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Are You Prepared for End-of-Service-Life?
Data is said to be the currency of the 21st century, and the data center has thus become an integral part of every business organization. It’s important to remember, though that IT infrastructure equipment—servers, routers, switches, etc.—have their lifespan. Making plans with a TPM provider before hardware reaches end-of-life puts your company in the best position to ensure continued and efficient data center operations.
But first, what is end-of-service-life?
End-of-Service-Life Defined
End-of-Service-Life or End-of-Support-Life (EOSL)—also called Last-Day-of-Service—is when the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) will cease to offer technical support and software updates for the product.
A closely-related term—one that’s often used interchangeably with last-day-of-service and EOSL—is End-of-Life (EOL). EOL refers to the time when a product has reached the end of its manufacturing life, and the manufacturer will no longer produce, sell, or advertise said product. EOL precedes EOSL, usually, within three to six years from product release, while EOSL comes three to six years after EOL.
Why Should You Be Concerned About EOSL?
Decline in support and availability of hardware is simply the last step of a product’s life cycle. An OEM announcing the end of life of its equipment is a not-so-subtle nudge to have you upgrade to the latest model. As far as the manufacturer is concerned, your server or router will have already outlived its round of development, growth, and maturity.
The truth is though, having your hardware reach its last day of service doesn’t have to put your business into complete chaos. Even as it comes to its EOL and then EOSL, the product you have on hand won’t suddenly become ‘lifeless’ and stop working—it will continue to function. What’s important to note however, is that with the last-day-of-service, your company can no longer expect much from the OEM in terms of supply of replacement parts, software updates, and technical assistance.
The lack of preparation for this eventuality is what’s going to disrupt your data center operations and set your organization back. Server crashes and hardware failure, for instance, will cause critical problems not only internally but also for external customers. Service outages, operational issues, or disruptions to the supply chain are only some of the potential effects, not to mention the financial repercussions that ensue.
The Right Strategy to End-of-Service-Life
A prudent approach to IT lifecycle management is to have all viable options ready when nearing EOL or EOSL. Here are some of the best practices you can apply as you take on the challenges of end of life:
- Keep an updated record of the EOSL dates of your data center equipment. It’s easy to forget these dates, especially if your operations are running smoothly, but bear in mind that you need to have enough time to make informed decisions before EOL and EOSL arrive. CentricsIT IT Asset Management services can address these needs.
- Get in touch with your OEM. Talk with the original vendor and find out what services you can continue to expect from them beyond EOL and last day of service. It’s also important to know at what costs services are offered so you can make valid comparisons with third party offerings.
- Explore TPM services. Find out if the technical services offered by third-party maintenance (TPM) providers are adequate for your needs if OEM support is no longer available. Third-party maintenance services are known as go-to sources of refurbished equipment, hardware replacement parts, and technical support for multiple types and brands of data center equipment. TPM providers can also offer maintenance contracts that are less expensive than OEMs and service levels that are flexible and customized to a customer’s specific needs.
Dealing with End-of-Life the CentricsIT Way
Don’t let EOL and EOSL dates be the end of the line for you. With CentricsIT Third Party Maintenance services, we’ll make sure your data center hardware continues to work for you way past the last-day-of-service.
CentricsIT helps you maximize the use of your current equipment by offering 40-70 percent savings compared to OEM prices, tech support that addresses customer tickets within 30 minutes, a pool of experienced and trained field engineers, and secure stocking locations in over 90 countries worldwide for faster service delivery.
When you’re ready to upgrade to newer equipment, our IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) services can assist with selling or retiring your IT assets in a secure and efficient manner, while ensuring maximum return for your data center.
Contact us today to learn more about our third-party maintenance, ITAD, and the other global IT services that we provide.
