Cisco UCS B200, C220 and C240 End of Support: Dates and Your Options
Cisco UCS B200, C220 and C240 end of service life dates: M6: B200 M6, C220 M6, C240 M6 on Sep 30, 2030; M5: B200 M5, C220 M5, C240 M5 on Oct 31, 2028; M4: B200 M4, C220 M4, C240 M4 on Feb 29, 2024; M3: B200 M3, C220 M3, C240 M3 on Dec 31, 2021; Earlier models on Dec 2, 2017. 9 of the 16 dated models are already past OEM support and 0 reach it within the next 12 months. Third-party maintenance keeps every one of these servers supported for 5+ years past the OEM date, typically 40-70% below the renewal, across North America, the United Kingdom and Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.
Cisco UCS B200, C220 and C240 end of service life dates by generation
| Generation | EOSL date | Models |
|---|---|---|
| M6: B200 M6, C220 M6, C240 M6 | Sep 30, 2030 (some models Sep 30, 2030 to Dec 31, 2030) | 3 |
| M5: B200 M5, C220 M5, C240 M5 | Oct 31, 2028 (some models Oct 31, 2028 to May 31, 2029) | 4 |
| M4: B200 M4, C220 M4, C240 M4 | Feb 29, 2024 | 3 |
| M3: B200 M3, C220 M3, C240 M3 | Dec 31, 2021 (some models Dec 31, 2019 to Dec 31, 2021) | 4 |
| Earlier models | Dec 2, 2017 (some models Jan 22, 2016 to Dec 2, 2017) | 2 |
Dates are the OEM end of service life as published in our catalog; where a generation has more than one date the range is shown. Every model is listed below.
Why Cisco UCS B200, C220 and C240 servers are still in production
The B200 blade and the C220 and C240 rack servers are the bulk of every UCS estate, and the M4 and M5 generations are the ones still running most of it. Cisco publishes an end-of-life bulletin per generation with a last date of support, and SmartNet renewals run to that date.
A UCS domain with current fabric interconnects and older blades is a common and perfectly stable configuration. The blades do not need Cisco to keep working; they need parts and someone who knows UCS Manager.
What changes on the end of service life date
- Cisco stops renewing SmartNet for the server generation and stops publishing firmware bundles that include it.
- DIMM, CPU, drive, mezzanine adapter, VIC and power supply replacements have to come from outside Cisco.
- UCS Manager and Intersight continue to manage the servers on their current firmware.
The servers themselves do not change. The OEM's willingness to sell support ends, and the renewals leading up to that date are usually priced to make a refresh look attractive.
Your three options
1. Refresh with the OEM
Cisco proposes the current M7 or M8 generation, which usually means fabric interconnect upgrades too. The right answer when the servers are at capacity, limiting applications, or the budget cycle has the money anyway. The wrong answer when they are doing their job quietly: a refresh buys newer hardware and another support term at a capital cost that usually exceeds several years of maintenance on what you have.
2. Extend with the OEM to the last date
Possible up to the end of service life date and occasionally beyond under a limited arrangement. The problem is price: final-years renewals are where OEMs recover margin, and each one tends to cost more than the last for the same coverage. It also leaves the deadline in place.
3. Third-party maintenance
Replaces the OEM contract with ours and removes the deadline. For Cisco UCS B200, C220 and C240 servers that means:
- We stock blades, DIMMs, drives, VICs, mezzanine cards and power supplies for the M3 to M6 generations and support UCS Manager and Intersight-managed domains.
- Mixed support is normal: Cisco on the fabric interconnects, third-party on the server generation Cisco dropped.
- 24x7 support desk. Engineers on call around the clock, with a named escalation owner for every contract.
- 4-hour onsite in major metros. Four-hour onsite response available in major metro areas; next-business-day everywhere else we cover.
- Spares held for every model we quote. Global parts logistics with forward-stocked spares, so a replacement part is already on its way when you call.
- 5+ years past end of service life. We keep hardware supported long after the OEM date, on your retirement schedule rather than theirs.
What Cisco UCS B200, C220 and C240 maintenance costs
We return an indicative price for Cisco UCS B200, C220 and C240 servers within 24 hours and a firm quote within 48, per unit per year at the response level you choose, with multi-unit, multi-vendor and multi-year discounts.
Parts and engineer onsite next business day; 24x7 phone support.
4-hour onsite response in major metros, business hours.
Mission-critical: 4-hour onsite response around the clock, 365 days.
Every Cisco UCS B200, C220 and C240 model and its EOSL date
Each row links to the model's support page, which carries the same dates, the indicative price and a quote form.
M6: B200 M6, C220 M6, C240 M6 (3)
| Model | EOSL date | |
|---|---|---|
| UCS C220 M6 Rack Server | Sep 30, 2030 | Get price |
| UCS C240 M6 Rack Server | Sep 30, 2030 | Get price |
| UCS B200 M6 Blade Server | Dec 31, 2030 | Get price |
M5: B200 M5, C220 M5, C240 M5 (4)
| Model | EOSL date | |
|---|---|---|
| UCS C220 M5 | Oct 31, 2028 | Get price |
| UCS C240 M5 | Oct 31, 2028 | Get price |
| UCS M5 Blade Server (B200 M5) | Oct 31, 2028 | Get price |
| UCS M5 Blade Server (B480 M5) | May 31, 2029 | Get price |
M4: B200 M4, C220 M4, C240 M4 (3)
| Model | EOSL date | |
|---|---|---|
| UCS B200 M4 | Feb 29, 2024 | Get price |
| UCS C220 M4 | Feb 29, 2024 | Get price |
| UCS C240 M4 | Feb 29, 2024 | Get price |
M3: B200 M3, C220 M3, C240 M3 (4)
| Model | EOSL date | |
|---|---|---|
| UCS C220 M3 Server | Dec 31, 2019 | Get price |
| UCS B200 M3 Blade Server | Dec 31, 2021 | Get price |
| UCS C220 M3 | Dec 31, 2021 | Get price |
| UCS C240 M3 Rack Server | Dec 31, 2021 | Get price |
Earlier models (2)
| Model | EOSL date | |
|---|---|---|
| UCS B200 M1 | Jan 22, 2016 | Get price |
| UCS B200 M2 | Dec 2, 2017 | Get price |
Cisco UCS B200, C220 and C240 end of support: frequently asked questions
When does Cisco UCS B200, C220 and C240 reach end of support?
M6: B200 M6, C220 M6, C240 M6: Sep 30, 2030. M5: B200 M5, C220 M5, C240 M5: Oct 31, 2028. M4: B200 M4, C220 M4, C240 M4: Feb 29, 2024. M3: B200 M3, C220 M3, C240 M3: Dec 31, 2021. Earlier models: Dec 2, 2017. The full list of 16 dated models is on this page, each linking to its own support page and quote form.
Can we keep UCS B200 M4 blades under support after Cisco's last date of support?
Yes. Third-party maintenance covers the blades, their adapters and the chassis components with 24x7 support and onsite response for five or more years past the Cisco date.
Do we need SmartNet on the fabric interconnects to use third-party support on the servers?
No. The two are independent. Many customers keep Cisco on the fabric interconnects and move the older server generation to third-party maintenance.
How much does third-party maintenance for Cisco UCS B200, C220 and C240 cost?
We return an indicative price for Cisco UCS B200, C220 and C240 servers within 24 hours and a firm quote within 48, per unit per year at the response level you choose, with multi-unit, multi-vendor and multi-year discounts.
How far ahead of the Cisco UCS B200, C220 and C240 EOSL date should we decide?
Six to twelve months. That leaves time to compare the OEM's final renewal with third-party maintenance, decide whether to extend or refresh, and move coverage without a gap. The last OEM renewal before the date is usually the most expensive one.