Technology drives organizations to dig deep when searching for alternative methods to cut costs without impacting data center efficiency or workload performance. The continuing message to IT organizations is to do more with less, which can create quite a dilemma. Thankfully there’s a program that very few people know about that can help—Dell Recertified.

Technology drives organizations to dig deep when searching for alternative methods to cut costs without impacting data center efficiency or workload performance. The continuing message to IT organizations is to do more with less, which can create quite a dilemma. Thankfully there’s a program that very few people know about that can help—Dell Recertified.

It’s not just the enterprise customer affected by the increased demands on infrastructure. Vendors have had to implement innovative programs that help customers acquire products that fit a variety of budgets. One common approach is the increase in subscription services, but that solution is only for some.

In 2018, Synergy Associates became Dell’s first authorized distributor for Dell EMC Outlet’s Recertified program.   With Synergy’s experience in ‘Configure-to-Order’ (CTO), partners can reach new customers, lower their CAPEX IT expenditures, and typically are not delayed due to supply chain demands like comparable new products. The program offered by Dell includes server, networking, and storage hardware with the same-as-new Dell ProSupport to help compete in an ever-changing hardware market.

What is the Dell Recertified Program?

Global Dell Outlet (GDO) sources the Dell Recertified program from products that have never been deployed or in production. This includes systems from trade shows, proof-of-concept (POC) exercises, Dell R&D labs, and demos. Additionally, canceled orders where the hardware was ordered, configured, and then the customer canceled—perhaps partially due to changing circumstances—fall into this program. Regardless of where they come from, none of these products can be sold as new by Dell because they have been utilized in a sales process or have departed the Dell loading dock.

Dell Recertified products undergo a stringent Dell factory remanufacturing and testing cycle to meet the exact factory specifications of all new products. So, these products have been subjected to multiple rounds of tests to ensure they qualify. Passing recertification allows products to get an OEM warranty identical to what is offered for new hardware.

Refurbished? Think Again

It’s critical to understand that Dell Recertified is not the same thing as refurbished; there’s a significant distinction between recertified and refurbished IT equipment. Refurbished equipment typically refers to products returned to the manufacturer due to defects, damage, or customer dissatisfaction. Products that have come off-lease and sent back to the manufacturer are also candidates for refurbishment.

Refurbished items undergo additional inspections, testing, repair, and restoration to make them like new, but cannot be offered as new. Refurbs might be provided with a 90-day warranty but would not qualify for the typical new product warranty. Refurbed products may come from unknown sources and may have an uncertain history, higher mileage, or be off-lease items, leading to uncertainty about their condition and reliability.

Dell Recertified products feel as new as buying them directly off Dell.com, with warranty and service tag in place. Dell Recertified products are 100 percent remanufactured at the OEM factory and include OEM packaging, cables, and documentation. Dell Recertified products offer the same-as-new OEM warranty solution. Dell partners benefit from full sales credit, which confirms Dell Technologies’ dedication to the program’s quality and authenticity.

Dell Recertified servers purchased from Synergy come standard with a Dell 5-year Next Business Day (NBD) Basic Warranty and are eligible for all the same Dell ProSupport up-lifts offered for new servers.

Dell Recertified – Made to Order

The Dell Recertified program offers a wide variety of products, including Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, PowerEdge Tower Servers, Storage, and Dell Networking. Today, Dell recertified products offered by Synergy include:

• Servers
  • PowerEdge Tower and Rack Servers
  • PowerEdge Server options
• Modular Infrastructure
  • PowerEdge MX
    • MX7000 Chassis
    • MX740C Compute Sleds
    • MX840c Compute Sleds
  • MX Network
    • MX Ethernet
    • I/O Modules
    • Fibre Channel Modules
• Storage

Synergy offers Configure-to-Order (CTO), allowing customers to select specific components or features to be included in their purchasing decision. The products are assembled and configured according to the customer’s unique requirements, where servers, storage, and networking equipment can be customized with different types of memory, storage, processors, and other features. And because Synergy has a deep inventory of Dell 14g and 15g CTOs, server options, and upgrades, these customizations can be made and shipped much faster than the comparable new system from Dell.

All Synergy Sales team members are also skilled system architects equipped with the technical knowledge to maximize value from the provided build requirements. Post configuration, the process continues with the latest firmware updates utilizing broad releases, testing with built-in remote management, and diagnostic power-on hardware. After resetting to factory defaults, clearing all logs, and sending Dell the service tag configuration updates, Synergy ensures all Dell EMC Recertified hardware adheres to the OEM’s specifications. This extra testing step contributes to Synergy’s meager DOA rate.

Benefits of Buying Recertified Products

Recertified hardware comes directly from the distributor or manufacturer. This ensures the products meet strict quality standards and pass some rigorous testing. Customers can expect a high level of reliability and performance from recertified hardware.

Servers certified by the manufacturer are usually the latest models with updated firmware. This ensures customers have access to the newest features, performance enhancements, and security patches. Additionally, because these servers are typically the latest versions, customers can expect a longer lifecycle than refurbished servers.

Certified servers are typically made up of newer-generation models. They are more likely to be compatible with future upgrades and expansions, delivering better scale to the IT infrastructure.

Hands-On with the Dell Recertified PowerEdge R750

To better understand how the Dell Recertified PowerEdge R750 stacks up against other Dell equipment in our lab, we had Synergy configure and ship us a box to compare the systems side-by-side. We wanted to inspect the system to ensure the build quality, service tag, and warranty were all in place. From a performance perspective, we also performed a shakedown of the system to ensure all worked as expected.

Dell Recertified PowerEdge R750 Build Highlights

• 2 x Intel Xeon Gold 6330 CPUs (2.0GHz x 28 cores)
• 8 x 32GB DDR4 RAM
• 2 x 1GbE Onboard LAN
• 4 x 1GbE Integrated NIC

Dell Recertified Unboxing:  Does it Feel New?

At first glance, when the PowerEdge R750 came into our lab, it looked like all the past Dell servers we’ve received. The server shipped in an original Dell box with no signs of repurposed cardboard. That’s a good start.

The server included all the original shipping materials, including the form-fitting cardboard box that is the first layer you see when opening a Dell PowerEdge Server. This tray holds the power cables, bezel, and server rails if equipped. Removing the parts tray, we found the original Dell OEM foam inserts used to ship PowerEdge servers. Everything we’d find unboxing a brand new system directly from Dell was included with our PowerEdge R750 server.

Upon inspecting the server’s build quality, there was nothing to note that was out of the ordinary. Even items such as the peel-off film on the glossy black front ear of the R750 were intact. Opening up the server chassis, we found all airflow brackets installed, as well as the complete PCIe slot configuration. Our system didn’t include PCIe adapters or the BOSS redundant boot device; however, all correct blank panels were installed.

Nothing was out of place with our build that would make it look like parts were missing. In fact, everything looked in brand-new condition. After examining the wiring paths for the front-storage bays, we found no noteworthy differences compared to a newly shipped Dell system. This is important since excessive wiring in front of the cooling fans will impede airflow. Dell OEM cables and factory positions minimize this type of air disruption.

Beyond the physical fit and finish, the easiest way to validate that this server was new was by checking out the Dell service tag. Feel free to check out our tag, 4Y1P0R3, on Dell’s website. As you will see, our R750 is a late May 2023 build with a full 5-year warranty.

After validating the service tag, we wanted to verify the system shipped with the latest software. A minor issue, but if the BIOS, firmware, etc., are out of date, IT admins will need to spend more time upfront preparing the server for production.

Our system didn’t come in with an OS, so our focus was on the firmware installed across the different devices in the system. The BIOS was at its most recent level, as well as secondary items such as the storage backplane firmware and even the System CPLD firmware. For users looking to deploy these systems immediately, they come fully updated and ready for production.

Performance Shakedown: Checking The Numbers

With all the day 0 logistics out of the way, we wanted to validate that the performance aligned with what we’d expect from this build. We put the server through a series of performance benchmarks to shake down all the key components.

With the ability to flex the RAM, CPU, and Cooling system simultaneously, we ran our favorite benchmarking test, y-cruncher. The results indicated the system performed as expected from a pair of Xeon Gold 6330s.

Cinebench R23 scored a respectable 48,335 Multi-Core points and 903 Single-Core, once again in line as expected with this level of CPU selection.

We also checked out Geekbench 6, which laid out 11,661 for the multi-core performance and 1292 Single Core, along with Blender CLI with Monster, Junkshop, and Classroom putting up 386, 266, and 193 samples per minute, respectively.

Finally, after checking the iDRAC Dashboard, our recertified Dell R750 was verified healthy.

Final Thoughts

Utilizing recertified servers provides enterprises with a cost-effective approach to scaling their IT infrastructure, especially when the last generation’s chip performance remains relevant and suitable for many applications. By investing in recertified servers, organizations can leverage proven, reliable technology at a fraction of the price of new, cutting-edge chips.

Synergy ensures customized build options are in stock and immediately available. Choosing Dell Recertified products can help you save money and simplify the process without any complications. Typically, recertified products have a 20-80 percent lower capital expenditure than purchasing new products. Additionally, Synergy’s flexibility, broader product choice, and customization options make it a better solution than simply buying from Dell Outlet.

With many components unavailable or back ordered, having a resource like Dell Recertified offers customers the option to acquire servers quickly and at a heavily discounted rate, with full warranty and support. And it’s good for the environment. Overall, we found the sample R750 system to be exactly as new, and if our own lab chief can’t tell the difference, we don’t think customers will either; that is, other than the considerable cost savings, build flexibility, and faster time to delivery.

Ready to discover the value of Dell Recertified? Reach out to Synergy Associates for any inquiries or to place an order. You can email them at (email protected), via their website,  https://www.synllc.com/contact, or call them at (888) 763-9920. Whether you’re a Dell customer, reseller, or service provider,  connect with Synergy Associates to learn more!

Dell Recertified Authorized Distributor, Synergy Associates

Refurbished vs. Remanufactured Compute

Synergy Associates: “Configure-to-Order” (CTO)

This report is sponsored by Synergy Associates. All views and opinions expressed in this report are based on our unbiased view of the product(s) under consideration.

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