What an AMC Covers and What to Ask Before Signing One

An AMC, or annual maintenance contract, is an agreement for ongoing support of your IT systems over a year. The name is common, but the content varies a lot between providers, so the scope is worth reading closely.

What an AMC can include

• Routine health checks on networks, firewalls and servers
• Monitoring and alerting
• Support when something stops working
• Updates and configuration changes
• Documentation that is kept up to date

Not every contract includes every item. Some cover only support requests. Others include planned checks and reporting.

Questions to ask

1. Which systems are covered? List devices, sites and services so nothing is assumed.
2. What counts as in scope? Ask how routine changes differ from project work.
3. How do you report a problem, and who responds? Ask about the process, and be cautious of promises that cannot be backed by a written agreement.
4. Is hardware replacement included? Parts and replacement devices are often handled separately.
5. What is documented? You should be able to see what was checked and what changed.
6. How does the contract end or renew? Understand notice periods and what happens to your documentation.

A sensible starting point

Before agreeing a contract, it helps to know the current state of your environment. A review of your network, security and cloud setup shows what an AMC would need to cover. NetworkAE offers a complimentary infrastructure assessment with no obligation to continue, and provides Managed IT Support & AMC once the scope is agreed.