NetApp FAS and AFF End of Support: Dates and Your Options
NetApp FAS and AFF end of service life dates: AFF A-series on Nov 30, 2026; FAS2500, FAS8000 and FAS9000 on Jan 31, 2023; FAS2000, FAS3000 and FAS6000 series on Dec 31, 2018. 25 of the 26 dated models are already past OEM support and 1 reach it within the next 12 months. Third-party maintenance keeps every one of these systems 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.
NetApp FAS and AFF end of service life dates by generation
| Generation | EOSL date | Models |
|---|---|---|
| AFF A-series | Nov 30, 2026 (some models May 31, 2024 to Nov 30, 2026) | 2 |
| FAS2500, FAS8000 and FAS9000 | Jan 31, 2023 | 1 |
| FAS2000, FAS3000 and FAS6000 series | Dec 31, 2018 (some models Jun 30, 2016 to Apr 30, 2020) | 23 |
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 NetApp FAS and AFF systems are still in production
NetApp FAS and AFF controllers running ONTAP are the default enterprise file platform, and the long ONTAP upgrade path means controllers stay useful well past the point where NetApp stops supporting them.
NetApp publishes end of support per controller model. ONTAP keeps running on the release the controller supports; what ends is NetApp's support contract and parts supply.
What changes on the end of service life date
- NetApp stops selling support renewals and stops qualifying new ONTAP releases for the controller.
- Controller, disk shelf, drive, NVRAM battery and power supply replacements have to come from outside NetApp.
- AutoSupport keeps sending, but NetApp stops opening cases from it.
The systems 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
NetApp proposes a headswap to a current AFF or FAS controller, reusing the shelves where compatible. The right answer when the systems 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 NetApp FAS and AFF systems that means:
- We stock controllers, shelves, drives, NVRAM batteries and power supplies for FAS2000 through FAS9000 and the AFF A-series and read AutoSupport data for proactive parts dispatch.
- A headswap you are planning anyway can be bridged month to month; controllers staying in place get multi-year pricing.
- 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 NetApp FAS and AFF maintenance costs
We return an indicative price for NetApp FAS and AFF systems 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 NetApp FAS and AFF 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.
FAS2000, FAS3000 and FAS6000 series (23)
| Model | EOSL date | |
|---|---|---|
| FAS2050 | Jun 30, 2016 | Get price |
| FAS3140 | Mar 31, 2017 | Get price |
| FAS3160 | Mar 31, 2017 | Get price |
| FAS3170 | Mar 31, 2017 | Get price |
| FAS6040 | Apr 30, 2017 | Get price |
| FAS6080 | Apr 30, 2017 | Get price |
| FAS2020 | Jun 30, 2017 | Get price |
| FAS2040 | Dec 31, 2017 | Get price |
| FAS3210 | Dec 31, 2018 | Get price |
| FAS3240 | Dec 31, 2018 | Get price |
| FAS3270 | Dec 31, 2018 | Get price |
| FAS6210 | Dec 31, 2018 | Get price |
| FAS6240 | Dec 31, 2018 | Get price |
| FAS6280 | Dec 31, 2018 | Get price |
| FAS3220 | Jan 31, 2020 | Get price |
| FAS3250 | Jan 31, 2020 | Get price |
| FAS2220 | Mar 30, 2020 | Get price |
| FAS2240 | Mar 30, 2020 | Get price |
| FAS2240-2 | Mar 30, 2020 | Get price |
| FAS2240-4 | Mar 30, 2020 | Get price |
| FAS6220 | Apr 30, 2020 | Get price |
| FAS6250 | Apr 30, 2020 | Get price |
| FAS6290 | Apr 30, 2020 | Get price |
NetApp FAS and AFF end of support: frequently asked questions
When does NetApp FAS and AFF reach end of support?
AFF A-series: Nov 30, 2026. FAS2500, FAS8000 and FAS9000: Jan 31, 2023. FAS2000, FAS3000 and FAS6000 series: Dec 31, 2018. The full list of 26 dated models is on this page, each linking to its own support page and quote form.
Can an AFF A300 or FAS8200 stay supported after NetApp end of support?
Yes. Third-party maintenance covers controllers, shelves, drives and power supplies with 24x7 engineering and onsite response for five or more years past the NetApp date.
Can we still upgrade ONTAP on third-party maintenance?
You can run any ONTAP release NetApp qualified for the controller. New releases that drop the controller cannot be applied, which is a NetApp qualification decision rather than a support one.
How much does third-party maintenance for NetApp FAS and AFF cost?
We return an indicative price for NetApp FAS and AFF systems 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 NetApp FAS and AFF 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.