Upgrading a network of computers can be an expensive business, and yet when the network is meeting your current needs, why should you be forced to upgrade? If your equipment that you own is old enough and uses sufficiently obsolete components then you may find it hard to find the spares that you need for repair. As your equipment gets older, finding parts that are compatible will become harder but this need not be a problem if you know the right place to shop.
As electronic technology advancements continue to accelerate, semiconductor life cycles continue to shorten. The average life cycle of a typical semiconductor device is approximately three years, which includes introduction, design-in, production, low-volume, and End-Of-Life (EOL) phases. A semiconductor EOL announcement can create a costly inconvenience for customers, as it can be difficult to accurately forecast last-time buy requirements, absorb the additional inventory and storage costs associated with last-time buys, or find an available drop-in replacement. Because the EOL schedule does not typically support the continuing needs of all of its customers, especially those serving applications with long system life cycles, many companies are left in a difficult position. Their supply chains are interrupted, and they no longer have a reliable component source to meet ongoing production, maintenance, and repair requirements. Every product and technology has a life cycle, thus it is only a matter of time before obsolete semiconductors are discontinued by the manufacturer to make way for the next-generation part. The discontinuing of semiconductor devices is inevitable…
