Procurri specialise in extending the lifespan of servers, network and storage facilities through the provision of Third Party Maintenance past the period where OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) cease to offer support. But how do you know when your server is under warranty or when it expires? Let us explain…
What’s the difference between EOSL and a Warranty?
EOSL is an acronym for End Of Service Life, and refers to the point at which an OEM stop to offer all support and updates for a model of hardware. A warranty, however, is the guarantee from an OEM to repair or replace any faulty or malfunctioning parts.
For the most part, a warranty will be for a shorter period of time than the EOSL period, but they may overlap. Both are separate agreements and support and similar services may be purchased from third parties; often for a cheaper price than that offered by OEMs
What is typically covered by a Server Warranty?
Server Warranties typically cover the following:
- Hardware failure – replacement components for any malfunctioning or faulty parts (such replacements may be new or refurbished)
- Technical support – a degree of technical support for the operation of the hardware; usually dependent on the amount of money paid for the Warranty. This may be comprehensive 24/7 support, emergency-only support or just access to troubleshooting information
- Software support – limited software support for drivers or server management software
- Set SLAs (Service Level Agreements) – agreed response times for replacements, repairs and support.
Exact coverage of a Server Warranty is stated in the Warranty Agreement issued at the time of sale. It should be noted that Procurri’s Third Party Management services also offer all of the above, and more so.
What is typically not covered by a Server Warranty?
Every Server Warranty is different, but typically OEMs do not offer coverage for the following:
- External hardware – support for any device that does not form part of the original server configuration, even if it is manufactured by the same OEM
- External software – support any third-party software run across any part of the server configuration
- User error – any damage or malfunction caused by inappropriate setup, maintenance or handling of any hardware or software
- ‘Acts of god’ – natural disasters such as floods, fires or lightning strikes that cause damage to the server.
Common pitfalls and issues with Server Warranties
While OEMs do have dedicated engineers and teams working on their warranty offerings for existing customers, it should be noted that they have a vested interest in selling their newest product to customers rather than maintaining their existing. The most common issues that server managers and operators find when relying on their warranties only are:
- A lack of parts availability when spare parts are required
- Extended repair times or delays in the repair process that result in downtime or disruption for end users
- Hidden fees or clauses that void the warranty or require further payment unexpectedly
- Misunderstanding of the fine print of warranty claims – this may void the agreement for future claims, may lower the amount of support available or change the SLAs or fees required.
What is covered by Procurri’s Third Party Maintenance services (even past the EOSL point)?
Procurri’s server maintenance services for HP products provide a fantastic degree of coverage, even once they are past the EOSL point stipulated by the OEM. This includes the following:
- Hardware support from expert Level 3 & 4 engineers – both on-site and remote support across all hardware configurations; even where the configuration includes refurbished, third-party or legacy parts
- Software support from expert Level 3 & 4 engineers – both on-site and remote support across all supported software systems
- Access to 24×7 support – through a ‘follow the sun’ support model, Procurri has specialists available on the phone
- Flexible, short-term contracts – a variety of flexible options for both long- and short-term support as needed
- Access to the industry’s largest parts inventory – supplying spare parts of even the rarest and hardest-to-find hardware situated in warehouses around the world
- Access to coverage in 100+ countries – unlike many OEMs, Procurri offers support in over 100 countries and territories, no matter where their own offices and parts warehouses are located
- Access to Procurri Genie – a proactive analysis tool that constantly monitors the function and performance of hardware to notify operators of any issues before they escalate, and in many cases before they arise at all. This helps negate downtime and initiates support requests
- Customisable SLAs – service level agreements formed bespoke to each customer in order to meet their individual needs and the idiosyncrasies of their business.
For more information on what Procurri can offer for your HP Server configuration, get in touch with the team today.
How to check your HP Server’s Warranty Status online
There are two ways to look up the status of an HP server’s warranty and EOSL point online quickly.
Procurri’s online EOSL checking service
Procurri lists the EOSL dates for several HP hardware models including HPE Integrity, HPE ProLiant and HPE StoreVirtual. Understanding when a server model reaches its EOSL point is not necessarily an indication of the warranty status, but does indicate when the OEM will stop offering all support and updates – so even if the equipment remains functional and under warranty, it if no longer supported.
To check online the EOSL dates for HP products, click here. You do not need to know any serial numbers or product numbers, but rather just the product name.
Procurri offers Third Party Maintenance services for HP products before and after their EOSL dates, so even if the OEM has withdrawn support, the hardware may remain functional and the operating company may continue offering seamless services to their end users
Check warranty status on HP.com
HP.com, the official website for HP as an OEM, has an online checking service for each of their issued products. Providing the owner is able to locate their serial number and product number, they can input it into the site and retrieve the individual product’s warranty information.
How to access your HP server serial number and product number
For individual warranty information, you will need to access your HP server’s serial number and product number. There are four ways to do this:
Check the sales information and documents
Probably the easiest way for HP server owners to access their individual product details is to check the information and documents provided at the point of sales. The serial number and product number should be stated clearly on these documents and can then be input into the HP website to look up the Warranty details.
Use the HP System Information app
The HP System Information app is inbuilt to all HP computers and can be accessed via Windows OS. If a user searches for ‘HP System Information’ in their OS search bar, they can open the app and retrieve information on their product. Where an administrator computer is linked to a specific server, they may also be able to access this information; but it is usually limited to only administrative accounts and not accessible from all machines.
Use the direct command prompt
Where an administrator machine has access to server commands, the prompt “wmic systemenclosure get serialnumber” can be typed into the command prompt. This will immediately display the serial number but not the product number, which will need to be sourced separately.
Physically noting the serial number from the server
Every HP server has its serial number printed on the casing. If you’re physically able to access your server, this number is usually printed on the top toward the front on the left side. If you don’t have physical access to the server, a technician or engineer may be able to supply you with this detail.
You do not need to know hardware’s serial number or product number to access an EOSL date from the Procurri EOSL hardware list. If your hardware is not listed, instead get in touch and we can advise.
Do I need direct access to a HP Server to see Warranty details?
There is no need for a user to have either physical or remote access to an HP server to access details of the product’s Warranty. Instead, purchase information of the product should have noted on it the serial number and product number, from which the Warranty information can be gained.
What to do when your HP Server’s warranty ends
The status quo once a server warranty ends is to replace it with the OEM’s newest model – and indeed, this repeated custom is how the OEM makes their money. However, this is an expensive business for the server owners and not particularly sustainable, as it promotes overconsumption and unnecessary e-waste.
Instead, the investment into Third Party Maintenance services allows for businesses to extend the lifespan of their servers and other hardware without permitting any disruption or downtime as they age. The cost of such maintenance is often considerably cheaper than warranty fees and provides a more comprehensive coverage level.
For more information on how to better ‘sweat’ your IT assets for longer even where a warranty has expired, contact the Procurri team today to discuss your needs.