Keeping your Systems Operational – CIM-Data Hardware Support Options

Hardware Quality

CIM-Data provides current, leading technology in its servers, workstations, printers, and other products. We only use components from leading manufacturers to guarantee high performance and reliability.

However, even the best manufacturers do sometimes experience failures in their products. With all the components that go into making a modern piece of computer gear, we are sometimes amazed at how seldom a failure does occur.

Hardware Warrantees

Manufacturers warrantee their parts for some finite length of time and will replace or repair a defective part, once it is returned to them, sometimes within a few hours, and sometimes within a week or two, at no charge to the consumer. The customer is responsible for all shipping charges.

CIM-Data can only extend the manufacturer’s warrantee to our customers and like any other hardware supplier, cannot offer any other warrantee on hardware. If a failure does occur after purchase, we will forward your parts onto the manufacturer through our suppliers and return the replacement to you once it is returned to us. Many of our suppliers are authorized to replace parts from their own inventory nearly instantly, but only within the first 20 to 30 days after purchase.

Disaster Recovery Planning

Manufacturers do not pay for any other loss you may have due to down time caused by their failed part or parts. It is up to you to have alternate plans in place in case of a major failure.

Many offices have multiple workstations, printers, or other units so that when there is a failure, they can make do with another unit. Larger offices will often have complete replacement workstations available and several redundant printers.  It is common for offices to keep spare hubs or switches, modems, firewall units, etc. available in case their main units go. Many of our servers use mirrored hard drives – where a second backup hard drive is already installed in your server in case the first one goes.

Smaller offices are more apt to only have single components such as modems, network switches, or even printers, and even larger offices generally only have one server. If a server goes, your entire office is down. Obviously you need to consider disaster recovery in your systems – how do you get essential hardware replaced or repaired quickly when it goes down?

Time and Material Service

While waiting for replacement parts, you can have your unit repaired with new parts. However, you will have to pay for the new parts, and may have to wait for them to be ordered if they are not kept in stock. The replaced or repaired warrantee parts can be kept, once returned to you, in case of future failures. You pay for the technician’s time and any parts required. Travel charges to your office are extra. This is an ideal option for anyone that is a gambler at heart.

CIM-Data Hardware Contracts

A hardware contract is very much like insurance – you pay a monthly or an annual fee to cover the costs of replacing parts. A hardware contract is more than simple insurance though – it also helps pay the costs of both maintaining qualified staff and a supply of instantly available parts, in case you ever need them. You should consider a hardware contract for those hardware items that are absolutely essential to your daily operation.

In a situation where a major component fails in your server, CIM-Data can replace the part immediately with either a new or reconditioned part of similar or better performance. CIM-Data may then have your old part replaced or repaired under warrantee (when possible) and restock its supplies. In situations where unique or ancient parts are not in stock, we can provide loaner parts or systems until your replacement parts are available.

Sometimes, it may be appropriate to install upgraded components at the time of equipment failures, and these may be made available by CIM-Data at additional, but discounted rates.

CIM-Data Depot Hardware Contract

A Depot Service Contract means that it is the customer’s responsibility to return the failed part or system to CIM-Data for repair, and arrange for its return. Once at CIM-Data, all parts and labour are covered by your contract. Exclusions do exist for damage due to lightning or misuse.

Since we know you have chosen CIM-Data to maintain your equipment under contract, we will usually have replacement parts available for you, in stock. This is a popular choice for customers that want to have a pre-arranged solution in place, at low cost.

CIM-Data Onsite Contract

An onsite contract is more expensive but guarantees a priority (1) onsite visit by a CIM-Data technician. We can usually do all the work in your office. If more than one visit is required, or if we have to temporarily remove equipment, there is no extra cost. This is an ideal solution for larger offices, physically close to CIM-Data, that only want to call one number for instant total support and service.

Third Party Support

Many of customers eventually find local hardware technicians that can take over support of their equipment. A CIM-Data Depot Hardware Contract is mandatory on all servers sold by CIM-Data for the first three months.  After this time, your contract may be cancelled in writing, with 60 days prior notice and the responsibility for service transferred to someone close by.

CIM-Data highly recommends using local technicians with a local supply of parts, when competent, reliable local technicians are available.  We can provide additional support to your local technicians (at extra charge and by appointment only) in case they run into difficulty. In addition, our System Administrator help file is available as part of our release documentation, to assist technicians with CIM-Data related issues.

Priority Support

CIM-Data Hardware Support treats Onsite Contract customers with highest priority, followed by Depot Contract Customers, and then Time and Material Customers. This means, that during those occasions where multiple failures occur at the same time. We will service our contract customers first.

Conclusion

When computer systems work right, they do an awful lot for us and it is easy to take them for granted. It is important to recognize that even the most expensive components can fail at any time and lead to serious financial loss. Large data centres running 24/7 are only possible by designing in automatic fail-over back-up systems, keeping qualified staff instantly available, and by using professionals to anticipate all types of problems.

Brokerages generally do not have these sorts of budgets and rarely encounter complete systems failures. As an experienced hardware vendor, CIM-Data has seen all types of disaster scenarios and has effective plans available to support all its customers across Canada. We offer our extended expertise to our customers to help keep them running reliably with maximum up time.