Network and Wi-Fi AMC: what to expect from the contract.

A network that has been running smoothly for a year is a network that someone has been looking after, or that has been lucky. A maintenance contract (AMC) for the network is meant to replace luck with routine. Here is what to expect.

The inventory

The first job is to know what you have. A good contract starts with a list of every switch, access point, firewall and link, with model, serial number, location, firmware version and warranty or support end date. Keep it current. Our note on the IT asset register shows the fields.

Monitoring

Devices are watched for being up or down, link speed, errors, CPU and memory, temperature, PoE load, bandwidth and Wi-Fi client numbers. Alerts go to a named person with an agreed response. See what to watch in network monitoring.

Preventive work

• Firmware and patching on a plan, tested where possible and with a rollback, for firewalls, switches and access points.
• Configuration backups taken regularly and stored away from the device, so a failed unit can be replaced in minutes.
• Firewall rule review at agreed intervals; see our rule review checklist.
• Wi-Fi health checks: channels, power, client load and rogue devices, with a survey after layout changes.
• Cable and rack tidy, labels, and checks on cabinet temperature and power.
• Capacity review: is the internet link, a switch uplink or a firewall approaching its limit?

Support and response

• A clear way to report a fault and a record of every request.
• Response and resolution targets in the SLA, and an SOP that says what happens at each step. Targets depend on the site and the contract; confirm them in writing. See SLA metrics that matter.
• A plan for spare equipment or fast replacement of a failed switch or firewall.
• Escalation to the maker’s support when needed.

Change control

Network changes are planned, approved, recorded and reversible. Ask how a change is requested, who approves it and how it is tested. Undocumented changes are a leading cause of outages.

Reporting

A monthly report in plain language: uptime, incidents and their causes, changes made, patches applied, capacity trends and recommendations with costs. The report should help you decide, not just prove that work was done.

Signs the contract is only reactive

• Nobody can tell you the firmware versions.
• There is no configuration backup you have seen.
• You find out about outages from your staff, not from the provider.
• Reports list tickets closed but no trends or advice.
• The firewall and switches reached end of support without a warning.

Before you sign

Ask for a sample report, the list of devices covered, the SOP for an outage, the exclusions and how the price changes if you add devices. IT AMC pricing models explains how to compare quotes.