5 Things to Consider in Your 2022 Tech Planning

It’s hard to believe that we’re wrapping up 2021 and closing in on a new year, but we thought it was a good time to bring up some technology topics that you should consider when planning for 2022. We narrowed the list to 5 things you should be aware of when planning for 2022. 

Chip Shortage

The semiconductor shortage that has bedeviled device makers (and buyers) is expected to last into at least the first half of 2022, according to most industry sources including AMD, Apple, and Intel, as well as industry analysts like Deloitte and JP Morgan.

In fact, in a November 2021 report released by Deloitte, expect the semiconductor shortage to last until early 2023, with customers still waiting 10 to 20 weeks for products.

Windows 11

Microsoft recently released Windows 11, just six years after releasing Windows 10, and will only support Windows 10 until 2025. It might sound like a lot of time to upgrade your PCs, but considering how many devices an average organization must maintain, it could be a very difficult process.

As an added challenge, before you are eligible to upgrade to Windows 11, you may have to make investments in your systems. Any organizations currently using Windows 10 are eligible to upgrade, but anyone using an older operating system is not.

Can you account for all your devices?

Does your organization know how many devices it has? Does it know where they are? Each device “out there” in the wild is like a key to your organization technology ecosystem and when you don’t know where they are, you can’t effectively protect yourself from the bad guys.

If your organization doesn’t have a robust IT asset management (ITAM) program in place, you should add it to your 2022 “needs” list. IT asset management (ITAM) is basically an accounting system for the hardware and software that an organization uses to ensure IT assets are accounted for, correctly deployed, maintained, upgraded and patched, secured, and disposed of at the end of their useful life. You’d rather find your devices before a hacker does or you are audited and billed for unlicensed software.

E-recycling

All IT assets must be disposed when they reach the end of their lifecycle. Is your organization working with a partner to dispose of your assets properly and securely? The U.N. estimates that e-waste production is on track to reach 120 million tons per year by 2050 which is a huge problem, so ask the hard questions about your asset disposition: Is your partner certified by e-Stewards, which ensures e-waste isn’t shipped to developing countries? Is the data on the devices completely destroyed? Can that be tracked and proven?

Every device contains data, and just because the device is no longer useful, the data is (in the wrong hands), so be vigilant with your retired assets and work with a partner that is equally as vigilant with data destruction.
 
Tech talent acquisition

Finding, recruiting, hiring, and retaining tech talent will continue to be a challenge in 2022. According to Forrester, “For much of 2020 and 2021, tech execs were focusing on short-term decisions and reacting to unforeseen shifts. In 2022, they’ll shift back to solving longer-term challenges.” Also, the increasingly strategic role of IT will continue to put a strain on an organization’s tech talent as specialization creates the need for product, data, cloud, engineering, and cybersecurity professionals. IT is no longer a “I can do everything” field.

If you are having trouble finding tech talent, you are certainly not alone. Working with a partner that specializes in IT talent management can help fill your short- and long-term gaps with project teams, embedded tech specialists, and / or full-time tech placements.

Our reliance on technology continues to increase, working with a technology partner becomes more and more important to an organization’s success.

A technology partner can help your organization focus on its core competencies by helping with technology needs, from hardware acquisition, deployment, cybersecurity, to tech talent acquisition, and can be a true strategic partner.Our reliance on technology continues to increase, working with a technology partner becomes more and more important to an organization’s success.

MCPC engineers outcomes. A global endpoint management company, our proactive partnership inspires not just endpoint defense, but business offense. By protecting your devices, bringing simplicity to endpoint management complexity, and empowering employee performance, MCPC reduces business risk and increases digital innovation.

Driven by the kind of trust that transforms today’s business and tomorrow’s growth, our consultative approach creates a true partnership where your endpoints are just the starting point.

About MCPC

We’re the Outcome Engineers. MCPC is a global endpoint management company, founded in 2002, and our approach inspires not just endpoint defense, but business offense. By protecting your devices, bringing simplicity to endpoint management complexity, and empowering employee performance, we reduce your business risk and increases digital innovation.  Our consultative approach creates a true partnership where your endpoints are just the starting point.