When an array crosses its OEM end-of-service-life date, the vendor stops renewing standard support, and any further OEM help is limited and at the vendor's discretion — nudging you toward an early, expensive migration. Third-party maintenance keeps the same array covered for years longer, so you replace it because your workloads need it, not because a support calendar says so. Use the calculator on this page to model the difference against your own current spend.
| Your OEM support / yr | Third-party / yr | You save / yr | Over 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| £35,000 | £10,500–£17,500 | £17,500–£24,500 | £52,500–£73,500 |
| £70,000 | £21,000–£35,000 | £35,000–£49,000 | £105,000–£147,000 |
| £140,000 | £42,000–£70,000 | £70,000–£98,000 | £210,000–£294,000 |
| £245,000 | £73,500–£122,500 | £122,500–£171,500 | £367,500–£514,500 |
Figures are indicative estimates shown as a range, based on the Gartner 50–70% saving band applied to an example spend, and confirmed by a free Servnet support audit — not a quotation. Third-party maintenance covers hardware break-fix and defers refresh; it does not supply software or firmware security patches.
Every major OEM array, one independent contract
OEM storage support is a patchwork of programmes: Dell ProSupport and ProSupport Plus on PowerStore, PowerMax and Unity XT (with Lifecycle Extension as a PowerStore-only option); HPE Tech Care and Complete Care on Alletra, MSA, Nimble and 3PAR; NetApp SupportEdge across FAS and AFF; Pure's Evergreen subscriptions on FlashArray; IBM Expert Care on FlashSystem; and Hitachi Vantara's Basic, Standard, Premium and Signature support on VSP. Each renews separately and lapses at that array's EOSL. Servnet maintains the hardware on all of them under a single agreement — controllers, cache, drives, shelves and power.
Spares that keep flowing past EOSL
The moment support that made a refresh feel inevitable ends is exactly when independent maintenance earns its place. We hold like-for-like media — SSD, SAS, NL-SAS and NVMe — plus controller assemblies, cache and battery-backup units, PSUs and expansion-shelf FRUs in UK stock, shipped to meet NBD, 4-hour or same-day SLAs with on-site engineering to fit and verify the rebuild. Providers routinely extend supported life three to five years, sometimes more, beyond the OEM's EOSL date — deferring a capital-heavy array refresh until it genuinely suits you.
What TPM covers — and what it honestly does not
Third-party maintenance is hardware break-fix: fault diagnosis, physical FRUs and on-site engineering, fully independent of any OEM entitlement. It does not supply software or firmware security patches, and major array-OS feature releases — NetApp ONTAP, Pure Purity, Dell PowerStoreOS, IBM Storage Virtualize — can still require an active OEM software subscription. We're transparent about that split per platform, helping you retain only the software entitlement you actually need while we take on every hardware fault at a fraction of OEM renewal cost.
FAQs
Can you really support our array after Dell, HPE or NetApp end-of-service-life?
Yes — post-EOSL cover is the core reason organisations move to third-party maintenance. Once the OEM withdraws SupportEdge, ProSupport, Tech Care or Evergreen support, we keep your array fully maintained using stocked spares and certified engineers, typically for three to five years longer. You migrate when your workloads demand it, not when the vendor's lifecycle policy dictates.
Which storage platforms and drive types do you hold spares for?
We maintain Dell PowerStore, PowerMax and Unity XT; HPE Alletra, MSA, Nimble and 3PAR; NetApp FAS and AFF; Pure FlashArray; IBM FlashSystem; and Hitachi VSP. Stocked FRUs include SSD, SAS, NL-SAS and NVMe drives, controller and cache modules, battery-backup units, power supplies, fans and SAS expansion shelves — shipped like-for-like to hit your agreed SLA.
Does third-party maintenance cover firmware and security patches?
No, and we're upfront about it. TPM covers hardware break-fix — diagnosis, physical parts and on-site engineering — but does not supply software or firmware security patches. Major array-OS updates such as ONTAP, Purity or PowerStoreOS can still need an active OEM software subscription. We scope this clearly per platform so you keep only the software entitlement you genuinely require.
How we work these figures out
- Saving band: Gartner, "Market Guide for Data Center and Network Third-Party Hardware Maintenance", 29 Aug 2019 (ID G00414695) — TPM contracts save 50–70% off OEM support NET prices. The report is dated; net-price basis (not off-list).
- Optional spend estimator seeds ONE editable per-device starting figure for HPE ProLiant: £1,250/yr, an indicative Servnet assumption rather than a quoted HPE price — replace it with your own renewal. Non-HPE OEM support pricing is quote-gated — enter your own renewal figure.
- EOSL life extension: the 3–5 (up to 7) additional years modelled are Servnet's planning assumption, not a published statistic; actual supportable life depends on spares availability for each model.
- All figures are indicative estimates shown as a range and confirmed by a free Servnet support audit — not a quotation. TPM covers hardware break-fix and defers refresh; it does NOT supply software/firmware security patches.
End-of-life dates by model
Model-level support milestones across vendors, each with its source.
HPE
- HPE MSA 2040 end of lifePast the vendor’s last date of support
- HPE MSA 2050 end of lifeEnd-of-life announced — vendor support still available
- HPE Nimble Storage CS-Series (hybrid) end of lifePast the vendor’s last date of support
- HPE 3PAR StoreServ 8000 end of lifeNo model-wide date published — check your unit
- HPE MSA 1050 end of lifeEnd-of-life announced — vendor support still available
- HPE 3PAR StoreServ 7000 (7200 / 7400 / 7450 / 7200c / 7400c / 7440c / 7450c) end of lifePast the vendor’s last date of support
- HPE Nimble Storage AF-Series (AF20Q / AF20 / AF40 / AF60 / AF80) end of lifeEnd-of-life announced — vendor support still available
- HPE Nimble Storage HF-Series (HF20 / HF20H / HF20C / HF40 / HF40C / HF60 / HF60C) end of lifeEnd-of-life announced — vendor support still available
- HPE StoreOnce Gen3 (3100 / 3520 / 3540 / 5100 / 5500 / 6600) end of lifeNo model-wide date published — check your unit
Dell
- PowerVault ME4 Series (ME4012 / ME4024 / ME4084) end of lifeNo model-wide date published — check your unit
- PowerVault MD3 Series end of lifeNo model-wide date published — check your unit
- Dell EMC Unity 300 / 400 / 500 / 600 (hybrid and all-flash F) end of lifePast the vendor’s last date of support
- Dell Compellent SC4020 end of lifePast the vendor’s last date of support
- Dell EMC SC Series SC5020 / SC7020 end of lifePast the vendor’s last date of support
- Dell EMC Unity XT (380 / 480 / 680 / 880, hybrid and all-flash) end of lifeEnd-of-life announced — vendor support still available
- Dell EqualLogic PS Series (PS6100 / PS6110 / PS6210 / PS4210 and siblings) end of lifePast the vendor’s last date of support
- Dell EMC Data Domain DD3300 / DD6300 / DD6800 / DD9300 end of lifeEnd-of-life announced — vendor support still available
NetApp
- FAS2650 end of lifePast the vendor’s last date of support
- FAS2720 / FAS2750 end of lifeEnd-of-life announced — vendor support still available
- FAS8200 end of lifeEnd-of-life announced — vendor support still available
- AFF A300 end of lifeEnd-of-life announced — vendor support still available
- NetApp FAS2500 Series (FAS2520 / FAS2552 / FAS2554) end of lifePast the vendor’s last date of support
- NetApp FAS8000 Series (FAS8020 / FAS8040 / FAS8060 / FAS8080EX) end of lifePast the vendor’s last date of support
- NetApp AFF A200 end of lifePast the vendor’s last date of support
- NetApp AFF A220 end of lifeEnd-of-life announced — vendor support still available
- NetApp E-Series E2800 end of lifeEnd-of-life announced — vendor support still available
Third-party maintenance across your estate
One independent contract can cover every OEM below. Model your saving →
By equipment
- Server maintenance →
- Storage maintenance (this page)
- Network maintenance →
Related tools & services
Last reviewed 7 October 2026. Manufacturer programme names, lifecycle dates and every cited figure on this page are re-checked against the manufacturers’ own published material at each review.
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