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IBM EOSL Deadlines in 2021
Several IBM EOSL deadlines are due this year, including blade servers, M4 servers, compute nodes, etc. If you’ve got IBM devices running on your network or data center, you’ll want to know if the EOSL falls in 2021, so you can start weighing your options.
Some of the IBM EOSL deadlines in 2021 include the following:
| IBM Model | EOSL Deadline |
|---|---|
|
BladeCenter HS22V
|
12/31/2021
|
|
BladeCenter HS23E
|
12/31/2021
|
|
BladeCenter T
|
12/31/2021
|
|
iDataPlex dx360 M4 server
|
12/31/2021
|
|
iDataPlex dx360 M4 2U chassis
|
12/31/2021
|
|
System x iDataPlex dx360 M4 Server
|
12/31/2021
|
|
Flex System x440 Compute Node
|
12/31/2021
|
|
Flex System x220 Compute Node
|
12/31/2021
|
|
Flex System x222 Compute Node
|
12/31/2021
|
|
Flex System Chassis
|
12/31/2021
|
|
Flex System X6 Compute Node
|
12/31/2021
|
Why IBM EOSL deadlines matter
An EOSL, which stands for End of Service Life, is the most critical date in an OEM hardware’s lifecycle. Beyond this date, the OEM (in this case IBM) is no longer obligated to provide maintenance and support services for the hardware in question.
Some businesses don’t pay much attention to IBM EOSL dates … until something goes wrong, they experience considerable downtime, and then realize they can no longer get help from IBM unless they’re willing to pay a premium for what is known as IBM Hardware Support Extension.
The truth about the IBM Hardware Support Extension
IBM actually offers a premium service for hardware whose EOS dates have arrived. This service is called IBM Hardware Support Extension. While this service offers customers an option that would allow them to keep getting maintenance support beyond EOS, the costs can be unreasonably high. There’s a better option where you can save from 40%-70% on maintenance costs.
A better option after EOSL
Although an IBM Hardware Support Extension is certainly a valid option, you might want to think twice if you’re not awash with funds. A substantial savings in IT maintenance costs can go a long way if redirected to your core business. In these uncertain times, any substantial amount of savings matters, and 40-70% savings is no doubt very substantial. But where can you get that?
Many companies are now using a service known as Third Party Maintenance or TPM. A TPM service provider can take charge of maintaining and providing tech support for your IBM EOSL hardware. A reputable provider can give you the same level of service (and, in some cases, even more) as IBM’s Hardware Support Extension but at a fraction of the cost.
Get superior TPM service from CentricsIT
If you do decide to go for TPM services, make sure you get these services from a reputable provider. CentricsIT offers one of the best TPM service in the industry.
With CentricsIT, your IBM equipment is going to be in the hands of engineers who have years of experience maintaining and supporting end-of-life products, so you can sleep soundly at night knowing your assets are in good hands. We can easily meet or even exceed our SLAs, as we have offices and secure stocking depots around the world.
While TPM is a great option to address IBM EOSL deadlines, it’s not the end-all-be-all. To make sure TPM is the best solution for your business, we’ll first buckle down with you to evaluate whether it’s truly best to continue maintaining your IBM equipment. In some cases, the better course of action would be to decommission it and proceed to an upgrade.
In cases where we find decommissioning to be the best option, we can also help with IT asset disposition. Click here to learn more about our IT Asset Disposition services.
