Will Nicholls Explains How To Use Multi-Vendor Maintenance to Unlock Hidden IT Budget

Multi-Vendor Maintenance: The Smart Way to Unlock Hidden IT Budget

By Will Nicholls, IBM & Multi-Vendor Maintenance Specialist
30 Years’ Experience | Trusted Advisor | Baby Blue IT & Consulting Ltd

In today’s IT landscape, pressure on budgets is as high as ever-but there's one area that many organisations still overlook when hunting for savings: multi-vendor hardware maintenance.

If your organisation is running data centre infrastructure from vendors like IBM, HPE, Dell EMC, NetApp or Cisco, there’s a very real opportunity to save tens-sometimes hundreds-of thousands of pounds per year by rethinking your approach to post-warranty maintenance.

🚨 The Truth About Hardware Maintenance

Most IT leaders are aware that OEM support contracts (from the original hardware manufacturer) come at a premium. And while these contracts are essential during the early life of a system, especially when firmware updates and security patches are still actively developed, this level of support becomes less critical as the equipment matures.

That’s where Third-Party Maintenance (TPM) steps in.

🛠️ What Is Third-Party Maintenance?

TPM providers offer support and maintenance services outside of the OEM. These services typically cover hardware break/fix, parts replacement, engineering response, and sometimes remote diagnostics and software-level assistance.

The value?
✅ Significantly lower costs than OEMs
✅ Longer useful life for enterprise-grade hardware
✅ Freedom from forced upgrades
✅ Single contracts across multiple vendors

🧩 Hybrid Support: The Best of Both Worlds

At Baby Blue IT & Consulting, we help CIOs and IT Directors make informed support choices, often recommending a hybrid support model:

• OEM Support for newer IBM Power Systems or storage still in the manufacturer’s support lifecycle, where security patches and updates are still active
• TPM Support for legacy systems and mixed-vendor environments, where OEM support has ended or is no longer cost-effective

Our team supports multi-vendor infrastructure across:

• IBM (Power 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & Mainframe zSeries)
• HPE (ProLiant, 3PAR)
• Dell EMC
• NetApp
• Cisco UCS and networking

We even work with customers managing VMware or Oracle systems under extended support contracts, where TPM or vendor hybrid models can yield huge savings.

💬 Even IBM & HPE Do It

Even the mega-vendors like IBM and HPE now offer multi-vendor support services of their own. Why? Because the demand is real and the economics make sense.

This isn’t a workaround. It’s now a mainstream strategy, one that smart IT leaders are embracing to fund other strategic priorities, from cloud modernisation to cybersecurity initiatives.

🎯 The Bottom Line

TPM is no longer a niche or risky proposition. It’s a proven lever for:

• Freeing up IT budget
• Prolonging the life of enterprise hardware
• Gaining control of your infrastructure roadmap

At Baby Blue, we’re here to advise, not just sell. We work with our clients to map out the right hybrid approach, balancing risk, cost, and compliance.

If you're not reviewing your maintenance strategy, you're likely leaving serious money on the table.

Let’s have a no-pressure conversation and explore what you could save.

📞 Will Nicholls
IBM & Multi-Vendor Maintenance Specialist
👨‍💼 Baby Blue IT & Consulting Ltd
📩 will.nicholls@babyblueitconsulting.com
🔗 www.babyblueitconsulting.com