Keeping your Data Centre covered – a guide to handling support renewals

Your guide to support renewals: What to do when data centre coverage is ending?

Support renewals can be tricky. They essentially force you to sit back and examine whether or not your current system will still be meeting your storage/server/networking needs in a year’s time. But delay too long, and you risk a gap in coverage that could spell costly downtime or data loss.

On one hand, an upcoming support renewal can be a reminder that it actually is time for a product upgrade to accommodate your growing business or increased workloads. And on the other hand (and more commonly), the end of a coverage period simply means it’s time for another renewal. But doesn’t it seem like renewal costs are only increasing year after year? And especially during the post-warranty period? Well, that’s because they are!

Annual OEM support and maintenance fees continue to rise each year as a means of stimulating regular hardware refreshes. Prices have inflated so much so that customers are now forced to consider a hardware refresh – not based on performance or feature needs – but to avoid climbing maintenance costs! There’s no reason for a renewal to be half the price of what you initially paid to purchase the system – that’s highway robbery. Become a master at data centre renewals and check out Support 24/7’s guide to support renewals below:

Stay current on your support status and coverage deadlines.

The first step in ensuring your support renewal is a seamless and carefree process is being knowledgeable on whether or not your device is still under manufacturer support, along with the exact date that coverage ends. Be aware that a lapse in coverage of any length could spell costly unexpected downtime or data loss for your IT infrastructure. The key to extending the life of your systems without compromising the safety of your data is knowing in advance which devices will require extended maintenance / support / warranty services and when. Keep track of when your newer kit’s warranties end and when older equipment’s current contracts are due to renew.

Explore alternatives 4-6 months in advance.

Support 24/7 recommends that IT directors begin researching support renewal options 4 – 6 months in advance of their current system’s coverage expiration date. This gives your business adequate time to research alternatives, obtain some quotes, make room for budgetary considerations, and come to an educated decision on your own time – without the added pressure of manufacturer fearmongering.

Obtain multiple quotes.

Support 24/7 encourages you to consult the manufacturer or the original reseller of your equipment first and foremost. But if you aren’t completely satisfied with what they come back with or think you can get that same extended support for less, don’t be afraid to ask around. At Support 24/7, you can easily request a non-obligatory quote by calling (0800 678 5398) or filling out a quick form. Simply provide us with a quick background on the issue you’re experiencing, your location, your system configs, and your preferred service level(s), and we’ll quickly get to work on a solution. In many cases we get back to our clients with a detailed quote, including multiple coverage levels, within the hour!

Think about gaps in coverage.

Do you have old kit that you want to bring back into service, or are you considering temporarily mothballing some equipment? Some OEMs insist of zero gaps in support contracts so if you haven’t been paying for cover for equipment that you haven’t been using, they’ll charge you for the gap before you can start again. TPMs can often simply start your new cover at the time that suits you.

Why renew with Support 24/7?

Many IT directors don’t hear from their support provider until a few days before the renewal date. That’s not how Support 24/7 operates. As part of our consultative approach, we stay in touch with you from day one. We continue to contact you throughout the year so that we’re up-to-date on what’s happening with your systems, along with any changes or difficulties within your data centre environment that we could potentially help solve. And when it comes time to renew, we make sure it’s a painless, simple process—just another part of the product lifecycle.

Support 24/7’s renewal process is designed to save our customers the time, money, and effort typically consistent with manufacturer renewals. We remind you when it’s time to renew; all you have to do is evaluate whether or not the current SLA and coverage period is still meeting your needs and sign! Best of all, our support renewal rates average 40-80% less than that of popular manufacturers.

If you would like to know more about the services Support 24/7 offer or have questions about how we can help your company, please contact us here.