// Managed Infrastructure
Hardware as a Service: What It Covers and What It Does Not
Hardware as a service covers the equipment, its installation, warranty replacement, monitoring and a planned refresh for one monthly fee, but specialty gear and end-of-term terms are handled case by case, so confirm those before you sign.
What a hardware as a service contract covers
Instead of buying, maintaining, insuring and replacing equipment yourself, you pay one fixed monthly fee and the provider specs, deploys, maintains and refreshes it. Our hardware as a service page lists what is included:
- The hardware: servers, firewalls, switches, access points and endpoints, specced for your environment and standardized across your sites.
- Installation and configuration: delivered, deployed on-site and configured by InfoNetworks, with no upfront investment.
- Warranty and replacement: failed hardware is replaced under the service, with advance-ship for critical devices, and the replacement is installed and configured for you.
- Monitoring and support: monitoring, patching and warranty handling with 24/7 NOC coverage, from one provider on one bill.
- Lifecycle refresh: hardware is refreshed on a defined cycle before it reaches end-of-life, so you do not negotiate a new purchase order.
Where the answer is "it depends"
A few things are not the same for every customer. Ask about each one in writing.
| Topic | What to know | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Specialty equipment | Standard IT gear such as servers, networking, endpoints and access points fits naturally. Voice systems, physical security and AV are handled case by case. | Whether your specialty gear belongs in the contract or works better as a standalone service |
| End of term | Typical agreements include a refresh to current-generation hardware rather than a purchase. The old gear goes back and is recycled. | Whether a purchase option at depreciated cost is available if you prefer to keep the equipment |
| Contract length | A three-year agreement is standard, and setup and onboarding fees are waived on a three-year agreement. | The term and what is included in it |
| Price | InfoNetworks does not publish pricing. Quotes come on request. | The per-user monthly rate in your quote |
How the move to a subscription works
- Audit: we document every asset, its lifecycle stage and its risk.
- Design: our architects build a right-sized subscription roadmap around your business needs, budget and growth.
- Deploy: we migrate you to a fully managed model in under 30 days, with 24/7 NOC coverage from day one.
Related infrastructure services
Hardware often sits beside other managed infrastructure. See virtual servers for managed server capacity, backup and disaster recovery for protecting what runs on it, and server room modernization if your equipment lives in a room that needs updating.
// FAQ
Common questions
Q
Does hardware as a service need money up front?
No. The hardware is delivered, deployed and configured with no upfront investment, and you pay a flat monthly fee instead. InfoNetworks does not publish pricing, so the fee comes in a quote on request, and a three-year agreement is standard with setup and onboarding fees waived.
Q
Who owns the equipment during the term?
InfoNetworks supplies, owns and operates the dedicated hardware on your premises or ours. At the end of the term the usual arrangement is a refresh to current-generation hardware rather than a purchase, and a purchase option at depreciated cost can be available if you prefer.
Q
How long does it take to move to a subscription?
We audit your hardware, design a roadmap and migrate you to a fully managed model in under 30 days, with 24/7 NOC coverage from day one.
Q
Will it cover my phone system or door access gear?
Maybe. Standard IT gear fits naturally, while voice systems, physical security and AV equipment are handled case by case and are sometimes better as a standalone service. Ask for that decision in writing before you sign.
Q
Which devices does a hardware as a service plan include?
Servers, firewalls, switches, access points and endpoints, specced for your environment and standardized across your sites, with installation, warranty replacement, monitoring and lifecycle refresh included.