Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the Warranty Support coverage for my Iron Systems product?

Warranty Support is the initial support coverage that comes with new Iron Systems products. It provides for technical support, software and firmware updates, Advance Exchange hardware replacement and more. Please refer to the following table for information on Warranty Support periods by product.

Product Support Warranty Support
Free Advance Replacement
Warranty Support
Free Depot-Repair
Model 100 / 500 30 Days 1 Year
Model 1000 / 1100 / 1200 30 Days 1 Year
Model 2100 / 2200 30 Days 1 Year
Model 3200 30 Days 1 Year
Model 5200 30 Days 1 Year

What is the coverage period for Iron Systems Hardware Warranty?

Hardware Warranty is the hardware coverage that comes with new Iron Systems appliances. It provides for hardware repair (or replacement, at Iron Systems discretion) should it be determined that the appliance is defective. In such instances, Iron Systems will repair (or replacement, at Iron Systems discretion) the defective appliance via return-to-factory shipment. The hardware warranty period is one year for all Iron Systems appliances.

Does my support contract cover advanced replacement of hardware should a hardware failure occur?

Yes, the premium support contract provides advance replacement of hardware for hardware related failures. More details and pricing information is available in the program descriptions. Premium maintenance packages extend the standard warranty support and are available for a term of 1 year, 2years, 3 years and 5 years.

When does support begin?

Support begins the day that your product was shipped.

What is Iron Systems Support Center Portal (support.ironsystems.com)?

Iron Systems Support Center is the new Iron Systems support web portal that allows customers to manage their support cases, search an integrated knowledge base, and download latest releases or support packs, and access technical documentations.

What information is needed for me to open a new support case?

Before opening a support case you should:

  1. Check the product documentation. Read the Getting Started Guide and the Administrator Guide included on the Resource CD that comes with your Iron Systems solution. Or, you can go to the Support Reference Library on ironsystems.com to find a digital version (PDF) of the latest guide, technical note or FAQ you need.
  2. Look in the latest release notes for your product to see if the symptoms you are seeing might be due to a known issue that has been resolved in a more recent version of the firmware. If so, consider updating your firmware (FFRS) to see if it resolves the symptoms. You will need to have an active support agreement to download the latest firmware (FFRS) version for your product. You can find the latest release notes in the Support section of ironsystems.com.
  3. Use the online Support center portal for help.
  4. Perform diagnostics. The system diagnostics in the management interface provides a series of diagnostic tools to help you troubleshoot common network problems.
  5. If you are still unable to resolve the issue, please review this document prior to contacting Iron Systems, and have the following information ready.
  6. A variety of hardware replacement, help desk and software update support options, and more are all available from Iron Systems

Where do I find Iron Systems Product serial number?

Your NN-XXXX-XXXX serial number can be found in one of the following three places:

Where to get help and open a support ticket for support or services?

If your Iron Systems product is covered under the Warranty Support period or if you have an active premium 8x5 or 24x7 support contract that you purchased from Iron Systems or one of our partners, you should contact Iron Systems by calling the phone number listed on or Contact Support page or contact your Iron Systems reseller if they are authorized for support fulfillment on Iron Systems products. You may also open a support case by visiting:

Web: www.serviceglobal.com/IronSystems (Online Customer Support Center Portal)
Phone: +(1)-408-943-8000 x 211 (All other countries)
E-mail: support@ironsystems.com

If the Warranty Support period for your Iron Systems product has expired and you do not have an active support contract, you should contact your local Iron Systems reseller for assistance in purchasing a new support contract. Once your product is covered under an active support contract you may open a support case.

If possible, you should contact Iron Systems from a location where it is easy for you to access the product.

What to expect once I contact Iron Systems for a support claim?

When you contact Iron Systems to open a support claim you will be asked for some information about your product including the product name and serial number so that Iron Systems can confirm your product is still within a valid support period and identify the level of support to which you are entitled. Iron Systems will ask you to describe the symptoms that your product is experiencing and the troubleshooting steps you have already taken to determine the product is not functioning properly. You may also be asked to provide some information about the product’s configuration and software/firmware version as well as your network topology and environment.

Upon receiving this information, Iron Systems will then decide if some additional troubleshooting steps are necessary to confirm the product is not functioning properly. Iron Systems will ask you to perform these steps and can answer questions you might have about how to perform the steps. In some instances, Iron Systems may ask you to upgrade to a more current version of software/firmware on your product as part of the troubleshooting.

In order to help minimize the impact of a possible failure, it is important that you assist Iron Systems with the troubleshooting. For example, if a symptom is actually due to a configuration issue and not a hardware failure, sending you a replacement appliance will not resolve the issue and may result in additional network downtime for you.

Once Iron Systems has determined that your product is having a failure covered under Warranty Support or a valid premium maintenance contract, Iron Systems will send a replacement appliance to you through our Advance Exchange Return Material Authorization (RMA) process.

How long before Iron Systems ships a replacement appliance? Will I get a replacement next day?

In most parts of the world where Iron Systems sells products, Iron Systems can send your replacement appliance for delivery sometime during the next business day if your appliance is still within the Warranty Support period or covered under an active premium maintenance support contract. This is contingent upon Iron Systems confirming the product failure and processing the RMA order prior to the shipment cutoff time. To find out the specific shipment cutoff time for your location, please see the “Repairs and Returns” paragraph on the Guidelines and Policies page. In countries where Iron Systems can typically provide next business day delivery, there can be remote locations where delivery will take extra time, so please contact Iron Systems if you want to check on your location.

If your appliance is not within the Warranty Support period or under an active support contract but is still covered under the Hardware Warranty the appliance is required to be returned to Iron Systems’s factory for further evaluation before it can be repaired, replaced and shipped back to you. This process may take up to seven or more days to complete from the date of receipt at Iron Systems service depot.

What I need to do once I receive a replacement appliance from Iron Systems?

Warning: When removing or installing an appliance, follow the general installation safety instructions provided in the Getting Started Guide and Administrator’s Guide that shipped with the appliance to avoid injury or damage to the unit.

After you receive the replacement appliance you need to remove the defective appliance and install the replacement unit. You should also verify the replacement appliance has the appropriate software/firmware level loaded and, if applicable, restore the configuration onto the replacement appliance.

Be sure that you remove any accessories, cables and cords that you may have installed in or attached to your appliance before returning the defective unit to Iron Systems. Examples include power supplies (both primary and redundant), modules for a chassis appliance, network and serial cables, power cords and mounting brackets. Refer to the Getting Started Guide and Administrator’s Guide that shipped with your appliance for details on removing accessories, cables and cords.

If you have questions about how to remove or install a part, or if the same or other failure symptoms occur after you replace the appliance, please contact Iron Systems and reference the case number previously given to you.

You must return the defective appliance to Iron Systems and insure the shipment, usually in the same box in which you received the replacement unit to avoid shipment damage. The replacement appliance will include instructions for returning the defective appliance to Iron Systems. Shipping is paid by Iron Systems. Make sure that the RMA number is included with your shipment and that you return the defective appliance to Iron Systems within 10 days. After 10 days you will be billed the retail price of the new appliance if the defective appliance has not been returned to Iron Systems.

Would Iron Systems ship me a brand new appliance as a replacement under my warranty terms?

Iron Systems may repair or replace Iron Systems appliances with:

How does the replacement appliance hardware warranty work?

The repaired or replaced appliance is covered under the same Hardware Warranty terms and conditions as the original appliance or the remainder of any active support contract, whichever is longer. See “How long is the Hardware Warranty coverage for my Iron Systems product?” above for information on Hardware Warranty period lengths.

How do I return my defective unit after I have been issued an RMA?

An RMA number (issued by a Iron Systems Support Engineer) is required before returning any defective unit. Clearly record your assigned RMA number on the outside of your return shipping container and place a completed RMA Return Instructions form inside of your shipping container. You may download the RMA return instructions from Iron Systems support site.

Can I re-locate my appliance to another country, if so will I be still entitled to the remainder of the hardware warranty and support contract?

If you relocate your Iron Systems product to another country, you can receive the destination country’s standard Hardware Warranty as well as any remaining days of an active support contract for the product if Iron Systems markets or supports the product in that country. Hardware Warranty and support coverage may be limited or denied in situations where the local government restricts the sale or operation of the product or if the service is prohibited in the country.

Can I resell my appliance, if so will the buyer be entitled to the remainder of the hardware warranty and support contract?

If you transfer your Iron Systems product to another user, the remaining days of Hardware Warranty for the product are available to that user until the Hardware Warranty expires. With written consent by Iron Systems, if you transfer an active support contract for the product to another user, the remaining days of the active support contract for the product are available to that user until the support contract expires, you may be subjected to a transfer fee. You may not assign the support contract to another user without written consent from Iron Systems and any attempted assignment without Iron Systems’s consent shall be null and void.

Do I lose the warranty coverage if I problem results from me using 3rd party products?

Iron Systems’s Hardware Warranty does not apply to defects resulting from customer- or third-party-supplied software, interfacing or supplies, nor from improper use or operation outside the specifications for the product.

If you are experiencing an issue with a Iron Systems product, Iron Systems may request that you temporarily remove the customer or third-party software, interfacing or supplies to determine whether or not it is causing or contributing to the defect.

Do I lose the warranty coverage if I modify my Iron Systems product?

Yes, if the modification is not authorized by Iron Systems. As stated in the “Exclusions and Limitations” paragraph of the Support Services Licensing Agreement, Iron Systems is not obligated to repair or replace a product that has been damaged due to unauthorized modification, maintenance or repair.

How I get support, if the damage is caused by lightning strike or similar event?

No. A lightning strike can cause damage by direct means or indirect means. For example, the product may be damaged due to a direct strike or it can be damaged due to transients from strikes elsewhere in your infrastructure traveling into the product through the power cord or over copper-based cabling connected to one or more interfaces on the product. Damage can result from high heat, acoustic shock waves, and arcing, high current and transient voltages among other things.

These lightning-induced causes involve environmental conditions that are outside of the published environmental specifications for the product and resulting defects are therefore excluded from coverage as stated in the “Exclusions and Limitations” paragraph of the Support Services Licensing Agreement.

How I get support, if the damage is caused by electric power surge or similar event?

When a power surge or power outage occurs, or when power is restored after an outage, your Iron Systems product might be subjected to current and/or voltage that is outside of the published environmental specifications for the products. Because your Iron Systems Hardware Warranty does not apply to defects caused by the product being operated outside of published environmental specifications such as the voltage range, this kind of damage is excluded from coverage as stated in the “Exclusions and Limitations” paragraph of the Support Services Licensing Agreement.

How I can get help for situations which are not directly related to hardware warranty claim?

Please visit Customer Support page to read frequently asked questions (FAQs), download the latest software and firmware updates, download the latest product manuals and view a variety of information in our Knowledge Portal.

If you have questions that you are unable to answer with this information, you can log into the Iron Systems Customer Support Portal using your support.ironsystems.com account information and submit a Service Request online or you can contact Iron Systems by calling the phone number for your region listed on the Contact Support page. Online and phone assistance is for product-specific questions on product features, capabilities and specifications, and basic configuration and troubleshooting. If your product is covered under Warranty Support or by an active 8x5 or 24x7 support contracts, there is no charge by Iron Systems for using this service. Refer to the Support Services page for converge terms and hours of operation for telephone support.

Advanced topics including network design, consultation and configuration recommendations are not available through this online or phone service, however they are available through other services from Iron Systems or your local Iron Systems reseller. Please see the next question for additional information on services offered by Iron Systems.

How I can get information on additional services and consulting offered by Iron Systems?

For more information on support services for Iron Systems products, please visit the Support Services page. For information on consulting services for Iron Systems products, please visit the Professional Services page. You can also contact your local Iron Systems reseller who can provide information on Iron Systems services as well as their own services.

I want to arrange for some training on my products. Who should I contact?

You can direct any questions regarding training to training@ironsystems.com, or call 1-408-943-8000.

How do I renew my support contract?

Support renewals are administered by the reseller from which you purchased your Iron Systems products or through a Iron Systems sales representative if you purchased your product directly from Iron Systems. If you would like more information or need assistance regarding support contract renewals, please send email to email renewal@ironsystems.com, or call 1-408-943-8000 (Option 1) and we will get back to you promptly.

How do I return a Iron Systems appliance after my evaluation has been completed?

A RMA number (issued by a Iron Systems Support Engineer) is required before returning any evaluation unit. Please fill out Evaluation Form in order to receive evaluation RMA numbers. Clearly record you’re assigned RMA number on the outside of your return shipping container and place a completed RMA Return Instructions form inside of your shipping container, please insure the package. You may download the evaluation RMA return instructions from our support website.

Is Iron Systems WEEE Compliant?

Iron Systems is in the processes of setting up and administering a product recycling program per the WEEE Directive. If you reside in any European country and you intend on disposing of any Iron Systems products please contact the Director of Operations for instructions on proper disposal. Please call 408.945.5000 for more information

General guideline for the visual inspection of hard drives:

VMI Criteria that will NOT be accepted:

  • Failure to meet packaging requirements
  • Remorse or unopened packaging
  • Non-Seagate/Non-Maxtor/Non-Samsung drive returns
  • Tampered/Counterfeit drives, e.g. Fake Labels
  • Mismatch/Wrong PCBA
  • Mismatch top cover SN vs. base plate SN
  • Missing top cover label, PCBA / base plate SN