July 22, 2015 at 14:43Second server life or a few words about refurbished solutions
Hi Habr! A couple of weeks ago a wonderful publication was published at Geektimes about the purchase of refurbished (restored) electronics, where they explained on the fingers what kind of goods they were, how and by whom they were restored, and most importantly, how beneficial this approach was. Comments on the publication speak for themselves, but there is more to the article about all kinds of iPhones and MacBooks ... what about when it comes to buying refurbished servers? Our company is just engaged in such servers, so the answers to questions, myths and legends - all this awaits you under the cut.
One of the trends of the crisis years is the marked increase in the share of self-assembled systems and servers of domestic brands in the server market. One reason is budget cuts. In such circumstances, consumers of any product, including servers, are forced to look for a cheaper alternative. But there is another option - buying a server of a well-known brand, but a second-hand, that is, a used one. If you remove the prejudice, then in a number of cases, this approach is very attractive and gives a number of advantages. Especially when it comes to the so-called refurbished equipment - tested, reconfigured, and fully ordered servers that are ready to serve a considerable amount of time.
Just “poyuzanye” (used) and restored servers - as they say in Odessa, these are two big differences. In the latter case, they are cleaned outside and inside, removing dust and dirt, then the server passes the test and stress testing, is completed in accordance with the requirements of the client, and the “weak” (not credible in terms of reliability) or damaged components are replaced. It is characteristic that the guarantee for such a server may even exceed the vendor's warranty period for new equipment.
In the west, the market for reconditioned equipment, whether it’s servers or iPhones, is extremely developed and only grows every year, which would be impossible if the quality of the goods offered is low. Nevertheless, many people refer to restored equipment with prejudice, so let’s try first to debunk some common myths and highlight the most important facts regarding restored servers.
Myth 1. Restored servers may turn out to be faulty.
As we already explained above, this is not so. Such systems went through the process of upgrading and replacing faulty components with subsequent testing.
Myth 2. Restored servers are unreliable.
Since the restored equipment undergoes thorough individual testing and verification, in terms of reliability, it not only does not concede to new equipment, but can also surpass it. So this statement is nothing more than a myth that is not true.
Myth 3. Lack of warranty, support and support.
High-quality restored equipment is always accompanied by a guarantee, and customers can receive service and support.
And now - a couple of important facts.
Fact 1: Refurbished IT equipment looks no worse than new, but functions the same. It is checked, tested, cleaned and returned to a state similar to the new system.
Fact 2: Updating the server fleet once every 3-5 years is beneficial for manufacturers, but not for your business. According to international experts, the purchase of remanufactured IT equipment provides 50-70% savings compared with the acquisition of new systems. And without loss of quality.
As practice shows, in Russia you can get even greater benefits. Our company, Network Administrator , is the only company in Russia that sells remanufactured used HP, Dell and IBM servers in accordance with Western standards. We offer servers that are restored to the state of new systems.
In this case, the servers:
Of the nice bonuses - free delivery in Russia, and in the event of a customer’s failure within 30 days from the date of purchase, we return the money. That is, for this period of time the server can be tested and a decision on further use is made, which is important when selecting servers for certain technical tasks.
Each restored server of HP, Dell and IBM is no older than four years old and undergoes all necessary maintenance at our company, which includes cleaning, repair and replacement of components so that the condition and reliability of the server are as close as possible to new solutions. Reliability is given special attention: engineers conduct complete diagnostics and testing of each server. In order for the server to serve for a long time, every detail of the recovery process is thought out, starting from cleaning and ending with tape sealing.
What does the warranty from our company imply? The guarantee includes service at the installation site of the equipment, with a visit to the client (at the server location) during the working day from the date of application. Such a guarantee is valid throughout Russia, in Kazakhstan (Almaty) and Belarus (Minsk) and has become possible due to the fact that the company has representative offices in more than 100 cities of Russia, and the availability of analogues of previously sold equipment in the warehouse allows you to quickly replace any server or its parts.
The maximum term for repair or replacement of components is five days - in terms of “reaction speed” and qualifications of specialists, such warranty service is comparable to the manufacturer’s warranty. And the package bundle is even wider than the new server - in addition to standard options, it is made according to individual characteristics according to the wishes of the buyer.
By the way, "Network Administrator" is the first company in Russia that provides a three-year warranty on restored servers with servicing at the server installation site. The warranty covers all possible equipment failures. Only hard disks are not covered, but they can be installed both new (with a manufacturer’s warranty) and used ones - in the second case, the customer takes responsibility.
It may turn out that the customer prefers an even more economical option - not to purchase a server, but to rent it in the selected data center. This is also possible: the “Network Administrator” cooperates with many data centers throughout Russia. Those who still want to purchase a server, but do not have available funds at the moment, can rent a server with subsequent purchase in 12 months.
In any case, the buyer receives not only a very favorable offer in terms of price, but also confidence in their choice. In the current economic situation, the secondary server hardware market is a very promising area. By purchasing a restored server with a three-year warranty, you can optimize the budget, which will be an attractive solution not only for companies and small and medium-sized businesses, but also for larger enterprises of various industries, where the servers of the previous generation can be used to develop and test software, to support various services (e-mail systems, working with files, printing, etc.), and, in principle, for any tasks where top-end performance is not required.
In addition to the largest selection of server delivery options ...:
... the company delivers new equipment to HP, IBM and Dell with a 5-year warranty. This includes a guarantee from the manufacturer (from 1 to 3 years) and an additional guarantee from the “Network Administrator” up to 5 years, respectively - at the moment we are the only company in Russia with such an offer.
Which is better - buy a used Mercedes, or a brand new KIA? When the budget is limited, you have to choose, and there are many supporters of both approaches. The same dilemma may arise when choosing a server. But continuing the metaphor, the comparison will look even more interesting: a three-year perfectly serviced Mercedes with a three-year warranty (which includes replacing the car in the event of a breakdown by the same one), or the new KIA with one year warranty, with manufacturer’s service and no guarantee of replacing the car. There is something to think about, right?
Thank you for your attention, we are ready to answer your questions in the comments.
One of the trends of the crisis years is the marked increase in the share of self-assembled systems and servers of domestic brands in the server market. One reason is budget cuts. In such circumstances, consumers of any product, including servers, are forced to look for a cheaper alternative. But there is another option - buying a server of a well-known brand, but a second-hand, that is, a used one. If you remove the prejudice, then in a number of cases, this approach is very attractive and gives a number of advantages. Especially when it comes to the so-called refurbished equipment - tested, reconfigured, and fully ordered servers that are ready to serve a considerable amount of time.
Myths and Facts
Just “poyuzanye” (used) and restored servers - as they say in Odessa, these are two big differences. In the latter case, they are cleaned outside and inside, removing dust and dirt, then the server passes the test and stress testing, is completed in accordance with the requirements of the client, and the “weak” (not credible in terms of reliability) or damaged components are replaced. It is characteristic that the guarantee for such a server may even exceed the vendor's warranty period for new equipment.In the west, the market for reconditioned equipment, whether it’s servers or iPhones, is extremely developed and only grows every year, which would be impossible if the quality of the goods offered is low. Nevertheless, many people refer to restored equipment with prejudice, so let’s try first to debunk some common myths and highlight the most important facts regarding restored servers.
Myth 1. Restored servers may turn out to be faulty.
As we already explained above, this is not so. Such systems went through the process of upgrading and replacing faulty components with subsequent testing.
Myth 2. Restored servers are unreliable.
Since the restored equipment undergoes thorough individual testing and verification, in terms of reliability, it not only does not concede to new equipment, but can also surpass it. So this statement is nothing more than a myth that is not true.
Myth 3. Lack of warranty, support and support.
High-quality restored equipment is always accompanied by a guarantee, and customers can receive service and support.
And now - a couple of important facts.
Fact 1: Refurbished IT equipment looks no worse than new, but functions the same. It is checked, tested, cleaned and returned to a state similar to the new system.
Fact 2: Updating the server fleet once every 3-5 years is beneficial for manufacturers, but not for your business. According to international experts, the purchase of remanufactured IT equipment provides 50-70% savings compared with the acquisition of new systems. And without loss of quality.
Our solutions
As practice shows, in Russia you can get even greater benefits. Our company, Network Administrator , is the only company in Russia that sells remanufactured used HP, Dell and IBM servers in accordance with Western standards. We offer servers that are restored to the state of new systems.
In this case, the servers:
- Up to seven times cheaper than new ones;
- They come with a three-year warranty throughout Russia (the company has more than 100 representative offices in different cities);
- Provide a full support cycle.
Of the nice bonuses - free delivery in Russia, and in the event of a customer’s failure within 30 days from the date of purchase, we return the money. That is, for this period of time the server can be tested and a decision on further use is made, which is important when selecting servers for certain technical tasks.
Each restored server of HP, Dell and IBM is no older than four years old and undergoes all necessary maintenance at our company, which includes cleaning, repair and replacement of components so that the condition and reliability of the server are as close as possible to new solutions. Reliability is given special attention: engineers conduct complete diagnostics and testing of each server. In order for the server to serve for a long time, every detail of the recovery process is thought out, starting from cleaning and ending with tape sealing.
What does the warranty from our company imply? The guarantee includes service at the installation site of the equipment, with a visit to the client (at the server location) during the working day from the date of application. Such a guarantee is valid throughout Russia, in Kazakhstan (Almaty) and Belarus (Minsk) and has become possible due to the fact that the company has representative offices in more than 100 cities of Russia, and the availability of analogues of previously sold equipment in the warehouse allows you to quickly replace any server or its parts.
The maximum term for repair or replacement of components is five days - in terms of “reaction speed” and qualifications of specialists, such warranty service is comparable to the manufacturer’s warranty. And the package bundle is even wider than the new server - in addition to standard options, it is made according to individual characteristics according to the wishes of the buyer.
By the way, "Network Administrator" is the first company in Russia that provides a three-year warranty on restored servers with servicing at the server installation site. The warranty covers all possible equipment failures. Only hard disks are not covered, but they can be installed both new (with a manufacturer’s warranty) and used ones - in the second case, the customer takes responsibility.
It may turn out that the customer prefers an even more economical option - not to purchase a server, but to rent it in the selected data center. This is also possible: the “Network Administrator” cooperates with many data centers throughout Russia. Those who still want to purchase a server, but do not have available funds at the moment, can rent a server with subsequent purchase in 12 months.
In any case, the buyer receives not only a very favorable offer in terms of price, but also confidence in their choice. In the current economic situation, the secondary server hardware market is a very promising area. By purchasing a restored server with a three-year warranty, you can optimize the budget, which will be an attractive solution not only for companies and small and medium-sized businesses, but also for larger enterprises of various industries, where the servers of the previous generation can be used to develop and test software, to support various services (e-mail systems, working with files, printing, etc.), and, in principle, for any tasks where top-end performance is not required.
In addition to the largest selection of server delivery options ...:
- Bank transfer with VAT (18%).
- Delivery by credit card.
- Server rental with subsequent purchase (for 12 months).
- Server rental with placement in the data center to choose from with one of the lowest prices in Russia.
- Supply of server equipment on lease.
... the company delivers new equipment to HP, IBM and Dell with a 5-year warranty. This includes a guarantee from the manufacturer (from 1 to 3 years) and an additional guarantee from the “Network Administrator” up to 5 years, respectively - at the moment we are the only company in Russia with such an offer.
Which is better - buy a used Mercedes, or a brand new KIA? When the budget is limited, you have to choose, and there are many supporters of both approaches. The same dilemma may arise when choosing a server. But continuing the metaphor, the comparison will look even more interesting: a three-year perfectly serviced Mercedes with a three-year warranty (which includes replacing the car in the event of a breakdown by the same one), or the new KIA with one year warranty, with manufacturer’s service and no guarantee of replacing the car. There is something to think about, right?
Thank you for your attention, we are ready to answer your questions in the comments.