Third-Party Maintenance for IT infrastructure

TPM for IT infrastructure — flexible support that works alongside the vendor

Not just after warranty ends. TPM can support your environment in parallel with OEM — increasing hardware availability and reducing maintenance costs.

up to 60%lower hardware maintenance cost vs. OEM
4 hon-site response time in a flexible SLA
EOL / EOSLkept in production without forced replacement
DellHPEIBMFujitsuLenovoCiscoNetApp

Your IT environment — support split

Sample hardware segmentation between OEM and TPM.

Production serversunder active vendor warrantyOEM active
Storage arrayspost-EOSL hardwareTaken over by TPM
Switches and routersmulti-vendor environmentTPM maintenance
Standby / DR serversoperational layerHybrid model
Check the model for your environment
Why it hurts

IT hardware maintenance keeps getting more expensive — and you decide less

The older the infrastructure and the more vendors in your environment, the harder it is to keep control of costs, response times and business continuity. The classic OEM model doesn't always keep up.

Rising OEM support costs

Vendor contract renewals get more expensive each year — and once EOL/EOSL hits, support is either costly or simply unavailable.

Rigid vendor SLAs

Response times, service windows and scope are dictated from above and rarely match the real needs of a production environment.

Vendor lock-in

Each vendor means a separate contract, portal and process. Dependence on a single supplier limits negotiation room and decision freedom.

Complex multi-vendor environments

Servers, storage and network from different vendors mean multiple maintenance standards and no single point of accountability.

Overloaded IT teams

Operational hardware support eats up specialist time that's missing for development and infrastructure modernisation projects.

No cost control

Without one predictable maintenance model, it's hard to plan a budget or justify infrastructure spend to the board.

Market education

TPM is not just an alternative to OEM after warranty

Most companies associate Third-Party Maintenance only with hardware after the vendor contract ends. In practice, TPM can also run in parallel with OEM support — forming a flexible hybrid model. These are two distinct ways to work with us:

Classic model

Post-warranty TPM

Support taken over after the hardware's life cycle ends — when the vendor terminates support (EOL/EOSL) or renewal stops being economical.

  • Full hardware support after EOL/EOSL
  • Alternative to expensive OEM renewal
  • Extended life of working infrastructure
Key differentiator

Hybrid TPM

TPM runs in parallel with vendor support. The client consciously splits the environment between OEM and 4hfix, assigning each layer where it works best.

  • Some L2/L3 hardware cases handled by 4hfix
  • Fast on-site hardware interventions
  • Multi-vendor hardware maintenance
  • Spare parts logistics and replacement hardware
Key section

TPM + OEM = a hybrid IT support model

In many IT environments, part of the infrastructure remains under vendor support and part doesn't. Instead of running two separate management standards, TPM takes over as a coherent operational layer across the whole estate.

Client IT & ITSM processesone ticket process, one point of accountability
OEM and TPM run in parallel

Vendor support (OEM)

  • Software and firmware updates
  • Security patches and new features
  • Engineering support for the latest platforms
  • Warranty on newly purchased hardware

4hfix operational layer (TPM)

  • Operational hardware and infrastructure support
  • Some L2/L3 hardware cases
  • Fast on-site interventions and swaps
  • Multi-vendor maintenance, parts logistics and replacement hardware
IT infrastructureservers · storage / arrays · network · data center

Supports devices both covered and not covered by OEM

Takes over fast hardware interventions

Provides on-site engineering support

Optimises service and maintenance costs

Integrates with your existing ITSM process

Roles split

Why TPM doesn't replace OEM — it complements it

OEM and TPM cover different layers of the same environment. Combined, they work more effectively than either alone — because each does what it does best.

OEM — hardware vendor

Updates, firmware and vendor support

  • Software and firmware updates
  • Security patches and new features
  • Engineering support for the latest platforms
  • Warranty on newly purchased hardware
TPM — 4hfix operational layer

Operational hardware and infrastructure support

  • Operational hardware and infrastructure support
  • Fast on-site interventions and component swaps
  • Multi-vendor hardware maintenance in one contract
  • Spare parts logistics and replacement hardware
Combined effectOEM + TPM in one environment
Shorter response timeLower maintenance costsMore flexibilityLess load on IT teams
How we work

How 4hfix TPM works — from analysis to maintenance

We don't start with a contract — we start with understanding your environment. Only then do we propose hardware split, SLA and the cooperation model.

1

IT environment analysis

Inventory of hardware, OEM statuses and location criticality.

2

Hardware segmentation

Splitting the infrastructure into an OEM layer and a TPM layer.

3

SLA implementation

Response times and support scope tuned to each hardware group.

4

Parts logistics

Storing components and replacement units close to your sites.

5

On-site support

Engineer interventions at the client site, e.g. with a 4 h SLA.

6

Monitoring & maintenance

Ongoing maintenance, reporting and infrastructure reviews.

Cost calculator

Calculate how much the OEM + TPM hybrid model can save

Enter the basic data about your environment. The result is an indicative comparison of annual hardware maintenance cost in a 100% OEM model versus a hybrid model with 4hfix TPM.

Your environment

Adjust the sliders to match your infrastructure.

Number of devices under maintenance25

Servers, storage and network equipment under maintenance.

Average annual OEM support cost / deviceEUR 1,500

Indicative cost of renewing the vendor contract.

Share of environment moved to TPM60%

The rest stays under OEM support — this is the hybrid model.

100% OEM modelEUR 37,500 / year
Hybrid OEM + TPM modelEUR 25,125 / year
Estimated annual savingEUR 12,375-33% maintenance cost
Over 3 yearsEUR 37,125
Devices on TPM15 of 25
Request a detailed quote

The calculator is indicative. Real savings depend on hardware age, vendors, locations and existing contracts — we prepare a detailed quote after analysing your environment.

Coverage

The hardware and environments we maintain

We support enterprise infrastructure from many vendors — in one contract and with one point of accountability for the hardware layer.

Enterprise servers

Maintenance, diagnostics and component replacement for rack and blade servers.

Dell · HPE · IBM · Fujitsu · Lenovo · Cisco UCS

Storage and arrays

Disk arrays, tape libraries and backup systems from leading vendors.

HPE · Dell EMC · NetApp · IBM · Hitachi

Networking

Switches, routers and firewalls — maintaining the network layer in a multi-vendor model.

Cisco · Juniper · HPE Aruba · Fortinet

Data center infrastructure

Support for critical DC elements — power, cooling and rack components.

UPS · PDU · KVM · rack components
Benefits

What your organisation gains from TPM

TPM is more than cheaper service. It's regaining control over the hardware layer — costs, response time and the pace of infrastructure modernisation.

Let's talk about your environment

Reduced maintenance cost

Lower hardware support cost than an OEM-only model — especially after EOL/EOSL.

More SLA control

Response times and support scope matched to hardware criticality, not dictated to you.

Extended hardware life

Working infrastructure stays in production without forced replacement after OEM support ends.

No forced replacement after EOL

End of vendor support no longer means the end of using a working device.

Frees up IT teams

Operational hardware support is taken over by 4hfix — your team returns to development projects.

Gradual modernisation

You modernise the infrastructure at your own pace, and only when it makes business sense.

Who it's for

Who gets the most value from TPM

The larger and more diverse your environment, the more it benefits from a coherent operational layer above the hardware.

Companies with large server estates

Many servers and arrays to maintain across one or many data centers.

Multi-vendor organisations

Hardware from many vendors that's hard to keep under one standard.

24/7 production environments

Systems where every hour of downtime has a real business cost.

IT cost optimisers

Teams looking for a predictable, cheaper maintenance model.

IT teams overloaded operationally

IT departments that want to offload routine hardware support and get time back.

Organisations with distributed locations

Branches and server rooms requiring on-site support across many places.

We work on TPM with, among others: CTO / Head of IT IT Operations Manager Infrastructure Architect Procurement / Cost Optimization Data Center Manager
FAQ

TPM without the jargon

Short answers to the questions we hear most often before a project starts.

What is TPM (Third-Party Maintenance)?
TPM is independent IT hardware support and service provided by a company other than the manufacturer. It covers maintenance, diagnostics, component replacement and on-site support for servers, storage arrays and network equipment — in one contract covering many vendors.
How does TPM differ from OEM support?
OEM (the vendor) covers software, firmware and support for the latest platforms. TPM takes over operational hardware support — fast interventions, spare parts, and multi-vendor maintenance. It's not competition, it's complementary roles.
Can TPM be used together with OEM?
Yes — this is the essence of the hybrid model. Part of the environment stays on vendor support, and part is taken over by TPM. It's a conscious split between two support layers, not a withdrawal from OEM.
What do EOL and EOSL mean?
EOL (End of Life) is the end of product sales, and EOSL (End of Service Life) is the end of vendor support. After EOSL, TPM lets you safely keep working hardware in production — with no pressure for immediate replacement.
Does moving to TPM mean replacing hardware?
No. The idea behind TPM is to extend the life of working infrastructure. You plan modernisation when it makes business sense — not because a vendor's life cycle forces you to.
What SLAs are available?
We tune SLAs to hardware criticality and location — from standard service to on-site interventions in e.g. 4 hours, including 24/7. Different hardware groups can have different SLA levels.
What hardware does 4hfix support?
Enterprise servers (incl. Dell, HPE, IBM, Fujitsu, Lenovo, Cisco), storage and arrays, network hardware and data center components. Multi-vendor environments are handled within a single contract.
How much can you save with TPM?
It depends on hardware age, vendor count and existing OEM contracts. Indicatively, the hybrid model can reduce hardware maintenance costs by several dozen percent — we prepare a precise quote after analysing your environment.
Contact

See how TPM can work in your IT environment

Describe your environment — number of locations, vendors and support statuses. We'll propose a TPM model, flexible SLA and an indicative quote.

Infrastructure analysisTPM consultationHybrid model quote
4H
Piotr PilaszekSenior TPM / Infrastructure Consultant
What's next?
  • 1
    We get back to you

    Usually within 1 business day — by phone or e-mail.

  • 2
    Environment analysis and hardware segmentation

    We decide which hardware stays on OEM and which goes to TPM.

  • 3
    TPM model, SLA and quote

    You get a cooperation proposal and indicative quote — with no commitment.

Fill in the form

We'll get in touch to discuss your IT environment and the next steps.


    We reply within 1 business day. Your data stays inside our team.

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