How to file an RMA

This page covers the OKTET Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) process: what is covered, how to open a case, how to prepare the unit, and the timeline once it is in our hands. Every OKTET switch carries a limited hardware warranty; the exact term is printed on your invoice and varies by product line.

What the warranty covers

The warranty covers hardware defects in materials and workmanship under normal operation for the stated term. This includes failures surfaced by our own burn-in standard that nonetheless appear in the field — a power supply that degrades, a port that goes dark, a fan that fails.

It does not cover:

• Physical damage from drops, liquid, or improper installation.
• Damage from power events outside the rated input range or from a missing surge path.
• Modification, unauthorized repair, or removal of the serial label.
• Software configuration issues — these are support cases, not RMAs.

If you are unsure whether a problem is hardware or configuration, open a support case first. We would rather resolve it without a return.

1. Confirm it is a hardware fault

Before requesting an RMA, rule out the recoverable causes:

• Reseat power and cabling. Try a known-good cable and a different port.

• Check the LED fault pattern against the hardware guide and capture it.

• Pull the diagnostic bundle — it captures logs, environment readings, and hardware status that lets us confirm the fault and often speeds approval:

  system diagnostics export rma-bundle.tgz

• Note whether the fault is constant or intermittent, and under what conditions it appears.

2. Gather what we will ask for

Have these ready before you contact support:

• The serial number from the chassis label.
• Proof of purchase or the order number.
• A clear description of the fault, including when it started and the LED pattern.
• The diagnostic bundle from step 1 if the unit can still boot.

3. Request the RMA

Contact OKTET support with the information above. Support will confirm warranty coverage, attempt to verify the fault from the diagnostic bundle, and — if a return is warranted — issue an RMA number. Nothing should be shipped before you have this number; unauthorized returns cannot be tracked or processed.

4. Prepare the unit for shipment

• Back up your configuration if the unit still boots — a replacement ships at factory defaults.

  show configuration | save my-config-backup.cfg

• Do not ship accessories — keep your power cable, rack kit, and optics unless support specifically requests them. Return the switch only.

• Remove installed optics and DACs. SFP/SFP+ modules are not part of the switch RMA and will not be returned.

• Pack against shipping damage. Use the original packaging if you have it, or equivalent protective packaging. A unit damaged in transit because it was loose in the box can void the claim.

• Write the RMA number clearly on the outside of the package and on any included paperwork.

5. Ship and track

Send the unit to the return address provided with your RMA. Keep the carrier tracking number — you own the shipment until we confirm receipt.

What happens next

1. Receipt — we log the unit against your RMA number and confirm arrival.
2. Evaluation — the returned unit goes to the reliability team, who confirm the fault and, where possible, trace its root cause. Field returns feed directly back into our manufacturing and burn-in programs, so a return is never wasted.
3. Resolution — for a confirmed in-warranty defect, we issue a repaired or replacement unit. Advance-replacement options, where a replacement ships before we receive the failed unit, are available on supported product lines — ask support when you open the case.

Timeline

Evaluation and resolution timelines depend on product line and whether advance replacement is in use. Support will give you a specific estimate when the RMA is issued. If your deployment cannot tolerate the standard turnaround, raise that when you open the case so we can discuss advance replacement.