

Electricity is a dominant factor in determining the longevity of your computer. It’s akin to the oil, fuel and coolant in your car’s engine. Poor or dirty engine liquids will take their toll on your car and shorten its life. So-called “dirty” electricity (brownouts, surges, sags, spikes, etc.) will damage your computer, and your files, far more effectively than any virus.

There are four steps to good electrical conditions:

1. Ask your local power company to provide you a power profile / graph with the range of electrical sags and spikes entering your building over a typical billing period (if you lease, you may need to ask your landlord to obtain this). This will show you your problem areas and times. I recommend you obtain this report once per season (or quarter). We discovered a spike in power that occurred at 8:32am every morning when the neighboring manufacturing plant started its production lines.

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