What is Server Maintenance?

What Does Server Maintenance Mean?

In the third party maintenance (TPM) industry, server maintenance is a term used to refer to the support services for the optimization and repair of server hardware. Diagnosis and replacement of components such as motherboards, CPUs, memory, hard drives, & HBAs (host bus adaptors) are included.

These services are also referred to as server hardware maintenance and most often include:

  • Contract maintenance
  • Installation
  • Hourly technical consulting services
  • Replacement parts

Resources such as a help desk, high level engineering, field engineers, on-site technical resources and parts are usually also included with the services.

Learn What's Involved with Server Hardware Maintenance

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Importance of Server Maintenance

Much like an insurance policy or a warranty on a car, your server hardware maintenance contract ensures that you can spend less time worrying about downtimes, how long it will take to fix, and how much repairs will cost. You can pass off the problem to your service provider and they take care of the rest.

IT Server hardware maintenance support is usually available through the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), but there is a more cost effective alternative. Support services are also available through third party maintenance providers. Both types of providers offer maintenance contracts to ensure the support is available when needed.

Types of Server Maintenance

Servers play an important role in the day to day operations of many companies. Keeping such an important piece of hardware up to date and in working order is a top priority for IT professionals.  There are a couple different types of server maintenance—the management of servers by managed services providers and server hardware break/fix maintenance provided by third party maintenance providers.

Managed Services

Server management and annual maintenance performed by MSPs (managed service providers) usually involves regular monitoring and upkeep of the server equipment to ensure it is running at optimal levels. Tasks might include things like checking log files, installing software patches and updates, and performing regular back-ups. Many companies have their own IT department in-house that can take care of these types of server equipment maintenance tasks.

Break/Fix

The other type of server maintenance is performed by TPM (third party maintenance) providers and is sometimes called break/fix. Basically when any aspect of your server equipment fails, TPM providers, like M Global Services, fix it. This is a great option for companies that have an IT department to do the types of regular monitoring and upkeep mentioned above. Highly trained engineers and help desk staff are equipped to handle all kinds of issues from the simple replacement of drives (or any other hardware component such as memory DIMMS, fans, power cords, etc.) to the more complex issues requiring subject matter experts.

Having a contract with a TPM provider can help minimize downtime because the provider will already have a pretty clear idea of your environment, have necessary parts stocked (depending on the SLA you’ve chosen), and a plan in place should anything go wrong. But even if you don’t have a contract with a third party maintenance company, most providers, like M Global, will still be able to help fix your issue.

Why Choose TPM Services for Your Server Maintenance Needs?

So why choose third party maintenance? There are several benefits to going with TPM support for the maintenance of your servers. Often the most motivating benefit is the cost. By choosing a third party maintenance provider, you could save up to 70% on support costs over OEM contracts. It’s not just that the contract itself costs less (though it does). TPM providers have the ability to be flexible in the SLAs that they offer and can tailor a contract that exactly matches your needs and budget. Find out more about our SLAs. Learn more about other benefits of TPM support.

Much like an insurance policy, you may not realize the importance of server equipment maintenance support until you need it, but when you partner with M Global Services and we set you up with the right maintenance contract, you can have peace of mind. No more worrying about downtimes or blown budgets—we’ve got you covered!

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We want you to consider us an extension of your team, a trusted resource and advisor. Call us today at 855-304-4600 to find out more.