BROCADE MAINTENANCE · TPM AFTER BROADCOM SUPPORT
Brocade Maintenance — vendor-independent service for FC-SAN switches and Director platforms
We service Brocade FibreChannel SAN hardware after Brocade/Broadcom Support expiration — vendor-independent, with OEM original parts and SLA up to 24×7×4. SAN switches (6505/6510/6520, G610/G620/G630/G720), Director platforms (X6/X7) and older DCX generations. Typical TPM topics at the network layer: optic and transceiver replacements (most frequent hardware defect after PSU), linecard/module hot-swap for zero-downtime swaps, and config backup of switch/routing settings before every intervention.
3
Product categories
9+
Product lines
4
Detail pages
30–60 %
Savings vs. Brocade Support / Broadcom Support
What we cover in Brocade hardware
3 categories · 9 product lines · 5 with EOSL · 9 detail pages
FC Director · Enterprise
3 lines EOSL · 1Ethernet/IP · MLX, VDX, ICX (older)
3 lines EOSL · 3| Category | Product line | Models | EOSL |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC SAN Switches · Mid-Range | Brocade 6505/6510/6520 | 6505 · 6510 · 6520 (16Gb) | yes |
| FC SAN Switches · Mid-Range | Brocade G610/G620/G630 | G610 · G620 · G630 (32Gb) | no |
| FC SAN Switches · Mid-Range | Brocade G720/G730 | G720 · G730 (64Gb-fähig) | no |
| FC Director · Enterprise | Brocade X6 Director | X6-4 · X6-8 | no |
| FC Director · Enterprise | Brocade X7 Director | X7-4 · X7-8 | no |
| FC Director · Enterprise | DCX/DCX-4S/DCX-8510 (älter) | DCX · DCX-4S · DCX-8510-4 · DCX-8510-8 | yes |
| Ethernet/IP · MLX, VDX, ICX (older) | MLX-Serie · Carrier Routing | MLX · MLXe · NetIron MLX | yes |
| Ethernet/IP · MLX, VDX, ICX (older) | VDX-Serie · Datacenter | VDX 6730/6740 · VDX 8770 | yes |
| Ethernet/IP · MLX, VDX, ICX (older) | ICX · Campus Switching | ICX 7250 · ICX 7450 · ICX 7750 | yes |
Detail pages for key product lines
These product lines have their own maintenance detail page with model overview, EOSL table and FAQ. All other lines are also covered — see portfolio below.
Brocade
Brocade 6505/6510/6520 + 2more lines
6505 · 6510 · 6520 (16Gb) · Brocade G610/G620/G630 · Brocade G720/G730
Detail page & FAQBrocade
Brocade X6 Director + 2more lines
X6-4 · X6-8 · Brocade X7 Director · DCX/DCX-4S/DCX-8510 (älter)
Detail page & FAQBrocade
MLX-Serie · Carrier Routing
MLX · MLXe · NetIron MLX
Detail page & FAQBrocade
VDX-Serie · Datacenter + 1more line
VDX 6730/6740 · VDX 8770 · ICX · Campus Switching
Detail page & FAQBrocade product portfolio at a glance
We service all product lines — including older generations long past end-of-service-life. Every line with OEM original parts, German-speaking service and SLA up to 24×7×4.
FC SAN Switches · Mid-Range
FC Director · Enterprise
Ethernet/IP · MLX, VDX, ICX (older)
MLX-Serie · Carrier Routing
DetailsMLX · MLXe · NetIron MLX
Carrier-class routers (now transitioned to Ruckus/CommScope). EOSL.
VDX-Serie · Datacenter
DetailsVDX 6730/6740 · VDX 8770
Data center switches with VCS Fabric. EOSL — TPM only option.
ICX · Campus Switching
DetailsICX 7250 · ICX 7450 · ICX 7750
Campus switches (now with Ruckus). EOSL partially reached.
Brocade Broadcom Brocade Support vs. TechCare TPM
How does TPM compare to the OEM contract?
You save 36–54% per yearBrocade Broadcom Brocade Support vs. TechCare TPM · example calculation
Broadcom Brocade Support
TechCare TPM
Example Brocade G620 SAN switch with 4-year Broadcom Support: EUR 1,800–2,600/year OEM, EUR 1,150–1,200/year with TechCare TPM.
- EOSL hardware: On EOSL models (DCX generations, pre-6510 switches, FC8-only) 50–70 % savings vs. Broadcom Brocade Support — Broadcom heavily restricted EOSL extensions after acquisition.
- Multi-year contract: 3-year TPM contract: additional 5–10 % discount, 5-year contract: 10–15 %. Plus fixed-price lock against OEM list-price increases.
Stays with Brocade
- Fabric OS / FOS software licenses
- SANnav management subscription
- Broadcom TAC software tickets
Moves to TechCare
- Hardware defects (memory, disk, PSU, mainboard, modules)
- 24×7×4 on-site SLA with German-speaking field service
- Spare-parts logistics DACH + global hub network
- Fixed-price contract in 48 h, one inventory — one contract
Why Brocade maintenance via TechCare instead of Brocade Support / Broadcom Support
Brocade hardware is today part of Broadcom — and Broadcom support contracts have become more expensive on average. For FC-SAN switches of the 6505/6510/6520 generation, deployed since 2013–2015 in DACH data centers, renewal becomes economically difficult. At the same time, the hardware runs reliably — FC switching is a mature technology without dramatic innovation jumps.
We service all Brocade FC generations plus the older Ethernet portfolio (MLX, VDX, ICX) with OEM parts. Brocade Network Advisor and Fabric Vision continue to run on devices.
Networking-specific TPM topics: In-Service Software Upgrade (ISSU) for zero-downtime swaps of linecards and supervisor/routing modules, planned optic/transceiver replacement (the most common network defect after power supply), and traffic mirroring before every hardware change for clean BGP/OSPF convergence without forensic gaps.
1
Contract for all Brocade lines
30–60 %
Savings on current models
bis 70 %
Savings on EOSL models
48 h
Fixed-price quote
FAQ on Brocade maintenance
Which Brocade hardware do you service?
FC-SAN switches (6505/6510/6520, G610/G620/G630/G720/G730), FC Directors (X6/X7, older DCX), older Ethernet (MLX, VDX, ICX).
What does TPM cost compared to Broadcom Support?
30 to 60 percent savings vs. Broadcom Support, up to 70 percent on EOSL platforms. A 6510 FC switch with 24×7×4 costs 1,500 to 2,500 EUR/year with Broadcom, 600 to 1,000 EUR with TechCare.
Can you service older DCX and 6505/6510?
Yes. DCX-8510 (released 2011), 6505/6510 (since 2013) are still productive in many data centers — particularly in DACH banks and insurers as SAN fabric backbone.
What about FOS and Brocade Network Advisor?
FOS (Fabric OS) on FC switches continues to work. FOS software updates require active Broadcom contract. Brocade Network Advisor and Fabric Vision subscription stay with Broadcom.
Which SLA levels for SAN hardware?
Parts Only, 5×9 NBD, 24×7×4. For FC-SAN hardware we generally recommend 24×7×4 due to broad impact. With redundant fabric setups 5×9 NBD may suffice.
Do MLX and VDX still work without contract?
Yes. NetIron on MLX and VCS on VDX as operating systems are part of the hardware. Software updates require active Broadcom contract.
Do we lose the warranty?
No. Factory warranty and Brocade/Broadcom Support are contractual services.
Service performance
Real actuals Q1 2026 — straight from our ITIL ticketing.
99,2 %
Tickets resolved within agreed response time
2,4 h
Avg. first response on 4h SLA tier
88 %
First-time fix on initial dispatch
97 %
Spare part on site within 4 h, DACH depots
Related topics
Core service
Hardware maintenance in detail
How we set up TPM: contract, SLA tiers up to 24×7×4, engineer pool, spare parts strategy — the service behind the vendor hubs.
View service →Compliance
Audit documentation in the contract pack
DORA, NIS2, KRITIS, BAIT, TISAX, ISO 27001 — what the auditor checks, what TechCare delivers automatically with the contract.
View audit topics →Practice
Real references
Three templates from European customers 2024–25 — how the migration from OEM to TPM ran in reality.
View cases →