Many don’t realize that IT infrastructure hardware is still a part of the environment even after commencing the move to the cloud. Offices still need networking infrastructure including routers, switches, cabling and more to connect all users to the network. Client endpoints are still necessary and often require maintenance. Customers turn to AOM to help them provide needed coverage for:

Just because you’ve moved everything to the cloud doesn’t mean you can stop worrying about cloud operating expense.

Yes, you’ve turned most of your operating expense (OpEx) into a predictable, budgetable set monthly amount. Yes, you’ve eliminated most capital investments (CapEx), but not all. You still do need some hardware to put IT to use in your organization!

Hardware? In the Cloud??

Every person in your organization who uses IT needs an endpoint, a client device with which they access your data resources in the cloud. Some need more than one. These include:

• Desktop computer
• Laptop computer
• Tablet
• SmartPhone
• Wearables

Some users demand all five. If they’re increasing their productivity by having all five, you have every good reason to accommodate that! If they’re working from home add a modem, router, wi-fi access points, and perhaps a switch to accelerate their access.

Are you back in your offices yet?

If you’ve been having your people return to your office premises, they’ll still need some infrastructure to connect to. You may no longer be running any servers or storage locally, but you’ll still need modems, routers, switches, wi-fi access points, and several security appliances including firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, and others.

Many companies still adhere to a “belt-and-suspenders” philosophy about data integrity. Yes, everything’s in the cloud, and the cloud has multiple redundant data centers to provide resilience and fault tolerance. Still, they feel the need to maintain backup servers and storage locally just in case the entire network goes down. At least they’ll still have a local copy of their data to work from. While it will never likely be necessary, it’s still not a bad thing to have!

With All CapEx Comes Some OpEx

Just as great power comes with great responsibility, all CapEx comes with some OpEx.

The productivity of any given individual user can be brought to a complete halt when their endpoint client devices fail. While some may be able to seamlessly switch from a failed desktop to a laptop or tablet, others may not. Ultimately, failed hardware needs to be repaired or replaced. Unless there is some form of protective program in place this brings additional expense.

The objective cannot be to simply avoid all maintenance and service expense. That’s impossible. Some device failure is inevitable, which means some service requirement is also inevitable.

The solution is not to try to avoid hardware failure, but rather to mitigate the expense of providing repairs.

This usually takes the form of coverage provided by some kind of maintenance agreement. At the time hardware is purchased that coverage is provided at no additional cost by the original equipment manufacturer’s limited warranty. We say “no additional cost” because the actual cost of the warranty coverage is factored into the total manufacturing cost the product’s original price is calculated from.

When that warranty expires, the original cost that was factored in is no longer sufficient to the OEM. Extending warranty coverage through the OEM’s own maintenance agreement offerings is often very expensive. Their stated justification is that they are far better suited to continue providing service than any potential competitors. Experience over many years has proven this to simply be untrue. There are many excellent non-OEM maintenance providers with great track records.

What is true, as reported by numerous independent surveys is that OEM-provided service is at least 70-80% more expensive than any other choice. Same or similar service, much higher cost. Not a preferable formula.

An Alternative to OEM Service (AOM)

Most OEMs are simply unprepared to provide comprehensive maintenance services in the multi-vendor environment most companies live in. They can maintain their own products, but not everyone else’s.

Even third-party maintenance (TPM) providers often fall short here. Each must make budget-based strategic decisions as to which OEM’s products they’re going to become proficient in servicing. Seldom will their list of OEMs match those of a given customer company.

This is where the Alternative to OEM (AOM) offering clearly emerges as a superior solution.

AOM leverages decades of IT channel experience to create an unparalleled network of service providers who can, collectively, service any data center, any corporate environment. AOM coordinates the customer company’s needs with the best available providers in the industry to resolve any issue the company may encounter, no matter how many OEM’s products are involved.

This is completely transparent from the customer’s perspective. They simply place a service request into a convenient portal. AOM determines the best provider and strategy to deliver a complete solution at a level of excellence in excess of their expectations.