Hard drive defragmentation can help your company keep costs down and defer expensive hardware upgrades in the Windows NT and 2000 environments. Fragmentation occurs when files are updated often?new data is stored in any free space, which may be noncontiguous. Fragmented files require extra head movement in reading, so they take significantly longer to access than normal, according to “Disk Defragmentation: Hidden Gold for the Enterprise,” a study by Framingham, Mass.-based IDC (a sister company to CIO’s publisher, CXO Media). But use of defragmentation software can help avoid system delays and unresponsiveness that translate into lost productivity and frustration.IDC’s study and previous studies by National Software Testing Laboratories, an independent hardware and software testing organization based in Conshohocken, Pa., show that a defragmented disk can increase overall system performance from 20 percent to 80 percent under Windows NT, with even greater savings on Windows 2000.Some popular tools include Diskeeper from Executive Software International and PerfectDisk 2000 from Raxco Software. Vadim Eijvertine, an assistant vice president in the security division of New York City-based Citibank, says everyone in his division has begun using Diskeeper with significant system improvements. “Before we started defragmenting regularly, the computers would hang up often; some would hang indefinitely on certain applications,” he says. “Now my computer responds about 20 percent faster and lets me keep more windows open at the same time without hanging up.” Defragmenting costs significantly less than prematurely upgrading hardware. For 1,000 workstations and 10 servers, hardware upgrades would cost $3.2 million; the cost of defragmentation software plus associated IT labor is just $27,710, according to the IDC study. Related content brandpost Sponsored by AWS in collaboration with IBM How digital twin technology is changing complex industrial processes forever As the use cases for digital twins proliferate, it is becoming clear that data-driven enterprises with a track record of innovation stand the best chance of success. By Laura McEwan Dec 05, 2023 4 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by AWS in collaboration with IBM Why modernising applications needs to be a ‘must’ for businesses seeking growth Around one-third of enterprises are spending heavily on application modernisation and aiming for cloud native status. The implications for corporate culture, structure and priorities will be profound. By Laura McEwan Dec 05, 2023 5 mins Digital Transformation opinion 11 ways to reduce your IT costs now Reorienting IT’s budget toward future opportunities is a big reason why CIOs should review their IT portfolios with an eye toward curbing unnecessary spending and realizing maximum value from every IT investment. By Stephanie Overby Dec 05, 2023 11 mins Budget Cloud Management IT Governance news analysis SAP faces breakdown in trust over innovation plans The company’s plan to offer future innovations in S/4HANA only to subscribers of its Rise with SAP offering is alienating customers, user conference hears. By Peter Sayer Dec 05, 2023 6 mins SAP Cloud Management Innovation Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe