OEM Layoffs: What it Means for Your Data Center Maintenance
Park Place Hardware Maintenance
Layoffs by OEMs have substantial affect on hardware support
In recent months, speculations surrounding potential job layoffs by OEMs such as EMC, IBM and NetApp have been reported on by major IT media outlets. Predictions by top tech analysts look dim for job retention at EMC, VMware as well as HP Enterprise and IBM. By 2017, NetApp has announced it will lay off 12% of its workforce. IBM reportedly altered their severance terms recently from what once was 6 months severance, to only a month. What happens to your data center support and maintenance when jobs are significantly cut from your OEM? Here are a few considerations when it comes to your data center hardware maintenance:
Reduced quality of support
Some of the first employees that feel the effects of job layoffs are the employees who have worked with the company longest, including seasoned engineers. These employees hold technical certifications, and are the most familiar with your data center storage, server, and networking equipment. Without experienced engineers, the quality of the support you receive in maximizing your mission critical hardware’s uptime will face significant issues.
Added time delays
A shortage of employees means added wait times to answer your call from the OEM’s technical support centers. When you need immediate incident escalation, getting put on hold for long periods of time because of fewer call center support employees is not an option when it comes to getting the attention you need for your hardware.
Getting less, but paying the same amount, or more
With poor support quality, and longer wait times for incident escalation, OEMs will not lower your hardware maintenance costs. In fact, when your contract is up for renewal, the price may even get higher. Paying the same amount of money for your data center equipment’s support should not be an option.
During these uncertain times, considering support setbacks is essential when it comes to the life cycle of your storage, server, and networking data center hardware. Third-party maintenance providers like Park Place Technologies can aid in keeping your equipment up and running at its maximum uptime with minimum wait times, experienced engineers, and flexible SLAs that fit your organization’s needs. Contact us to learn more about the Park Place Difference today.