Is Your Server On Borrowed Time?

When did you last check that your business-critical server is still covered under warranty? Continued use of a server after its manufacturer’s warranty has expired poses a great danger to your organization’s business continuity. Since a server “serves” all other computers on your network, if it is not operational, affected employees may suddenly be taking a very expensive coffee break.

Most manufacturers supply servers with a 3-year warranty — and after the initial 3 years, you may be able to extend the warranty for another couple of years for a reasonable enough price. But if it’s already been 5 years, your hardware warranty may expire without warning and without an opportunity to renew — at any price. Most hardware manufacturers will not agree to a warranty on equipment over 5 years old. Once manufacturers no longer cover the hardware under warranty they generally will no longer make, stock, or sell replacement parts for it.

If your server is out of warranty you face a big risk: the older the system gets, the more likely something will go wrong. We encounter two or three horror stories each year in which customers are down for several days while they scramble to find parts for their outdated servers. The cost just to get up and running again can exceed $1000. Add to that being offline for days — missed sales opportunities, late shipments, late payments — and what is the real cost?

Hardware isn’t as expensive as it used to be. A new server that will outperform your current system with 5 years of 24/7 4-hour response time support averages between $4,500 and $8,000 (depending on specific requirements). It’s an investment in your company’s future, effectively a 5-year insurance policy against extended downtime due to hardware failure.

If you’d like us to help you evaluate your hardware needs, contact the Qantel Help Desk at helpdesk@qantel.com or 630.300.6997. We can provide a sample server specification for you to discuss with the vendor of your choice.