Intel introduces server spares kits to help resellers improve service offerings

Intel Enterprise Server Group is introducing spares kits for its server products, thus bundling the most commonly failing items to make availability more accessible for resellers.

"Servers are often installed in mission critical environments. If a server fails a whole department, or even a whole company could stop working," says Kirsty Burrows, enterprise product manager at Intel distributor AXiZ. " Most large OEMs bundle some form of on-site service with their server products to minimise end-user downtime - Intel integrators must offer the same or better to be competitive in this market."

Intel`s goal with the introduction of this product is to enable integrators to provide quick service with Intel server products. " Selling service upgrades can be a high margin activity, which also increases an integrator`s brand image. He will be seen as a partner who can help a customer, rather just someone who sells a product and moves on," adds Burrows.

Backing up Intel`s quality design and manufacturing is a three-year warranty. The spares kits are available for the Cabrillo-C, Astor II and Columbus III chassis.

Intel Product Integrators (IPI`s) also have access to an Accelerated Warranty Replacement program, which ships replacement parts to the integrator. "Companies require their servers to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as they run critical applications and systems such as e-commerce, email, production databases, and so on," says Burrows. "Spares kits give reseller access to replacements for critical items that may cause a server to fail. When combined with a spare server board, resellers can offer same-day, immediate service."

Once repaired, the reseller will have the failed part that was replaced from the server. If the server was under the 3-year Intel limited warranty, resellers can use the Accelerated Warranty Replacement Program to get it swapped fast - at no charge. The spares kit will then be back up to stock, ready for the next service call. Across EMEA, Intel introduced the Accelerated Warranty Replacement Program for server platform products. If a customer has a server platform product (branded server board, chassis, or system) fail during the three-year warranty period, then he can simply make a call, give some details and Intel will ship a replacement part overnight.

Servers are sold to end-users with on-site warranty. To provide this, our customers usually need to invest in spare parts. These are used to go to an end-users site, and repair a server when it fails. This program reduces the amount of inventory a customer needs to buy.

The program is only open to known integrators, and not to end-users. "Our customers who integrate server systems usually have the skills to diagnose and repair them," says Burrows. "End-users often do not. They don`t know which items came from Intel and which from another supplier - only the integrator will know this."