New tech rollouts and IT refreshes help companies grow, make employees more productive, keep enterprise data safe and accelerate innovation. However, these initiatives often get bogged down in logistical challenges. Small errors can compound during large rollouts, leading to inefficiencies that can cause significant delays. Organizations often end up paying skilled professionals overtime to handle mundane tasks such as asset tagging and cabling, which drive up project costs. And improper disposal of old equipment during a refresh cycle can create security risks.

An experienced partner such as CDW can prevent these problems and keep projects on track. In addition to configuring and provisioning IT infrastructure before it ever reaches customers, CDW can stage and ship equipment for easy installation, provide onsite assistance and securely dispose of outdated technology. Effective configuration management and integration help organizations speed up IT initiatives, lower the burden on their internal staff and achieve the intended return on their technology investments.

CDW can help your organization minimize the complexity of configuring and integrating new technology.

CLICK TO LEARN MORE

New tech rollouts and IT refreshes help companies grow, make employees more productive, keep enterprise data safe and accelerate innovation. However, these initiatives often get bogged down in logistical challenges. Small errors can compound during large rollouts, leading to inefficiencies that can cause significant delays. Organizations often end up paying skilled professionals overtime to handle mundane tasks such as asset tagging and cabling, which drive up project costs. And improper disposal of old equipment during a refresh cycle can create security risks.

An experienced partner such as CDW can prevent these problems and keep projects on track. In addition to configuring and provisioning IT infrastructure before it ever reaches customers, CDW can stage and ship equipment for easy installation, provide onsite assistance and securely dispose of outdated technology. Effective configuration management and integration help organizations speed up IT initiatives, lower the burden on their internal staff and achieve the intended return on their technology investments.

CDW can help your organization minimize the complexity of configuring and integrating new technology.

CLICK TO LEARN MORE

The Vital Role of IT Configuration and Integration

New IT initiatives often begin with a flurry of excited planning. Upgraded devices or IT infrastructure might signal a growing workforce, expansion into new markets or even simply a refresh of existing technologies to boost productivity and enhance security.

However, what begins as a unified vision in a boardroom can quickly devolve into a mess of boxes and packing supplies scattered across warehouses in half a dozen locations. Most organizations only undertake large technology rollouts every few years, leaving inexperienced internal staffers to manage the significant logistical challenges associated with IT configuration and integration. Pallets of devices may sit stacked to the ceiling for weeks; shipments may arrive at the wrong locations; and teams may work nights and weekends, with highly paid IT professionals logging overtime hours scanning serial numbers and tagging assets instead of focusing on more strategic work. Meanwhile, service tickets pile up across the enterprise as IT staffers are pulled away from their day-to-day responsibilities to support the rollout.

As problems cascade, frustrations mount. Deadlines slip, leaders grow impatient and time passes without the organization realizing the benefits of its new investments.

Change and churn are a fact of life in enterprise IT. Servers typically last five to seven years, and end-user devices are often replaced after only three to five years. Such upgrades and refreshes not only protect organizations from the vulnerabilities associated with outdated operating systems but also give employees and leadership access to emerging features, such as AI-powered workflows and advanced collaboration tools. But for many organizations, refresh cycles often feel like treading water: No matter how much effort they put in, they never seem to get ahead.

30%

The percentage of organizations that say networking and connectivity issues are the most common reasons for IT service-related outages

Source: Uptime Institute, Executive Summary: Uptime Intelligence Report, May 2025

Although rollouts are inevitable, the pain associated with them is not. Many IT and business leaders are realizing that working with an experienced partner for configuration and integration can streamline deployments, free up internal staff and even cut costs. Through its Integration and Configuration Services program, CDW works with organizations to carefully plan their IT initiatives and procure the equipment they need. Then, it preconfigures technology for ease of installation so that new equipment is ready for use when it reaches the customer, reducing the need for onsite engineers and cutting installation costs. Through its Smart Hands Deployment offering, CDW can even install equipment according to customers’ requirements, allowing internal staff to stay focused on day-to-day operations. And its IT asset disposition assistance ensures secure and compliant disposal, recycling or repurposing of retired technology.

Integration Across Industries

Organizations in different sectors face varying challenges in configuring and deploying new technologies.

K–12: Schools often need help rolling out new laptops and tablets to teachers and students. By working with CDW’s Configuration Services team, district leaders can be confident that new technology will be ready to support teaching and learning, right out of the box.
Retail: CDW’s Store in a Box service helps retailers identify, procure and configure networking gear, point-of-sale solutions and other critical technology. The infrastructure arrives preconfigured and ready to install, preventing costly downtime and helping retailers bring new and upgraded branches online as soon as possible.
Corporate: CDW has helped large corporations build out massive data centers with hundreds or even thousands of racks, allowing companies to fuel their growth and provide new services to their customers. Often, these builds feature customized solutions with multiple rack types.
Healthcare: CDW’s Clinic in a Box is a custom kit of solutions for healthcare providers. Before deploying the kits to customers, CDW preconfigures the included PCs, phones, routers and switches. It even offers fully configured medical carts through its Smart Hands deployment service, with full connectivity to PCs, monitors, backup battery systems and other accessories, such as USB stethoscopes.

CDW can help your organization minimize the complexity
of configuring and integrating new technology.

CLICK TO LEARN MORE

The Vital Role of IT Configuration and Integration

New IT initiatives often begin with a flurry of excited planning. Upgraded devices or IT infrastructure might signal a growing workforce, expansion into new markets or even simply a refresh of existing technologies to boost productivity and enhance security.

However, what begins as a unified vision in a boardroom can quickly devolve into a mess of boxes and packing supplies scattered across warehouses in half a dozen locations. Most organizations only undertake large technology rollouts every few years, leaving inexperienced internal staffers to manage the significant logistical challenges associated with IT configuration and integration. Pallets of devices may sit stacked to the ceiling for weeks; shipments may arrive at the wrong locations; and teams may work nights and weekends, with highly paid IT professionals logging overtime hours scanning serial numbers and tagging assets instead of focusing on more strategic work. Meanwhile, service tickets pile up across the enterprise as IT staffers are pulled away from their day-to-day responsibilities to support the rollout.

As problems cascade, frustrations mount. Deadlines slip, leaders grow impatient and time passes without the organization realizing the benefits of its new investments.

Change and churn are a fact of life in enterprise IT. Servers typically last five to seven years, and end-user devices are often replaced after only three to five years. Such upgrades and refreshes not only protect organizations from the vulnerabilities associated with outdated operating systems but also give employees and leadership access to emerging features, such as AI-powered workflows and advanced collaboration tools. But for many organizations, refresh cycles often feel like treading water: No matter how much effort they put in, they never seem to get ahead.

Although rollouts are inevitable, the pain associated with them is not. Many IT and business leaders are realizing that working with an experienced partner for configuration and integration can streamline deployments, free up internal staff and even cut costs. Through its Integration and Configuration Services program, CDW works with organizations to carefully plan their IT initiatives and procure the equipment they need. Then, it preconfigures technology for ease of installation so that new equipment is ready for use when it reaches the customer, reducing the need for onsite engineers and cutting installation costs. Through its Smart Hands Deployment offering, CDW can even install equipment according to customers’ requirements, allowing internal staff to stay focused on day-to-day operations. And its IT asset disposition assistance ensures secure and compliant disposal, recycling or repurposing of retired technology.

Integration Across Industries

Organizations in different sectors face varying challenges in configuring and deploying new technologies.

K–12: Schools often need help rolling out new laptops and tablets to teachers and students. By working with CDW’s Configuration Services team, district leaders can be confident that new technology will be ready to support teaching and learning, right out of the box.
Retail: CDW’s Store in a Box service helps retailers identify, procure and configure networking gear, point-of-sale solutions and other critical technology. The infrastructure arrives preconfigured and ready to install, preventing costly downtime and helping retailers bring new and upgraded branches online as soon as possible.
Corporate: CDW has helped large corporations build out massive data centers with hundreds or even thousands of racks, allowing companies to fuel their growth and provide new services to their customers. Often, these builds feature customized solutions with multiple rack types.
Healthcare: CDW’s Clinic in a Box is a custom kit of solutions for healthcare providers. Before deploying the kits to customers, CDW preconfigures the included PCs, phones, routers and switches. It even offers fully configured medical carts through its Smart Hands deployment service, with full connectivity to PCs, monitors, backup battery systems and other accessories, such as USB stethoscopes.

CDW can help your organization minimize the complexity
of configuring and integrating new technology.

CLICK TO LEARN MORE

Configured for Uptime

According to the 2025 Annual Outage Analysis report from the Uptime Institute, IT and networking issues now cause 23% of impactful outages, representing an increase from the year before. “This rise is likely caused by increased IT and network complexity, leading to issues with change management and misconfigurations,” the report states.

58%

The percentage of organizations that cite failure of data center staff to follow procedures as a cause of a “significant, serious or severe” IT service outage over the past three years

24%

The percentage of organizations that cite installation issues as the cause of a recent major IT service outage related to human error

18%

The percentage of organizations that cite insufficient staffing as the cause of a recent major IT service outage related to human error

Source: Uptime Institute, Executive Summary: Uptime Intelligence Report, May 2025

Configured for Uptime

According to the 2025 Annual Outage Analysis report from the Uptime Institute,1 IT and networking issues now cause 23% of impactful outages, representing an increase from the year before. “This rise is likely caused by increased IT and network complexity, leading to issues with change management and misconfigurations,” the report states.

58%

The percentage of organizations that cite failure of data center staff to follow procedures as a cause of a “significant, serious or severe” IT service outage over the past three years

24%

The percentage of organizations that cite installation issues as the cause of a recent major IT service outage related to human error

18%

The percentage of organizations that cite insufficient staffing as the cause of a recent major IT service outage related to human error

Source: Uptime Institute, Executive Summary: Uptime Intelligence Report, May 2025

IT Configuration Management Challenges and Pain Points

Many IT and business leaders underestimate the challenges of deploying and managing IT systems. The prospect of rolling out new laptops may even seem simple, especially compared with the complex data center infrastructure and app environments that IT staff support every day. However, the sheer scale of IT configuration and integration often can overwhelm internal teams, which have more pressing priorities than imaging new devices and tracking shipments. These difficulties don’t just create operational headaches. They also can ripple across the business, slowing productivity, driving up costs and exposing the organization to unnecessary risks.

EFFICIENCY: Even small missteps can significantly derail IT implementations. Such errors often go unnoticed when projects are led by teams whose experience lies in other areas, making it more likely that missing components or inconsistently configured devices will lead to major problems. Something as simple as a series of shipments arriving out of order can force IT teams to stop and regroup, creating a chain reaction of delays that make it impossible for organizations to meet their deadlines. Depending on the project, this might mean that new locations cannot open on schedule because essential technology isn’t ready, or that employees must sit idle as they wait for their new productivity tools. Meanwhile, IT staff are pulled away from higher-value strategic initiatives to troubleshoot tech problems and untangle unforeseen logistical complications. Taken together, these inefficiencies often lead to slower, more disruptive rollouts that frustrate both IT teams and end users.

COST CONTROL: Initially, business leaders may believe that managing IT rollouts with internal staff will be more cost-effective than bringing in outside help. However, this approach almost always results in hidden expenses that accumulate over the life of a project. For instance, internal IT teams may log hundreds or thousands of hours of overtime performing low-value tasks such as asset tagging, imaging and staging equipment. And when these tasks pull them away from their core responsibilities, the resulting downstream costs can be difficult to quantify. Any error along the way — such as a misconfigured device or a shipment that’s missing a critical component — can lead to costly adjustments and additional labor. In some cases, organizations face the added costs of sending IT staff to multiple locations or even flying in emergency specialists to troubleshoot onsite issues. In the end, the “cheap” approach is often more expensive.

SECURITY AND GOVERNANCE: IT deployments and refreshes always come with security and compliance risks, and organizations that overlook this aspect of configuration and integration will inevitably create new vulnerabilities. Improperly configured devices can leave sensitive data exposed, while inadequate processes for retiring equipment may result in residual data remaining on discarded or resold hardware. Especially for organizations operating in highly regulated industries — such as healthcare, legal services or financial services — such missteps can lead to costly regulatory violations and damaged reputations. Shadow IT is another common risk. When deployments are delayed, end users sometimes turn to unauthorized devices or software, creating unmonitored entry points for cyberthreats. Even small things, such as inconsistent security settings across branch locations, can expand the attack surface and increase the likelihood of an intrusion. A trusted partner such as CDW brings structured, certified processes for configuration and IT asset disposition, helping protect organizations from data theft, compliance violations and financial penalties.

Configuration Management Process: Four Pillars for Success

Although many organizations struggle with effective technology configuration and integration, most IT and business leaders do not understand the range of services available to them. CDW’s Configuration and Integration Services are designed around these four main pillars:

CONFIGURE AND PROVISION: During this stage, CDW handles essentially every task that can be completed before devices and infrastructure ever arrive onsite: asset tagging, imaging, BIOS/firmware updates, setting up security and network configuration and even laser engraving for custom branding. Additionally, each unit is inspected and documented to ensure it is deployment-ready when it reaches users. This process ensures 100% quality control on every piece of equipment, and it’s designed to minimize onsite troubleshooting and reduce the burden on internal IT staff. When equipment is configured and provisioned before it is shipped, users can get up and running right away. This reduces delays and helps unlock the value of new IT investments much more quickly. Provisioning services support Windows Autopilot, Microsoft Intune, and multivendor network and security device setups.

STAGE AND SHIP: Seemingly small details, such as how IT equipment is packaged and delivered, can significantly affect the success and speed of a deployment. Poor staging creates confusion, delays and unnecessary strain on IT professionals, with staff scrambling to track down items or mistakenly completing tasks out of order. CDW solves these challenges by carefully staging and shipping equipment to align with each organization’s needs. Custom kits include all required accessories, onboarding materials and QR codes linking to setup instructions, with devices palletized and labeled for specific departments or locations. One good example illustrates the power of these services: For grocery stores, CDW has created IT kits for specific checkout lanes, allowing custom kits to be delivered to the exact location where the technology will be installed.

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DELIVER AND DEPLOY: Even after devices arrive onsite, many organizations face challenges with setup, installation and integration. Often, this is an issue of capacity rather than a lack of internal expertise. When a large number of devices must be installed and tested quickly, IT teams can become overwhelmed, especially if they are expected to continue performing day-to-day work to “keep the lights on.” CDW alleviates this burden with its Smart Hands services, sending skilled professionals to customer sites to assist with deployments. These experts unbox, set up and connect equipment, ensuring each device is fully operational and integrated into the existing environment. This approach minimizes disruption, reduces downtime and allows internal IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine deployments.

REMOVE AND RECYCLE: Disposing of outdated IT equipment is often more complicated than organizations anticipate (which is why many companies have hidden closets or empty offices filled with old, unused laptops). Improper handling can expose sensitive data, create compliance risks and add to environmental waste. CDW helps customers manage end-of-life technology responsibly and securely. Its Smart Hands teams can collect retired devices and prepare them for disposition, while IT asset disposition partners handle secure data wiping, physical destruction of drives and environmentally responsible recycling. Customers receive documentation certifying that data has been erased and materials have been processed in compliance with industry standards. And for hardware still in good condition, CDW can coordinate refurbishment or redeployment to extend useful life.

Realizing ROI From Configuration and Integration Services

By partnering with CDW for Configuration and Integration Services, organizations can overcome common IT deployment challenges and achieve tangible business benefits that can extend the technology lifecycle.

FASTER TIME-TO-VALUE: When organizations partner with CDW for Configuration and Integration Services, devices are configured before they reach the customer’s site, allowing end users to begin working immediately instead of waiting for onsite setup. By taking the time to properly stage and ship equipment, CDW ensures that new technology arrives exactly where it will be used or installed, with clear instructions about next steps. This acceleration helps organizations realize the value of their IT investments much more quickly.

REDUCED IT BURDEN: A partner like CDW can handle time-consuming, labor-intensive tasks such as imaging, asset tagging, kitting, staging and troubleshooting. This frees up internal IT staff to focus on higher-value strategic initiatives. With CDW managing logistical and configuration tasks, customers can avoid burdening their internal IT staff with evening and weekend deployments, allowing them to focus on innovation and other priorities that drive long-term success.

IMPROVED COST CONTROL: IT deployments are like construction projects in that any delay can significantly balloon costs. When organizations rely exclusively on their internal IT teams for technology rollouts, key details can be missed — not because of a lack of knowledge, but because staffers are trying to balance their day-to-day work with new, unfamiliar deployment processes. Such missteps can result in delays and cost overruns.

MORE CONSISTENT ROLLOUTS: CDW applies standardized processes and rigorous quality assurance across deployments to ensure uniform configurations at every site. This consistency helps avoid common problems such as inconsistent security settings across locations. Pretesting ensures that any dead-on-arrival devices are removed before they ever reach customers to help avoid delays and disruption.

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MINIMIZED DOWNTIME: Many organizations cannot afford to take locations offline during work hours for a technology deployment or refresh. As a result, much of this work is planned for nights and weekends. CDW’s ability to perform after-hours installations ensures that organizations can get up and running without resorting to costly downtime or forcing their internal IT staff to work around the clock.

SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE: CDW’s ability to stage and ship equipment in a precise order eliminates delivery bottlenecks that can slow deployments. Often, organizations will want to phase device rollouts over time, purchasing a large number of devices to ensure availability but deploying them in small batches. CDW offers buy-and-hold services that allow customers to store their purchased equipment in CDW’s warehouses until they need it.

STRONGER SECURITY: CDW enforces consistent security policies during configuration, reducing the chances of vulnerabilities caused by inconsistent device setups across locations. By working with CDW to rapidly deploy devices, organizations can also reduce the risk of impatient employees resorting to shadow IT. Finally, certified IT asset disposition ensures that retired devices do not expose sensitive data.

IMPROVED SUSTAINABILITY: Environmental and sustainability goals have become an important business metric in recent years, with many organizations issuing annual reports on their progress toward sustainability-focused outcomes. Kitting and efficient packaging reduce the amount of onsite trash, and CDW manages responsible recycling of packaging and old equipment, helping organizations avoid waste and meet their environmental goals.