Businesses of all sizes depend on data centers and IT infrastructures for their operations, from daily communications to large-scale data processing and storage. For any enterprise, maintaining these IT systems in good condition is crucial: a high-performing data center optimizes business operations, while downtime and failures can bring businesses to a halt.
Data center maintenance incorporates a range of services, including inspections, repairs and replacements of faulty parts. Often, companies rely on the device’s Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for their IT maintenance. This is especially true while the hardware is under the OEM’s warranty. However, it isn’t necessarily the most cost-effective or flexible option for businesses.
Luckily, companies do have other options to keep their IT infrastructures in top condition. Third-Party Maintenance (TPM) is one such alternative. TPM can save your enterprise money, offer services tailored to your business needs and help you reach your sustainability goals.
If you’re facing these four challenges, it may be time to reconsider your IT maintenance strategy:
Sign #1: Your IT Maintenance Costs Keep Rising
Problem
Although many hardware items come with a warranty which includes support and updates, this agreement is temporary. Once the warranty runs out, renewals of OEM support contracts are notoriously expensive , with costs only increasing as hardware ages.
Why It Matters
Businesses often overpay for coverage they don’t fully use. This has a significant impact on their IT budgets, wasting capital which could have been allocated to other projects or saved in case of a disaster.
Solution
Third-Party Maintenance offers flexible service-level agreements (SLAs) at 30-70% lower costs than OEM contracts. This way, your business saves money and benefits from the services they need, without spending on those they don’t.
In a data center environment with various hardware models and brands, having a single point of contact also represents a saving. Evernex’s multi-brand expertise and skilled engineers ensure you receive top-quality maintenance services, covering top brands such as DELL EMC and Cisco, but at a fraction of the cost of OEM coverage.
Case study
A logistics enterprise saved 50% on annual IT maintenance by switching from OEM to TPM.
Sign #2: Your Hardware Is Labeled “End-of-Life” (EOL) or “End-of-Support” (EOS)
Problem
To encourage new hardware purchases, OEMs declare products EOL or EOS, even when they are fully functional. EOL and EOS refer to the stages of the IT hardware lifecycle in which the manufacturer no longer produces the product or provides support or updates. OEMs cease to manufacture or support older hardware models to push consumers into buying newer models. While the OEM gains from this practice, it has considerable consequences both for businesses and the environment.
Why It Matters
Many businesses replace their date center infrastructure every 3-5 years, in line with established EOL and EOS dates. However, these devices could continue to function properly for several years after this date. Upgrading your hardware prematurely strains IT budgets and increases e-waste. The generation of e-waste is rising by 2.6 million tons per year, ending up in landfills where it pollutes the surrounding environment.
Solution
TPM providers continue to support EOL hardware with spare parts and expert maintenance. This way, we help to extend your devices’ lifecycles, saving your business the costs of unnecessary upgrades. Hardware lifecycle extension also reduces e-waste generation and the demand for new hardware. This has its own benefits, decreasing the carbon emissions and resource extraction caused by hardware manufacture.
Sign #3: You Need More Flexible SLAs & Faster Support
Problem
OEM contracts often come with one-size-fits-all SLAs. These contracts may not align with your operational needs and can imply unnecessary costs.
Why It Matters
You might be paying for a service level you don’t need or struggling with slow response times. Slow support when your IT hardware experiences a crisis can lead to extended downtime, reduced productivity and loss of revenue.
Solution
Third-Party Maintenance providers offer customized SLAs to suit your business’s specific requirements. Options can include 24/7 support, on-site repairs, and spare part availability. Tailored SLAs ensure your company’s IT systems receive the exact support they need, faster. These flexible contracts also mean you only pay for the services you will use, helping your company to enjoy lower maintenance costs.
Sign #4: Your IT Team Wants More Control Over Hardware Lifecycle Decisions
Problem
OEMs dictate the upgrade cycles of their hardware, pushing businesses to replace their systems in line with their sales-driven timelines.
Why It Matters
The upgrade cycles established by the OEM present a profit to the manufacturer, but not necessarily to their clients. IT teams should have the freedom to decide when and how to upgrade their data center infrastructures based on their business needs, not OEM marketing strategies.
Solution
TPM empowers IT leaders to optimize their hardware investments. This includes deferring unnecessary replacements while ensuring full maintenance coverage. We maximize businesses’ ROI on their data center hardware through lifecycle extension, part replacements and updates – in short, helping your devices work better for longer. This way, we help your money go further while placing the decisions about hardware lifecycle management firmly in your hands.
Case study
Read Evernex’s case study to discover how a Fortune 500 company optimized its hardware strategy with TPM, delaying unnecessary refreshes and reallocating IT budget to innovation.
Is It Time to Make the Switch?
Especially as business IT infrastructures age, OEM maintenance can become costly, rigid and complex. Above all, upgrade and refreshment timelines are designed to profit the manufacturer, not businesses.
Third-Party Maintenance is a smart alternative to traditional OEM data center support.
By switching to TPM, businesses could enjoy cost savings, extended hardware lifespan, flexible and customized support contracts, and better IT control.
Take a look at your business’s current OEM contract and evaluate whether it best serves your IT needs. If not, consider TPM to get the most out of your enterprise data center, reduce your operational costs and minimize your carbon footprint.
Looking for a reliable TPM provider?
15,000+ clients globally trust Evernex to support their data center infrastructure.