In the world of post-warranty support, the term end-of-life doesn’t really exist - especially not in the way that the OEM will suggest it does. When a system goes EOL in the OEM world, that doesn’t mean that replacement parts cease to exist. Independent support providers have access to a wide network and inventory of replacement parts, and keep stock of all critical parts for systems they maintain, so that a part can be replaced immediately when necessary.

THIRD-PARTY SUPPORT VENDORS CAN’T ACCESS THE NECESSARY PARTS OR ONLY HAVE ACCESS TO LOW-QUALITY PARTS

Once equipment is deemed EOL by the manufacturer, critical OS or firmware patches are few and far between. The equipment’s firmware and OS are stable at the point, so third-party maintenance vendors can fully support your EOL equipment at that post-warranty level. So, when you don’t have to worry about OS and firmware updates from the OEM, supporting legacy equipment through a third-party maintenance provider is a cost-effective alternative with the same peace of mind.

OS & FIRMWARE PATCHES ARE CRITICAL TO EOL EQUIPMENT SUPPORT

T H I R D - PA R T Y S U P P O R T

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Have you ever compared third-party support for your storage and networking hardware with what the original equipment

manufacturer (OEM) can offer? Did you know that third-party maintenance vendors can provide the same level of support for all your hardware as the OEM and can offer other advantages such as

significant savings, availability, and expertise?

If you’re ready to make the switch to third-party support for your storage infrastructure, don’t forget these QUICK TIPS:

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUTTHIRD-PARTY SUPPORT?

OEM engineers aren’t the only experts on their equipment. High-quality third-party support providers will have engineers that are fully trained on OEM equipment with the same certifications and qualifications that the manufacturers’ engineers have. In fact, many third-party engineers have prior experience working at an OEM and often have certifications from more than one manufacturer.

THIRD-PARTY SUPPORT ENGINEERS ARE LESS SKILLED THAN OEM ENGINEERS

When evaluating potential support providers, don’t forget to ask about certifications across multiple vendors. You want to make sure that the engineers are fully qualified to support all the equipment within your data center.

1Choose a support provider that puts your needs as a priority. Make sure they are available when you need them and offer you flexibility to determine the terms and coverage you need for your unique environment.

2You will want to make sure that the equipment going into your data center is up to the highest standards. When considering third-party support vendors, ask about their testing procedures for their spares.

3

Customer service and technical support from the OEM usually comes from a hierarchical chain of command, starting with the lower tier engineers in order to minimize costs prior to escalation, which can cause slow response times. Also, many OEM call-centers are located overseas which can cause additional delays, whereas a third-party vendor with a domestic based call-center can respond to a customer’s needs and provide resolution for hardware issues quickly and easily.

RESPONSE TIMES FOR THIRD-PARTY SUPPORT VENDORS ARE SLOWERTHAN THE OEM

Getting support for your end-of-life (EOL) equipment from the OEM means that their priorities are divided between upselling to their newest products and providing maintenance on older equipment. An independent support vendor whose primary focus is maintenance, regardless of the age of the equipment, allows you to extend the life of your hardware for as long as you need and want it.

THIRD-PARTY SUPPORT PROVIDES THE SAME OR BETTER SERVICE AS THE OEM AND AT A LOWER PRICE POINT

The OEM’s goal is to promote their latest and greatest products by pushing rapid upgrade paths, thereby minimizing the lifespans of existing product lines. However, that doesn’t typically align with the objectives of the end-user who is often looking to stretch the IT budget and get the most value out of their hardware assets. When the OEM controls both the cost of new hardware and the cost to support your existing hardware, they have a lot of power in deciding when the cost to support existing equipment becomes more expensive than upgrading to new equipment, when that choice should really be up to you.

THE PRIORITIES FOR THE OEM & THIRD-PARTY SUPPORT PROVIDERS ARE DIFFERENT

FACT

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FICTION

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Let us help you separate fact from fiction so you know everything you need to know when deciding how to support your storage, server, and

networking infrastructure.

Understanding the comprehensive services and benefits that third-party support can offer your organization in terms of savings, reliability, and expertise can

simplify your decision making process and priorities.

To learn more about third-party maintenance & post-warranty support , visit www.reliant-technology.com/support or call 1.877.227.0828.