Tutorials · IT Leadership
How to Plan a Network Refresh and Hardware Lifecycle
Old switches, access points and firewalls are slower, less secure and eventually unsupported. Build a lifecycle plan that spreads replacements over years instead of emergencies.
Before you start
- A device inventory with model, age and firmware version
- Vendor end-of-sale and end-of-support dates
Step by step
Collect the inventory
List every device with install date, model, firmware and support status.
Mark the risk
Flag devices that are out of security support, cannot run current firmware, or limit the business (no PoE+, no Wi-Fi 6/7, 100 Mbit/s ports).
Set standard lifetimes
Typical lifetimes: access points 5–7 years, access switches 7–10 years, core switches 7–8 years, gateways and firewalls 5 years.
Spread the work
Plan replacements over 3–5 years by site and by risk, so budget and workload stay steady.
Refresh the design, not just the boxes
Use each refresh to improve segmentation, add redundancy and move to newer standards (Wi-Fi 7, 2.5G/10G uplinks, PoE++).
Decommission securely
Reset configurations, remove credentials and certificates, and dispose of or resell old devices through a certified process.
Pro tips
- Buy spares of standard models instead of many different models.
- Align refreshes with office moves and renovations to save cabling costs.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can we just keep devices until they fail?
That leads to outages and security gaps. Devices without security updates are a common entry point for attacks.
Keep learning
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Read more →Stuck on a step?
Ask Navijin technical support or an authorised partner for help with your configuration.