StorSimple solution support

Caution

ACTION REQUIRED: StorSimple Data Manager, StorSimple Device Manager, StorSimple 1200, and StorSimple 8000 have reached their end of support. End of support details were published in 2019 on the Microsoft Lifecycle Policy and Azure Communications pages. Additional notifications were also sent via email and posted on the Azure portal and StorSimple documentation site. Contact Microsoft Support for additional details.

StorSimple support

Microsoft offers flexible support options for StorSimple enterprise storage customers. We're deeply committed to delivering a high-quality support experience that allows you to maximize the impact of your investment in the StorSimple solution and Microsoft Azure. As a StorSimple customer, you receive:

• 24x7 ability to submit support tickets through the Azure portal.
• Help desk access for general support queries and deep technical assistance.
• Local language support where available.
• Alert provisioning and management for health and performance insights.
• Access to software updates covering major, minor, and maintenance fixes.
• Support for StorSimple 8000 Series Storage Arrays and StorSimple Virtual Arrays in a single package.

StorSimple support plans

Support feature	STANDARD 1	PREMIUM 1
Billing and subscription management	✓	✓
Azure portal ticket submission	✓	✓
Online support portal access	✓	✓
Alert provisioning and management	✓	✓
Helpdesk initial response time 24x7 support ticket submission Initial response time based on Severity 2	Severity A: Within 2 hours Severity B: Within 4 hours Severity C: Within 8 hours	Severity A: Within 60 mins Severity B: Within 2 hours Severity C: Within 4 hours
Phone support (call back)	✓	✓
Advanced parts replacement (StorSimple 8000 series only) 3	Next business day 4	Within 4 hours
On-site field services engineer (StorSimple 8000 series only) 3	Not available	Within 4 hours
StorSimple Virtual Array 5	✓	✓
Instances of StorSimple Virtual Array 5	No limit	No limit

HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE WARRANTY
Hardware parts replacement (StorSimple 8000 series only) 6
Free software updates

¹ Support provided to customer until next EA anniversary. Customers must renew support at EA anniversary to be eligible for StorSimple support. Contact Microsoft for geographical coverage. Premium coverage may vary by city. Contact Microsoft account/sales team for geographical coverage before purchasing StorSimple Premium Support.

² Severity defined as follows:

• Severity A: Significant loss or degradation of services

• Severity B: Moderate loss or degradation but work can continue in an impaired manner

• Severity C: Substantially functioning with minor or no impediments to system functionality

  Microsoft may downgrade the severity level of a Severity A case if the customer is unable to provide adequate resources or responses to enable Microsoft to continue with problem resolution. Expected response time based on 24x7 support in English for Severity A, local business hours for Severity B and C.

³ Service begins only after root cause identification is complete and Microsoft recommended a path for problem resolution.

⁴ Next business day parts delivery is performed on a best-effort basis and may be subject to delays.

⁵ Customers using only StorSimple Virtual Arrays must purchase either StorSimple Standard or Premium support plans. Contact your Microsoft account/sales team to purchase StorSimple support.

⁶ To expedite hardware warranty claims, replacement parts are shipped to the customer before receiving defective parts. Customer is responsible for timely return shipment of defective parts.

If your support contract has expired, be aware, depending on how long the support contract has been expired, it may take up to three weeks after the renewal processing has completed before a part is delivered as the local stocking location for your contract won't be stocked with replacement parts for your device until after your contract is processed.

Local language support

In addition to English, local language support is provided in the following languages during business hours: Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, and Traditional Chinese.

Support scope

Support for billing and subscription management-related issues is available at all support levels. In order to receive StorSimple support, customer must be actively enrolled for either StorSimple Standard or Premium support plans. StorSimple support team will be responsible for resolving all issues that impact the StorSimple solution. In order to receive support for Azure-related issues that aren't directly related to StorSimple, customer needs to be enrolled in an appropriate Azure support plan. Refer here for details. The support team refers non-StorSimple support cases to the Azure team for followup based on customer entitlements for Azure support.

SEVERITY	CUSTOMER'S SITUATION	EXPECTED MICROSOFT RESPONSE 2	EXPECTED CUSTOMER RESPONSE
A	Critical business impact: Customers business has significant loss or degradation of services. 1 Needs immediate attention.	Initial response: 1 One hour or less for Premium. Two hours or less for Standard. Continuous effort all day, every day.	Allocation of appropriate resources to sustain continuous effort all day, every day. Accurate contact information for case owner.
B	Moderate business impact: Customer's business has moderate loss or degradation of services, but work can reasonably continue in an impaired manner.	Initial response: 1 Two hours or less for Premium. Four hours or less for Standard.	Allocation of appropriate resources to sustain continuous effort during business hours unless customer requests to opt out of 24x7. Accurate contact information for case owner.
C	Minimum business impact: Customer's business is substantially functioning with minor or no impediments to services.	Initial response: 1 Four hours or less for Premium. Eight hours or less for Standard.	Accurate contact information for case owner

¹ Microsoft may downgrade the severity level of a Severity A case if the customer isn't able to provide adequate resources or responses to enable Microsoft to continue with problem resolution efforts.

² Expected response times are based on 24x7 support in English for Severity A and local business hours for Severity B and C, and local business hours support in the remaining local languages: Japanese, Taiwanese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean.

Cancellation policy

In order to receive StorSimple support, customer must purchase Standard or Premium support plans for the duration of the subscription term. Cancellation doesn't result in a prorated refund. StorSimple support plans are reduction eligible at EA anniversary. However, Microsoft is unable to provide support to StorSimple customers without valid support contracts.

Renewal policy

Upon the purchase of StorSimple 8000 Series Storage Arrays, support is provided through the next EA anniversary. Customer must renew StorSimple support at EA anniversary. StorSimple support plan orders are coterminous. Customers are notified via e-mail about impending support expiry for StorSimple 8000 Series Storage Arrays and are expected to follow up with the Microsoft account/sales teams or their Microsoft Licensing Solution Partner (LSP) to renew StorSimple support.

Standard Azure support doesn't cover StorSimple hardware support. If you're covered under Premier or Unified Microsoft support, you must still purchase Standard StorSimple support renewal. StorSimple support renewal can be aligned with EA anniversary date by acquiring the required support SKU with the license quantity equal to the number of the appliances and the unit quantity ordered being the remaining number of months of support needed until the EA anniversary date if all the units have the same support contract expiration date. If the units have different support contract expiration dates, each appliance must be covered with one support SKU with the unit quantity ordered being the remaining number of months of support needed until the EA anniversary date per each appliance.

StorSimple 8000 Series Storage Arrays support is provided based on how the StorSimple array was purchased.

Support SKUs	Subscription Model	ASAP + Model
Standard support [CWZ-00023] AzureStorSimple ShrdSvr ALNG SubsVL MVL StdSpprt	Included.	Provided to customers with initial purchase through the next EA anniversary. Customer must purchase support in subsequent years as no replacement hardware parts can be dispatched without an active StorSimple support contract.
Premium* support [CWZ-00024] AzureStorSimple ShrdSvr ALNG SubsVL MVL PremSpprt	Since standard support is automatically included with Subscription, refer to the Standard to Premium Upgrade.	Customers covered by Microsoft Premier support contracts should refer to the standard to premium upgrade. Customers who aren't covered by a Microsoft Premier contract and wish to have Premium StorSimple Support should purchase this SKU at renewal time.
Standard to Premium** upgrade [CWZ- 00025] AzureStorSimple ShrdSvr ALNG SubsVL MVL Spprt- StepuptoPrem	Customers covered by Microsoft Premier Support contract at the time of StorSimple purchase are automatically upgraded to Premium StorSimple support free of charge for the duration of the time they remain covered by Premier support. If customers acquire Premier Support later, a free StorSimple support upgrade can be obtained by requesting it via SSSupOps@microsoft.com. Non-Premier customers can purchase the StorSimple Standard to Premium upgrade SKU [CWZ-00025] anytime during the Enterprise Agreement(EA) contract.	Customers covered by Microsoft Premier Support contract can purchase the Standard Support SKU [CWZ-00023] and the StorSimple Standard Support contract will be automatically upgraded, at no additional charges, for the duration of the time they remain covered by Premier support. If customers acquire Premier Support later, a free StorSimple support upgrade can be obtained by requesting it via SSSupOps@microsoft.com. Non-Premier customers covered by StorSimple Standard support can purchase the Premium upgrade SKU [CWZ-00025] anytime during the Enterprise Agreement(EA) contract. Next year, when renewing Support contract, customers should purchase directly the Premium Support SKU [CWZ-00024] and not just the upgrade SKU [CWZ-00025].

* Premium coverage isn't available in all locations. Contact Microsoft at SSSupOps@microsoft.com for geographical coverage before purchasing StorSimple Premium Support.

** The StorSimple appliance must be deployed in a region where the customer is covered by Premier support in order to be eligible for a free upgrade to premium StorSimple support.

ASAP+ customers can switch to subscription model where standard support is included. Use the StorSimple pricing calculator for subscription pricing and contact SSSupOps@microsoft.com for any questions. Switching is one way only from ASAP+ to Subscription.