TPM vs OEM support for IT infrastructures: comparison guide

For IT leaders and teams, choosing the right IT support strategy makes a huge impact on long-term costs, the efficiency and reliability of their enterprise infrastructure, and even risk exposure. When it comes to partnering with a service provider, the two main options available are OEM solutions and TPM contracts. But how can you know when it is smarter to rely on manufacturer or independent services?

Evernex’s in-depth TPM vs OEM support comparison guide will help you make an informed decision. We break down how each strategy works, how they affect factors such as flexibility, costs and sustainability, and when each choice is best for your business.

Let’s dive in.

What is OEM support?

OEM support refers to technical assistance and maintenance services provided by the infrastructure’s Original Equipment Manufacturer.

This includes:

• technical assistance and troubleshooting
• equipment maintenance
• part replacements
• diagnostics
• firmware and software updates

OEM support provides specialised expertise, as well as official updates and patches, and often comes included in a device’s warranty. However, this warranty is usually limited to a few years after the product release, although OEM support contract renewals are possible for a period.

What is TPM support?

TPM, or Third-Party Maintenance, covers IT infrastructure support by independent service providers, rather than the manufacturer. Like OEMs, third party support providers offer trouble-shooting, maintenance and repair services for IT hardware, primarily:

• Servers
• Storage
• Networking equipment
• Cooling technologies

As hardware supply chains face disruption and delays, infrastructures become increasingly heterogeneous, and both equipment and official support costs rise, TPM is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to OEM maintenance.

TPM vs OEM support: how to compare strategies

Both TPM and OEM support have their advantages and their drawbacks. Which is the best option for your business will depend on a range of factors, which we will compare head to head below.

Costs

The cost of IT hardware isn’t limited to purchase price. Maintenance and support consume a large part of enterprise IT budgets. This is especially true when you take into account not just service and part costs, but the financial hit of slow performance or delayed recuperation after a failure.

OEM

As mentioned above, OEM support is often included in a hardware product’s initial warranty and can then be extended for a certain period through contract renewals. However, such renewals are notoriously expensive.

TPM

Meanwhile, TPM support is generally far more affordable in the long term, with Gartner famously reporting in 2017 that third-party support can allow businesses to save 30-70% on infrastructure maintenance costs. This due to several factors:

• Lower labor costs
• Tailored SLAs (more on that later)
• Support contract consolidation, supporting multiple hardware brands
• Lifecycle extension reducing the need for expensive hardware refreshes

Verdict

TPM generally saves businesses considerable CAPEX and OPEX in the long term when compared to OEM support. Further, as TPM maintains multiple brands through a single contract, it simplifies equipment maintenance and relieves administrative burden across your entire IT environment.

Support flexibility

Service-level agreements set out the scope, responsibilities and performance commitments decided between a support provider and the client. This includes:

• Services included
• Response time guarantees (e.g. 4h, next business day, etc.)
• Availability (for example, 9×5 or 24×7)
• Penalties for non-compliance
• Contract duration

The agility and adaptability of a support model can have a significant impact on how effectively a business manages its IT hardware, particularly when dealing with diverse infrastructure, changing requirements, or complex and urgent support needs.

OEM

Comprehensive OEM support is available during a product’s warranty or contract renewal period. However, it lacks flexibility on several levels:

1. Manufacturer support only services equipment from that particular brand, which is limiting in multi-vendor IT environments.
2. Support contracts are generally standardized, one-size-fits-all agreements that can lead to businesses paying for the availability of services they never use.
3. OEM contract renewals are only available until a product’s End-of-Support date. Following this cut-off point, manufacturers no longer offer support or updates.

TPM

Unlike rigid OEM agreements, TPM service-level agreements are highly adaptable, designed to meet each company’s unique operational needs. This also brings down OPEX, since clients only pay for the services they require.

Moreover, Third-Party Maintenance covers all major brands and can be leveraged at any moment of the hardware lifecycle, from straight out of the box to a device’s End-of-Service-Life (EOSL).

The verdict

In terms of flexibility, TPM is a clear winner, providing tailored agreements and multi-vendor support services that cover the entire data center infrastructure, without arbitrary limits to when it can be applied.

Hardware availability

When an asset fails and cannot be repaired, spare parts availability is critical for enterprise IT infrastructures. The availability and delivery speed of replacement components mark the difference between minimal business disruption and the lost productivity and revenue caused by extended downtime.

OEM

With a support contract in place, OEMs tend to offer spare part replacements for hardware models prior to their EOSL date. The benefit of OEM spare parts is that they should be brand new, and therefore have its full lifecycle ahead of it.

However, after this window closes, manufacturers cease producing and providing spare parts. This can create serious issues for legacy IT systems.

TPM

Many TPM providers maintain an extensive stock of refurbished replacement parts. Evernex, for example, has approximately 3.4 million spare parts available in stock and over 330 stocking locations across the world, promising delivery in under 72 hours through its Spare as a Service^TM offering. Such a service helps lead to rapid component replacements, minimizing downtime and helping to extend the lifecycles of legacy hardware systems.

Refurbished parts are also tested and certified to guarantee performance and durability. However, as refurbished parts often tend to be older hardware models, this may be less useful for brand-new systems requiring replacements.

The verdict

This depends on the state of your IT infrastructure. If you manage legacy systems, TPM providers and refurbished hardware vendors are the most likely source of readily-available, reliable hardware components.

If your infrastructure is still under general availability, the OEM should be able to provide brand-new, official replacement parts for your hardware model.

Sustainability

The environmental impact of IT infrastructure is an urgent issue, with manufacturing contributing heavily to Scope 3 carbon emissions and huge quantities of obsolete hardware ending up in landfills as e-waste. As regulations in many parts of the world become stricter with regard to IT hardware disposal and promote lifecycle extension, sustainability is no longer just an ethical choice, but also a strategic measure to stay compliant and preserve your reputation.

OEM

Once new hardware generations are available, the manufacturer often declares older models “end-of-life”, and then finally “end-of-service-life”. This has a direct impact on support, reducing and eventually ceasing updates, patches, and maintenance services. This encourages early replacement, rather than repair and lifecycle extension.

This is because OEM hardware lifecycles are driven by sales timelines, rather than by sustainability objectives or the actual condition of an asset. Unfortunately, this linear model of manufacturing-purchase-use-replace is both wasteful and environmentally problematic.

TPM

While OEM equipment manufacturers often drive replacement cycles, TPM providers help extend existing IT equipment lifespans beyond warranty and EOSL, improving hardware reliability without the need for premature refresh cycles. A well-implemented TPM strategy supports sustainable improvement by optimizing existing assets and reducing environmental impact.

The verdict

From an environmental perspective, third-party support absolutely wins out over OEM maintenance. By extending the lifecycles of existing infrastructure, TPM both:

• avoids unnecessary equipment disposal, reducing e-waste
• delays refreshes, lowering the demand for brand-new hardware manufacturing

Software

IT systems do not run on hardware alone. Software goes hand in hand with physical infrastructure. This means that the ability to develop, maintain and deploy software updates can have a direct impact on security, efficiency and the longevity of IT hardware.

OEM

The manufacturers that produce hardware also develop the associated software. They can provide official patches, firmware updates and software developments, helping companies avoid security vulnerabilities, optimize performance and ensure compatibility as systems evolve.

TPM

Third-party support providers can typically apply manufacturer-issued patches and updates, as well as configure software to meet the client’s requirements. However, they cannot develop proprietary patches or software themselves. This limits their role to implementation, configuration and support such as troubleshooting.

The verdict

OEMs have the edge here, as they can create and release their own patches, firmware and software enhancements, giving customers direct access to the latest security fixes and performance improvements. While TPM providers can apply and configure these updates, they depend on the OEM for their creation.

Risks

Whichever IT hardware support model you choose, there will always be an element of risk. These include security vulnerabilities, legal or regulatory non-compliance, and failure to meet agreed SLA terms, leading to the possibility of issues such as breaches, data loss or extended downtime.

These risks can vary depending on the provider, the age and complexity of the hardware, and whether the equipment remains within the manufacturer’s support lifecycle.

OEM

OEM support can reduce certain risks through direct access to the manufacturer’s expertise and official security updates. However, it is true that it is only after a vulnerability is identified that a patch can be created, leaving a window of opportunity for cyber criminals.
Morever, once hardware reaches End of Support, these security updates are no longer available, leaving equipment open to security breaches.

TPM

A reputable, certified TPM can provide an important alternative when OEM support is unavailable. However, third-party providers can vary significantly in quality, capability and processes.

Businesses should therefore assess a TPM’s certifications, technical expertise, security practices and track record before relying on them for critical infrastructure.

The verdict

A hybrid approach is key here. While the manufacturer develops and provides updates and patches, it is highly recommended to implement them. However, once hardware reaches EOSL and OEM security patches are no longer available, reputable TPM support poses less of a risk than operating unsupported equipment. However, choosing a third-party provider requires due diligence.

Research providers carefully, verify their credentials and ensure that their security practices and SLA commitments are appropriate for their environment.

TL;DR – OEM vs TPM comparison table

Here’s a handy cheatsheet with the key details of every point of comparison:

Factor	OEM	TPM	Winner
Costs	Support included in original warrant Expensive contract renewals Multiple OEM contracts increase costs	Consolidated contract Lifecycle extension reduces refresh costs Cheaper than OEM contract renewals	TPM
Flexibility	Limited to brand hardware One-size-fits-all contracts End-of-Support poses cut-off date	Available throughout hardware lifecycle Multi-vendor and multi-model support On-demand model Customized SLAs	TPM
Hardware availability	Provides replacements for new models not available through TPM providers Cease production of legacy-model parts after EOS	Rapid availability of refurbished parts Not reliant on manufacturer supply chain Ideal for legacy models	Dependent on hardware models and age
Sustainability	Hardware refresh cycles can increase e-waste Limited support for legacy equipment can accelerate replacement	Lifecycle extension delays disposal, reducing e-waste Refurbished parts contribute to the circular market Reusing legacy equipment reduces manufacturing-related CO2 emissions	TPM
Software	Develops and releases cutting-edge firmware updates and security patches	Limited to implementing patches developed by OEMs	OEM
Risk	Direct access to official security patches and updates Reduced number of actors involved in maintenance EOSL can leave legacy hardware unsupported	Quality and capability can vary between providers Requires careful provider selection and due diligence Security may depend on workaround or access to OEM patches	Dependent on hardware age and security requirements

How to make the correct decision

The correct decision for your IT infrastructure means weighing up a range of technical and financial factors. To avoid risk, overspending, sustainability issues and extended downtime, it is important for your IT team to establish the answers to questions such as:

1. Is my hardware currently under warranty or is it a legacy model?
2. Does our infrastructure contain hardware from multiple vendors?
3. Can an OEM provide the full visibility that a multi-brand TPM can?
4. What levels of support and flexibility do we need, and what SLA response times and availability are critical to our business operations?
5. What are the total costs of OEM versus TPM support over the expected lifetime of the hardware?
6. How important are official software updates, patches and firmware support?
7. What are the security and compliance risks of our current support arrangement?
8. How much downtime can our business realistically tolerate?
9. Can we extend the useful life of our existing hardware rather than replace it?

OEM solutions can be ideal for newly purchased systems or mission-critical assets that still require the manufacturer’s original equipment service, updates, and warranties. They ensure full compatibility and direct support from the OEM equipment manufacturer.

However, as hardware matures and OEM contracts expire, shifting to TPM support as an alternative solution can offer significant advantages. These include lower costs, extended asset lifespan, and greater flexibility.

If your company is looking for cost-effective, agile support that extends the lifecycle and maximizes the performance of your entire infrastructure, TPM is the best strategic option.

A reliable TPM system helps reduce unplanned downtime and supports sustainable improvement across your IT infrastructure.

Many businesses find that combining both models in a hybrid approach delivers the perfect balance between performance, efficiency, and business excellence.

What does Evernex TPM offer?

Evernex is a global leader in data center third-party maintenance, with over forty years of industry experience. With a focus on lifecycle extension and cost-effective solutions, Evernex provides expert support services adapted to your needs.

Here are just a few of the reasons businesses across the world partner with Evernex:

• Flexible SLAs with up to 24x7x4 support options
• Global coverage, with presence in over 160 countries
• 330+ stocking locations for certified refurbished spare parts
• Multi-vendor, multi-model expertise
• On-demand support model
• Troubleshooting, configurations, repairs and maintenance

Contact Evernex

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