Guidelines & Policies

Remote technical support is available for all F5 customers with eligible support contracts. Annual support services can be purchased from your reseller. Learn more about F5 Customer Support Programs.

• Support Services

F5 makes available at a component level, Failure Analysis (FA) Reports which contain, product name and serial number, part number, date of the analysis completed, information on root cause at a component level (Resistor, Capacitor, IC, etc.), diagnostics and follow-up corrective actions by RMA Vendors or F5 Manufacturing.

• Failure Analysis Policy

F5 agrees to support, maintain, repair or replace the F5 products ("Product(s)") properly registered and entitled subject to these terms and conditions ("Agreement").

• Maintenance Agreement

F5 warrants that for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of shipment: (i) the media on which the software is furnished will be free of defects in materials and workmanship under normal use; and (ii) the software substantially conforms to its published specifications. Except for the foregoing, the software is provided AS IS. In no event does F5 warrant that the Software is error free, that the Product will operate with any software or hardware other than that provided by F5 or specified in the documentation, or that the Product will satisfy Customer's own specific requirements.

• Product Warranty

F5 will endeavor to respond to Site Down (Severity 1) and Site At Risk (Severity 2) calls within one and four hours, respectively. Understanding that unforeseen events could delay attempts, F5 expects that the majority of Site Down (Severity 1) and Site At Risk (Severity 2) calls will be responded to within this service Level, but such the service response times are not guaranteed.

• Service Level

F5's Network Support Centers (NSCs) offer escalation management to customers with current service agreements in accordance to specific escalation guidelines.

• Manager Notification Guidelines

F5 is in the business of supporting our customers, their applications, and the networks they run over. To meet our customers' needs, our Network Support Centers (NSCs) are strategically located throughout the world. All regional NSCs uphold the following Management Notification Guidelines to ensure that the appropriate resources are utilized to resolve all technical issues as efficiently as possible.

• Case Definitions for Priority

In the event of a hardware failure please contact F5 Networks, Inc. to obtain a Return Material Authorization (RMA) case number. Troubleshooting by an F5 Network Support Engineer (NSE) is a prerequisite to RMA request approvals. All returned material must have a valid F5 RMA case number. This number is necessary to ensure proper tracking and handling of returned material at the factory. Do not return any hardware until an RMA is issued. F5 Networks reserves the right to refuse shipments that do not have an authorized RMA number. Refused shipments will be returned to the shipper via collect freight.

• Return Materials Authorization (RMA) Process

F5 customers can upgrade the RMA service levels on their existing Standard, Premium, or Premium Plus maintenance contract to 4-Hour onsite service for business-critical hardware. This option is only available to customers within the 4-Hour RMA Availability Area (i.e., no more than 50 miles from an F5 authorized RMA Depot). Customers whose F5 products are deployed outside of the 4-Hour RMA Availability Area have alternative options.

For complete details of this program, please refer to the F5 4-Hour RMA Service Agreement for your region. For detailed information on F5 product platform eligibility, or if you have additional questions about this program, please contact F5 Professional Services for more information.

• RMA Depot Locations (US/Canada APAC EMEA)
• 4-Hour RMA Required Forms (US/Canada APAC EMEA)

F5's Global Customer Support organization has achieved the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2000 certification, demonstrating our commitment to quality of service standards. The voluntary certification assures customers of F5's adherence to documented processes and procedures designed to ensure continued and ongoing improvements in delivering global customer support.

• View ISO 9001-2000 Certification

F5 Customer Support fees are assessed for expired maintenance contracts, as well as for maintenance purchased on equipment. These fees are assessed whether purchases are made directly from F5, through an F5 VAR, or from other sources (including used or gray market systems, such as those purchased through eBay).

For complete service fee details, please refer to the appropriate policy documentation below:

• Lapsed Service and Recertification Fees

F5 has an environmental policy in place to help ensure that we conduct our operations in the electronics manufacturing services industry using sound and environmentally responsible management practices. We strive to do our part to protect the environment by developing safe, efficient, and environmentally conscious products, manufacturing processes, and corporate energy use and recycling goals.

• F5 Environmental Corporate Position on RoHS and WEEE Directives

The Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS) limits the sale of equipment containing lead, cadmium, mercury, and other toxic compounds. F5 supports this effort, and we are communicating with our component suppliers to stay in compliance and ensure that they are meeting their responsibilities.

• F5 RoHS Implementation Strategy
• F5 RoHS Compliance Statement
• F5 RoHS Frequently Asked Questions

The Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment requires producers to finance the collection, treatment, recycling, and recovery of discarded equipment. We are helping our customers comply with reporting requirements, and we are promoting industry standards that simplify the compliance reporting process.

• F5 WEEE Recycling Strategy

We believe that protecting the confidentiality of customer information is our responsibility. We strictly limit the collection, retention, use, and dissemination of customer information.

• View F5's Privacy Policy

Our Web site is intended to provide you with information about F5, as well as to help you learn about and purchase our products and services. Other uses, as well as use of our trademarks and copyrighted content on this site, are restricted or prohibited.

• View F5's Terms of Use Policy