HPE Storage Users Group

We are an existing 3Par customer and have a few arrays. I want to ask the user group if you've had these experiences since HP bought 3Par.

1. Have your support costs tripled for your T and S series arrays?
2. Are they claiming that the S-400 series is no longer supportable (i.e. buy a new array)?
3. Has anyone renewed S-400 support with HP this year?

Thanks in advance. Just want to know if we're alone or in good company with these issues.

Abe

How old are your S's?

We have just one T800 that just ticked past its 3 year mark and we're processing the renewal now. Before its purchase from 3PAR, we had maintenance renewals estimated/quoted and used that in our TCO comparison with other products. It appears HP is honoring that.

That said, don't neglect to negotiate support costs with your sales team. If thats the first quote for renewal you have, then you still have work to do imho (you're mileage may vary). Tips: Get a competing quote for warranty service from a 3rd party to compare and get the vendor's price back out of the stars. If your record keeping is good, pull a list of the hardware that was replaced for the last 365 days, add it up, talk it over with your sales guy... "Look we're averaging X calls a year, all HDD swaps... you're quoting me $Y per year, thats basically $(Y/X) per HDD replacement!!!".

A little google-fu led me to EmergentSystemExchange.com as a potential for 3rd party 3PAR extended warranty service. Not sure to what extent, they are closed on the weekend. This is not a recommendation nor am I vouching for them as a company... just saying, 3rd party 3PAR support exists in the wild, and will continue to grow now that HP is on the name tag.

How old are your S's?
[*] 2007.

EmergentSX
[*] They said they won't support the S. The T was supportable.

Negotiating Support
[*] HP will not negotiate the rate. The S quadrupled and the T tripled in cost to support per year. We could buy a new house in Texas on a lake with a horse barn for what they are charging to support two arrays for one year.

EOL

[*] According to HP, they won't support support the S (or any array) past 5 years and want us to buy a new array instead. Makes us nervous about our T, which turns 5 in 2013.