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5 Things you need for great HDS Support

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Ardent Support Technologies

HDS Support doesn’t have to be as complicated or as expensive as many think. As studies have indicated, most companies today are incorporating a Third Party Support model for their infrastructure to provide them with additional value along with reduced residual support costs. This is especially true for HDS support.

When looking for Third Party HDS support, there are 5 things you should do or have to be successful:

1. 1.Make sure the organization has the necessary training. Third Party Support organizations that are worth their weight invest in their engineers and they should be able to articulate their knowledge of Hitachi equipment.

2. 2. Any company providing your support should be able to configure the auto-notification to be directed to them. In the case of the HDS 9980 and HDS 9990, any provider that is serious about support should have a product developed to provide the notification. This equipment is extremely redundant so if you wait until you notice there is a problem, you most likely have many issues that have been piling up, which creates a problem. Auto-notification allows the support organization to work on the issues prior to them becoming catastrophic and any good support provider will be able to provide this for you.

3. 3. Speak with the support organization’s engineers. Throw some sample failures at them and see how they respond. It is a great way to quickly learn about their capabilities.

4. 4. Make sure the company is focused on Support. Many companies out there say they provide support but when pulling back the covers, they take contracts just to increase revenue but don’t provide the support necessary for your business. You don’t want to be exposed. A company who focuses solely on support as its business should be a priority in your decision making process.

5. 5. Make sure the company is willing to above and beyond for you. Do they provide you with any value add or to they give you the bare bones of support. A great way to measure what the industry leaders provide can be read here.

It is clear the industry has accepted Third Party Support as a valid and valuable resource for companies. This is especially true when looking at HDS support. In the end you should not only increase your support levels and overall satisfaction but you should also dramatically reduce your annual support costs. If you verify the five items mentioned above, you are well on your way to finding a quality Third Party Support organization.

NetApp Insight

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Ardent Support Technologies

Every year, NetApp Insight is held to educate the market from NetApp’s perspective. It is a great opportunity to learn where NetApp is going as a company and how they are getting there.

The real question is how are you getting there? If you are considering attending Insight, most likely you have an install base of NetApp equipment. If that is the case, you know how expensive it is to maintain the equipment on a NetApp contract. Their strategy is simple: Charge customers outrageous amounts for support and they will either upgrade to newer equipment or they will pay it, providing NetApp with huge profits. For you, the end user, it puts you in a difficult situation. The equipment you have is probably stable and doing everything you need for your business but you have to decide between high support costs or a forklift upgrade. It’s a no win situation. There is a viable option that customers around the world are taking advantage of. It’s Third Party Maintenance and is being credited with saving customers millions of dollars annually.

Third Party Maintenance is quickly becoming integrated into every business because if you do due diligence, you’ll find providers that will give you the support your company requires. The immediate benefits of a reputable Third Party Maintenance provider include high quality support, OEM trained engineers and significantly reduced support costs. Quality support companies will give you much more. For help with doing your due diligence and what should be required of a Third Party Maintenance company, read this whitepaper. It will provide you with the qualifications a Third Party provider should have in order for you to consider them for your support.

Consider your options when it comes to support and you will find solutions that help you dictate the direction or your company within your timeframe and budget not NetApp’s.

Posted in NetApp Support | Tagged NetApp, NetApp Insight, NetApp Maintenance | Leave a comment

NetApp 2040

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Ardent Support Technologies

The NetApp 2040 is being transitioned but that doesn’t mean your equipment is dead.

When announced that the NetApp 2040 is to be transitioned (a kind word for End of Life), it sends a clear message that NetApp wants you to upgrade to newer hardware. The 2040 was introduced in late 2009 and touted twice the performance of the FAS2050, 30% more drive capacity and twice as many GbE ports. Because of the functionality, the FAS 2040 became a staple in customer’s data centers and a major source of revenue for NetApp.

Many times, when customers hear End of Life, they become anxious because the feeling of having to plan for an upgrade is not too far down the road. This can be exciting because who doesn’t like the latest and greatest shiny object but for many other reasons it just isn’t practical. Let’s look at some of the reasons why.

Budget. It’s no secret that everyone’s budgets are tight. To ask for budget to replace equipment that is providing the functionality your business requires just doesn’t make sense.
Stability. The NetApp 2040 probably has been in your environment for at least a couple of years and is stable. If your business isn’t demanding or pushing you to newer equipment, why should NetApp force you to do so?
Other Projects. Everyone is trying to do more with less. There are other projects on the horizon that help drive your business. Upgrading to appease NetApp’s product cycle shouldn’t be one of them.

What About Support?

Many times support becomes the elephant in the room. Even when a product such as the NetApp 2040 is being supported by the OEM, many companies just accept the cost of the contract as part of doing business. When a product is announced as end of life, many of those same customers walk the plank assuming that upgrading to new equipment is the only option because they don’t want to live without support.

What customers are beginning to realize is there are very good options available to both current and end of life NetApp products when it comes to support. Third Party Maintenance (TPM) providers have proven they are capable of supporting NetApp equipment as well as the OEM for savings that typically range from 30%-70% annually. The reputable TPMs will also support your OnTap software. In fact, many companies are looking to TPMs as soon as their original contract (or warranty) expires. By working with the right TPM, you will not sacrifice the support you require and will actually see added benefits (such as equipment on site).

When you look at the scenario of the NetApp 2040 and its “transitioning”, all of the obstacles created by being pushed to purchase new hardware are gone when a TPM becomes involved and your business can dictate to NetApp when it is time to upgrade rather than the other way around.

A great White Paper on how to evaluate and select a TPM can be downloaded and will provide you with the details you need to make an informed decision.

Posted in NetApp Support | Tagged NetApp, NetApp 2040, NetApp Maintenance | Leave a comment

PowerEdge

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Ardent Support Technologies

PowerEdge

When hearing the words Dell PowerEdge, you probably think of a stable server platform that has performed well year after year. Dell really gained a lot of market share with its 800 series (PE1800, PE1850, PE2800 and PE2850). Many of these are still alive and well today. Currently, Dell is shipping its 12^th generation which include Rack Mounts (such as R620, R720), Modular or Blade (M420, M520, M620, M820) and Tower (T320, T420 and T620). In fact, as a recent article points out, Dell has outpaced the competition with nearly 35% of the x86 market in the Americas.

Dell’s Future Market

The big challenge Dell is facing (along with HP and IBM) when it comes to new product sales is twofold. First, with virtualization, as customers are swapping out older hardware for newer, fewer physical machines are required. Second, customers are holding on to their equipment longer because budgets are being scrutinized and the servers are still performing well—in other words, the PowerEdge servers are capable of functioning for a long time in your environment and you don’t need to upgrade. In fact, the days of swapping servers every three years seem to be long gone.

Extending the Life (And Your Budget)

Because customers are keeping their equipment longer, the question becomes what to do when the PowerEdge servers maintenance contracts come up for renewal. As mentioned, one of the reasons customers are keeping their PowerEdge servers longer is because budgets are tight but when looking to Dell for PowerEdge maintenance they realize the prices are exorbitant. The reason Dell charges a lot for support is because A). They see it as a money maker, B). They want to push you to upgrade to new hardware and C). Customers don’t know where to turn for other options where they can reduce maintenance costs by 30%-70% while actually increasing support levels.

More and more customers are looking to Third Party Maintenance (TPM) to provide a high level of support at a significantly reduced rate vs. Dell support because in addition to the savings, the right TPM will be able to provide you with everything Dell provides for support (and more). The important thing when considering TPM is selecting the right company. A guide to maximizing your Data Center investments through TPM should be mandatory reading for companies wise enough to consider alternatives.

If you would like to discuss Dell PowerEdge support in more detail and learn what your options are, we’d be happy to help.

Photo by Robert Silverwood

Posted in Dell Support, PowerEdge, Third Party Support | Tagged Dell, Dell Support, PowerEdge | Leave a comment

NetApp Maintenance

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Ardent Support Technologies

NetApp Maintenance for any of your F series or FAS series doesn’t have to be expensive. Read on to learn how many companies have reduced their NetApp maintenance while actually increasing support levels.

To Renew or Not to Renew…

For years NetApp has proven to provide a scalable and stable product to build your data center around. They tend to stay on top of new functionality and introduce new products on a regular basis. The challenge for customers is they don’t need to upgrade on a regular basis which for many means renewing maintenance contracts directly with NetApp. This is a very expensive proposition. In fact, it is one that often drives customers to purchase new hardware (which is what NetApp wants you to do) even though the equipment you have is perfectly functional for your environment.

You Make the Choice. After All, You’re the Boss!

There is a viable solution to this problem and it is to find a reputable Third Party Maintenace (TPM) provider whose sole focus as a business is to provide maintenance contracts. Companies are moving away from OEM support by the droves because there are TPMs that are very good. If you evaluate a TPM who provides support as just one of their many offerings, you will probably find they don’t have the experience nor dedication necessary to give you the support you need. However, if you choose a company who focuses totally on support and has a proven track record of NetApp maintenance, you will be pleasantly surprised in the support you get and the savings that will come your way (typically 30%-60% annually vs. NetApp maintenance). As an added bonus, most TPMs will support your equipment well past the End of Service date, allowing you to get the most longevity from your equipment. When speaking with the TPM about NetApp maintenance make sure the company not only supports the hardware but also has the ability to support OnTap. If the company only supports the hardware, it is a pretty good indicator that they probably aren’t qualified enough for your needs.

Don’t get locked in thinking that your NetApp Maintenance can only be provided by the OEM. Many customers have found a qualified TPM answers their needs. To see a list of supported equipment, click here.

Request E-Book on TPM Support

If you would like to read an E-Book discussing how TPM works, contact us. We will be happy to send one to you for free.

Posted in NetApp Support, Third Party Support | Tagged NetApp, NetApp Maintenance, Third party support | Leave a comment

HP Warranty Check Made Easy

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Ardent Support Technologies

An HP Warranty Check on your server and storage equipment is easily accomplished if you look to alternatives other than HP.

Why is it so difficult to determine my support status?

Many times companies find it difficult to track and maintain the status of their equipment and it becomes daunting when someone has to take the time to track it down with HP. If the equipment is still under warranty, one group at HP is responsible for it. If the equipment is under a care pack, another group handles that which means you need to know which group to contact. If you have a care pack and you contact the warranty group they won’t have any idea of the status of your equipment (and vice versa). If HP can’t tell you for sure (it may even be end of support life), how do you really know your status?

The simple and effective way to get answers.

The best way to save time and get exact answers is to have a company who deals with server and storage support on a regular basis do your HP warranty check for you. They will know exactly where to get this information and a reputable company will do it for you at no cost.

A company like Ardent Support Technologies actually allows you to track all of your equipment through an online portal, no matter the warranty status or who is supporting the equipment. The details in the portal provide you with things such as serial numbers, model, location, handles, expiration dates and much, much more. To learn more about utilizing this portal to your advantage, click here, select the customer access button and request a user name and password.

An HP warranty check doesn’t have to be painful if you use companies who know where to get these answers. Contact us and we can help.

Posted in HP Support | Tagged HP Support, HP Warranty Check | Leave a comment

Server, Storage and Networking Hardware Support Alternative That Does Everything You Need

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Ardent Support Technologies

When it comes to a server, storage or networking hardware support alternative, IT managers thought processes go through the same thing year after year at renewal time. They cringe at the prices the OEMs charge and they wonder why it is so expensive because their teams generally do all of the work when it comes to replacing parts. HP, Sun Oracle, EMC, NetApp, IBM, you name it, they are all the same. the managers want a viable alternative.

Why do the OEMs dictate what I get for support?

As everyone is well aware, the OEMs send an engineer on site as little as possible even though your contract calls for someone to come on site. The OEMs feel it is too expensive so they push the work back to the customer (generous, aren’t they?!?). They mandate you and your team should be the one to replace the part but yet you are paying exorbitant amounts for the support that you don’t get. It doesn’t make sense.

If you are willing to do some of the hands on work, why don’t you get a discount?

What the OEMs don’t want you to know is there a program that allows you to significantly reduce your support costs without increasing your workload. The program is called Support Together . Support Together provides you with the ability to call in for support 7x24x365 and provides you with all necessary replacement parts.

Who provides a viable solution?

When working together to solve an issue rather than trying to elude responsibilities to reduce their costs (like the OEMs do), we can conquer a lot! Many customers look to Ardent to provide them with a hardware support alternative like Support Together that provides great support for significant savings.

To learn more, let’s talk.

Photo by Vincent Teeuen

Posted in Support Together | Tagged Hardware Support, OEM Support, Support Together | Leave a comment

6 Things a NetApp Third Party Support Provider Must Be Able to Perform

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Ardent Support Technologies

If you are considering a NetApp Third Party Support Provider to perform your maintenance contract, these are 6 things they must provide for you without exception:

1. Select a company who only provides support contracts and doesn’t lose focus by doing other things such as actively selling hardware or providing functions other than support. If you are going to trust a company to support your NetApp equipment, you want all of their resources focused on support. They should be able to support all NetApp filers.

2. The company should not only have the ability to support your NetApp hardware but OnTap as well. If the company’s engineers can only support the hardware, they shouldn’t be the company you select. It tells you they are not experienced enough.

3. Ask for references. Expect the company you are potentially going to work with to have a stable of references for you.

4. Expect the company to do more for you than just support. They should want to be your partner and through that provide you with additional functionality as part of the base contract. A program like Ardent’s In Touch is a great example. Expect MORE!

5. Make sure the engineers are great at what they do. Ask to speak with some of the engineers you would be working with. Give them some sample scenarios and see how they respond.

6. They should be able to support not only current hardware but also hardware that has been eol by NetApp. You shouldn’t be restricted as to whether NetApp supports the equipment currently or not.

You can significantly reduce your annual support costs without sacrificing support if you select the right company.

Photo by ChrisDag

Posted in NetApp Support | Tagged NetApp Filers, NetApp OnTap, NetApp Third Party Support | Leave a comment

HP Care Pack lookup by serial number

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Ardent Support Technologies

Determine your HP Care Pack lookup by serial number for your warranty status but there are easier ways to track all of your equipment.

We Know it is Painful. We hear it All of The Time.

When we are working with customers, the one thing that makes them sigh every time is when we ask if they have a list of equipment and if they know when the equipment comes up for renewal. Because equipment is purchased at different periods, the answer usually is (after a pause) “the contract renewal dates are all over the place”. We can feel their anxiety because of the fear that some of the equipment has fallen off support without them knowing and for the dread of having to put a list together. Sound familiar?

How do you solve this problem? Well, you can always go to HPs site , try to navigate through it and probably quit part way through out of frustration.

Alternatively, you can find a great option that will take the pains away from you and make this as simple as possible. In fact, if you send us your HP serial numbers, we’ll do the work of determining your Care Pack status for you and report it back at no charge.

We Have a Solution For You.

One of the features of our unique IN Touch program is our customer portal which makes your life easy. You can track all of your equipment and warranty status in one place. That’s right, all of your servers, storage and networking equipment assets all in one place. We even allow you to track assets that are not on contract with us. In fact, you don’t even have to have any equipment on contract with us. Just request login credentials and we’ll allow you to use the portal. We’ve been told by multiple customers that they no longer dread having to track assets because they know where to go to get all of the necessary information. The support we provide is the added bonus.

Want to see a demo area of the portal? Send us an email and we’ll provide you with the credentials.

We aren’t your support provider. We are your support partner!

Posted in HP Support | Tagged HP Care Pack, HP serial number, HP warranty, In Touch Support | Leave a comment

EMC Clariion CX3 Support today and beyond EOL

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Ardent Support Technologies

If you are looking for EMC Clariion CX3 support now and beyond the EOL date, you have options. We heard from a customer yesterday who has had an EMC CX3-20 for a couple of years and they are frustrated because EMC is pushing them to the newer VNX product line. Although EMC will still support the Clariion product line for a couple more years, it is obvious they don’t have plans to add any functionality to it while their focus is on the VNX product.

Our customer came to us looking to add some drives to their existing array, which we can help them with but they were hesitant because EMC told them they should be looking to migrate rather than expand upon their existing equipment because it won’t be supported by EMC for much longer. What the customer learned is that EMC is really good at putting fear into you so that you feel you need to upgrade. We tip our hat to EMC for doing a good job of scaring people during this Halloween season but in reality they do this all year long at the expense of the customer.

Ultimately, what does this mean to existing Clariion CX3 customers who feel they are on a stable platform and don’t want to upgrade? It means they have viable options to get support that is equal to what they get from EMC, continue support during and beyond EMC’s support end of life and realize significant savings along the way.

Realize, if you do your homework on Third Party Supprt providers, there are reputable companies who do a great job and allow you to migrate to new hardware when your business dictates it, not when EMC wants you to.

To learn more about how Ardent can help you with your EMC support, contact us.

Posted in EMC Support | Tagged Clariion Support, CX3-20, EMC Support | Leave a comment

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