NetApp 2040 / FAS2040 Support Ends 2017

Park Place Hardware Maintenance


Drew Teller June 19, 2014

Since NetApp’s “refresh” of the FAS2000 line, we’ve been discussing impending loss of  NetApp 2040 / FAS2040 support. Now we have a date to put to this declared obsolescence: October 31, 2017 for both the single and dual controller, 12 slot 2040 arrays.

With more than three years to ponder the future of the 2040, some data center and IT directors may wonder if there’s reason to give the impending EOSL further thought today. The answer is a definitive YES!

Why Pay More for 3 More Years?

Every year that an IT shop maintains a contract with NetApp, the cost is 30% to 70% more than it would be with an alternative provider. Over the next three years, these costs will add up to significant wasted dollars that could be spent elsewhere.

What’s more, the quality of NetApp support—not always stellar to begin with—will gradually degrade as institutional attention is given to the 2200 series and other, newer hardware.

Not that they will come out and say as much, but support calls will often be greeted with subtle (and sometimes direct) encouragement to relegate the NetApp 2040 / FAS2040 to the reclamation facility. “Don’t add drives to an EOL machine,” you’ll hear. Or “that problem wouldn’t arise with a new storage system.” This support response hardware sales pitch can become as frustrating as the NetApp bureaucracy, and you quite frankly don’t need to tolerate it.

Instead, Get More!

These issues fade away when an IT organization selects a best-in-class third party NetApp 2040 / FAS2040 support company. Known for delivering unbiased input and fast, personalized service, these providers stand head and shoulders above NetApp.

We can best differentiate Park Place Technologies from the competition, but our offerings will be mirrored by some others in the market and can give you an idea of what to expect. Set your sights high, though, because you deserve:

  • Immediate access to Level 3 personnel. Do you really want to speak with low-end technical staff and work your way up the escalation ladder? We didn’t think so. That’s why Park Place assigns a highly experienced engineer to every account and offers 24/7 Level 3 support that’s just a phone call away, with no help desk and no hassle.
  • Comprehensive NetApp support. You’ll receive complete hardware, software, and firmware support from engineers who have deep experience with Fabric Attached Storage, as well as ONTAP, SnapDrive, SnapMirror, SyncMirror, SnapVault, SnapShot, SnapManager, FilerView and FlexShare. Our contracts include remote monitoring with daily diagnostics, local and on-site spare parts, and 100% coverage of all system components.
  • A customized solution . We’re more than fast first responders for troubleshooting and break/fix, we’re an addition to your team. As soon as you sign with us, we’ll do a systems analysis to understand your environment and your needs, and then we’ll check in quarterly to review trouble calls. Without interest in hardware sales blinding us, we’ll offer assistance and recommendations that don’t involve unnecessary capital outlay, they just improve performance and reliability.

The NetApp FAS2040 / 2040 is a popular, highly functional, and affordable storage system, and it should be paired with a maintenance partner with the same characteristics. Act today to drastically reduce support costs and gain the type of support you’ve long wished NetApp could provide.

About the Author

Drew Teller, Channel Marketing Manager
Drew Teller is focused on finding the latest end of life information. Drew's interests lie in supporting IT professionals with their end of life equipment.