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Ignorance of the End-of-Service-Life or EOSL of mission-critical IT devices/equipment can be very costly. If you’ve got some Cisco devices running on your network or data center, you’ll want to know if the Cisco EOSL falls in 2021, so you can start weighing your options.
Why you need to keep track of EOSL deadlines
Immediately after an equipment reaches its end-of-life or EOL, which is the time when its OEM stops marketing, selling, and refurbishing it, it will continue receiving maintenance and support services from its OEM—until it reaches its EOSL. It’s important to note, however, those maintenance and support services are normally offered at much higher prices than normal. And once EOSL arrives, those services will eventually be brought to an end.
As you can imagine, keeping an equipment beyond its EOSL can be quite risky because you can no longer count on its OEM for help if something goes wrong. That’s why, as soon as IT equipment reaches EOL, you need to determine when the EOSL is scheduled and start preparing for it.
What are your options if you have an impending Cisco EOSL?
If you have an impending Cisco EOSL in 2021, it would probably be too late to purchase an OEM maintenance plan at this stage…even if you’re willing to pay the premium prices. By the time you read this post, you probably only have a few months left. So, you have a couple of options:
- Absorb maintenance responsibilities in-house
- Upgrade your hardware
- Acquire Third-Party Maintenance (TPM) services
- Explore IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) services
The first option is too risky, especially if you’re talking about mission-critical devices. Upgrading might be a good option. However, you’ll probably want to do the upgrade on your own schedule, not your OEM’s. If you want to have that flexibility, you might want to consider third-party maintenance and ITAD services. Let’s discuss those briefly.
Third-Party Maintenance (TPM)
Third Party Maintenance or TPM is an alternative equipment maintenance and support service that’s generally more affordable than what OEMs provide. You can use it to replace your OEM maintenance if your equipment’s EOSL is fast approaching while you build up the capital outlay for an equipment upgrade.
IT Asset Disposition (ITAD)
IT Asset Disposition or ITAD, on the other hand, is a third party service wherein IT experts conduct an audit on your retirable IT equipment and recommend the best course of action for it—recycle, repurpose, or dispose. Any of these options are much better than leaving your equipment in a corner, where it will just take up space and gather dust. In addition, an IT remarketing program would help you get rid of the unwanted hardware while putting money back into your IT budget.
Get TPM and ITAD services with CentricsIT
CentricsIT offers highly affordable, efficient, and reliable Third-Party Maintenance and ITAD services. It’s worth noting that many of our customers have already been enjoying 40–70% savings on IT maintenance costs through our TPM services. We’ve also helped many of our customers find buyers around the world who were willing to purchase and repurpose ageing equipment.
Gone are the days when a Cisco EOSL deadline meant it was time to junk your Cisco equipment and break the bank for an upgrade. You now have more practical options.
Strategic TPM and ITAD solutions grant you the technical support and flexibility you need, long after EOSL is announced. Contact one of our Cisco Solutions Specialists today to discuss your options.
Cisco EOSL 2021
You can find a detailed list of Cisco EOSL deadlines here.
