ICD maintains the most comprehensive server lifecycle database in the MENA region — 856 models across 11 brands with end-of-sale dates, end-of-support dates, replacement models, and lifecycle status. Coverage Brand Models EOL Models Dell 268 78 HPE 90 42 Lenovo 124 0 Cisco 37 3 NetApp 22 11 Pure Storage 15 0 IBM 22 8 […]
Industry
Data center industry insights and best practices
Multi-Vendor Server Support: Why One Provider for Dell, HPE, and Lenovo
Most data centers run mixed-vendor environments. Managing separate OEM contracts for Dell, HPE, and Lenovo is expensive and complex. Here is why a single multi-vendor provider makes sense. The Problem 3 separate OEM contracts = 3 separate renewal dates, SLAs, and support teams OEM pricing increases 15-30% per year on older generations OEM drops support […]
Palo Alto PA-3200 End of Sale: Migration to PA-3400 Series
Palo Alto PA-3200 series reached end of sale August 2023 with end of support August 2028. The PA-3400 series is the direct replacement. PA-3200 vs PA-3400 Feature PA-3220 PA-3410 Threat Prevention 2 Gbps 5.3 Gbps Max Sessions 1M 1.4M Status End of Sale Current ICD provides TPM and spare parts for PA-3200 through end of […]
IBM FlashSystem 5200 / 7300 End of Life: Migration
IBM FlashSystem 5200 reached end of sale December 2024. FlashSystem 7300 EOS is June 2026. Storwize V5000 and V7000 already reached end of service life. This guide covers migration paths, hardware reusability, data-migration tooling, and TPM bridge options for IBM storage customers planning their next move. Migration Path Current EOS Replacement FlashSystem 5200 Dec 2024 […]
Server Parts Pricing Trends 2026: Memory, SSD, CPU Market Analysis
Server parts pricing fluctuates with supply and demand. Here is what is happening in 2026 across the three biggest component categories. Memory DDR4 prices stabilizing — mature market, abundant supply DDR5 prices declining — production ramping, approaching DDR4 parity Best time to buy DDR4 for 14G/Gen10 servers SSDs NAND oversupply continues — SAS and SATA […]
Cisco ISR and ASR End of Sale: Migration to Catalyst 8000
Cisco is retiring ISR 1000/4000 and ASR 1000 routers, replacing them with the Catalyst 8000 series. Here are the key dates and migration paths. Migration Map Old Platform EOS Date Replacement ISR 1100/1101/1109 Jul 2025-2026 Catalyst 8200 ISR 4200/4300 Nov 2023 Catalyst 8300 ISR 4461 Jan 2025 Catalyst 8500 ASR 1001-X/1002-X Aug 2022 Catalyst 8500 […]
What is SPaaS? Spare Parts as a Service Explained
Spare Parts as a Service (SPaaS) is an alternative to traditional maintenance contracts. Instead of paying for engineer labor you do not need, you pay only for parts delivery and advance replacement. SPaaS vs TPM vs OEM Support Feature OEM Support TPM (ICD Care+) SPaaS (ICD Parts+) Parts Included Included Included On-site engineer Included Included […]
HPE Nimble Storage End of Sale: Migration to Alletra
HPE Nimble Storage arrays (AF and HF series) have reached end of sale, replaced by HPE Alletra. Support continues until July 2028, but new purchases are no longer possible. Nimble Migration Map Nimble Model End of Support Replacement HF20/HF40/HF60 Jul 31, 2028 Alletra 5000 AF20/AF40 Jul 31, 2028 Alletra 5000/6000 AF60/AF80 Jul 31, 2028 Alletra […]
Refurbished vs New Servers: Total Cost of Ownership Analysis
Refurbished servers save 40-70% upfront, but how do they compare over a 3-5 year lifecycle? This TCO analysis breaks down the real numbers. 3-Year TCO Comparison (2U General Purpose) Cost New (Dell R760) Refurbished (Dell R740) Hardware $12,000 $4,000 (67% savings) 3-Year Support $3,600 (OEM ProSupport) $2,400 (ICD Care+ TPM) Power (3yr) $2,800 (Titanium PSU) […]
Server Decommissioning Checklist: Secure ITAD for Enterprise IT
Decommissioning servers requires a structured process to protect data, recover value, and comply with regulations. This checklist covers every step. Decommissioning Steps Inventory — Document make, model, serial number, configuration Data backup — Verify all data is migrated or backed up Data destruction — NIST 800-88 compliant erasure or physical destruction Component recovery — Remove […]