Hardware Replacement Policy

WARRANTY PERIODS
REPLACEMENT OPTIONS
1. STANDARD HARDWARE REPLACEMENT (RETURN AND REPLACE)
2. ADVANCE HARDWARE REPLACEMENT
PROACTIVE HARDWARE RETURN AND REPLACEMENT
DOA (DEAD ON ARRIVAL) POLICY
REPLACEMENT DEVICE TYPЕ
SHIPPING SLA, CUT-OFF, AND COSTS
LICENSE TRANSFER
BACK-UP AND HIGH AVAILABILITY CONFIGURATION
TITLE AND RISK
NO FAULT FOUND
DISCLAIMER
EXCLUSIONS
CHANGES
ORDER OF PRECEDENCE

This Hardware Replacement Policy (also referred to as the “RMA Policy” or the “Policy”) outlines the terms and conditions for a Customer to obtain replacement of defective Sophos Hardware or Hardware parts (“Replacement Hardware”) from Sophos in redemption of a Sophos-approved replacement request claim, per the Sophos Hardware Warranty Policy, during the earlier of either the support subscription period purchased for the defective Hardware or before the End-of-Life-Date for such defective Hardware (“Support Period”). This RMA Policy outlines the processes for validating the device issue and eligibility for replacement in Sophos Support’s investigation, creation of a Sophos Support case, Replacement Hardware shipment, transferring the relevant product license to the Replacement Hardware, and processing the return of defective Hardware.

Customer should contact Sophos Support with any Hardware functionality issue. If Sophos Support is unable to resolve the Hardware issue, Sophos Support may raise a Return Merchandise Authorization ("RMA”) request on behalf of the Customer per the Hardware Warranty Policy.

Sophos Support has full discretion to review and validate Customer’s Hardware device issue and determine whether Customer’s device is considered defective and eligible for replacement (“Defective Hardware”) per this Hardware Replacement Policy. If eligible, Sophos Support will initiate the RMA request.

1. WARRANTY PERIODS

Per the Hardware Warranty Policy, Customers are eligible for standard RMA services if the Defective Hardware is covered under the Base Warranty Period or Extended Warranty Period and has not reached the End-of-Life Date. “End-of-Life Date” means the applicable Hardware Product’s end of life date, as updated by Sophos from time to time, and published at: Retirement calendar for Sophos SG UTM, Sophos Firewall, Sophos Wireless, Sophos RED, and other network products.

Hardware	Warranty Period
XGS Series	Twelve (12) months from the date that Sophos processed the order from its channel partner, but in no event beyond the End-of-Life Date
SG Series
XG Series
SD-RED	Five (5) years from the date that Sophos processed the order from its channel partner, but in no event beyond the End-of-Life Date
APX Series
Sophos Switch	Limited Lifetime* Warranty * Per the Hardware Warranty Policy, the “Lifetime” of the Hardware ends on the End-of-Life Date
AP6 Series

2. REPLACEMENT OPTIONS

STANDARD HARDWARE REPLACEMENT (RETURN AND REPLACE)
1. Raising Support Request: After a Customer has contacted Sophos Support regarding its device issue, and Sophos Support has validated that the issue is eligible for Replacement Hardware, Sophos Support shall generate an RMA number for Replacement Hardware.
2. Return Process: Customer shall return the Defective Hardware to the return location designated by Sophos. The Defective Hardware must be securely and properly packaged. The RMA number shall be prominently displayed on the exterior of the packaging. Shipping and insurance shall be prepaid by the Customer.
3. Replacement Shipment: Upon receipt of the Defective Hardware, Sophos will (at its cost) ship Replacement Hardware to the Customer DAP (Delivered at Place) Incoterms® 2020. The Customer is responsible for customs clearance, compliance with local laws, and payment of local taxes.

ADVANCE HARDWARE REPLACEMENT

Eligibility

Customers are eligible for an Advance Hardware Replacement if they have the necessary and active subscription(s) as outlined below.

“Term License” means a support subscription for a defined pre-paid subscription period.

“MSP License” means a support subscription on a consumption-based payment model for MSP customers.

Device Type	License Type	HA Mode	Required Subscription for Eligibility	Eligibility Applies To
SG/XG/XGS running on SFOS	Term License	None	Enhanced Support (Included in Standard Protection & Xstream Protection)	Defective Hardware only
	MSP (Consumption-Based)	None	Xstream Protection or Standard Protection (MSP)	Defective Hardware only
	Term/MSP	Active-Active	Each unit must have: TERM: Enhanced Support MSP: Xstream or Standard Protection	Both Primary & Secondary
	Term/MSP	Active-Passive	Primary must have: TERM: Enhanced Plus Support MSP: Xstream Protection	Both Primary & Secondary
SG running on UTM9	Term License	None	Premium Support or Valid subscription	Defective Hardware only
	Term License	Active-Active	Both must have: Premium Support or valid subscription	Both Primary & Secondary
	Term License	Active-Passive	Primary must have: Premium Support or valid subscription	Both Primary & Secondary

Device	Management Type	Eligibility Requirement
AP6	Sophos Central	Must have an active support subscription
Sophos Switch	Sophos Central	Must have an active support subscription
SD-RED 20/60**	Managed with SFOS devices	Connected SFOS device must have an active Enhanced Plus Support subscription
SD-RED 20/60**	Managed with UTM 9 devices	Connected UTM 9 device must have an active Premium Support subscription
APX Devices**	Managed with SFOS devices	Connected SFOS device must have an active Enhanced Plus Support subscription
	Managed with UTM 9 devices	Connected UTM 9 device must have an active Premium Support subscription
	Standalone units	Not eligible for Advance Hardware Replacement

**For APX and SD-RED, Eligibility for Advance Hardware Replacement is limited to a maximum of five (5) years from the date Sophos processed the order from its channel partner or the End-of-Life Date, whichever is earlier.

For Devices Running SFOS on SG/XG/XGS Hardware:
1. Term License: Enhanced Support subscription is active for the Defective Hardware. Note: Standard/Xstream Protection includes Enhanced Support.
2. MSP License:Xstream Protection or Standard Protection MSP License is active for the Defective Hardware.
3. HA (High Availability/Cluster):
  1. Active-Active Cluster: For both Primary and Secondary Hardware to be eligible, each must have an active Enhanced Support (Term License) or Xstream Protection or Standard Protection MSP Support (MSP License)
  2. Active-Passive Cluster: If the Primary Hardware has an active Enhanced Plus Support (Term License) or Xstream Protection (MSP License), both the Primary and the Secondary Hardware will be eligible for Advanced Hardware Replacement.
For Devices Running UTM 9 on SG Series Hardware:
1. Term License: Premium Support or any valid Sophos subscription is active for the Defective Hardware.
2. HA (High Availability/Cluster):
  1. Active-Active Cluster: Premium Support or valid subscriptions are active for both Primary and Secondary Hardware.
  2. Active-Passive Cluster: If the Primary Hardware has an active Premium Support or valid subscription, both the Primary and the Secondary Hardware will be eligible for Advanced Hardware Replacement.
    
    Support level details are available at Sophos Support Plans - Find and Compare Plans.
AP6 and Sophos Switch: AP6 and Sophos Switch devices must have an active support subscription for Defective Hardware.
SD-RED: For RED 20/60 Hardware:
1. Managed with SFOS devices: The Defective Hardware connected with the SFOS device must have active Enhanced Plus support subscription, i.e., if the SD-RED is connected to XGS with an active Enhanced Plus support, then that SD-RED is eligible for Advance Hardware Replacement.
2. Managed with UTM 9 devices: The Defective Hardware connected with the UTM 9 must have an active Premium Support subscription, i.e., if the SD-RED is connected to UTM 9 devices with an active Premium Support subscription, then that SD-RED is eligible for Advance Hardware Replacement.
APX Devices:
1. Managed with SFOS devices:The Defective Hardware managed with SFOS devices must have an active Enhanced Plus Support subscription.
2. Managed with UTM 9 devices:The Defective Hardware managed with UTM 9 devices must have an active Premium Support subscription.
3. Advance hardware replacement is not available for standalone units.
Accessories: Accessories, including Modules, GBICs (Transceivers), Power Supplies (including POE devices), Rackmounts/Brackets, and External Antennas, follow the warranty of the Defective Hardware to which they are connected.

Waiting Period:

If a support subscription for XGS is purchased more than thirty (30) days after the expiration of either (i) any applicable Warranty Period or (ii) the previous support subscription, the Customer will not be eligible to receive Replacement Hardware during the first three (3) months of the new support subscription (“Waiting Period”), unless reinstatement fees are paid to waive the Waiting Period.
Raising a Support Request:

If the Defective Hardware is covered by an active support subscription that includes Advanced Hardware Replacement, and the Hardware fails during the Support Period, the Customer shall contact Sophos Support to generate an RMA number for replacement of Defective Hardware. Sophos will issue the requested RMA number if it determines the Hardware is eligible for replacement.
Replacement Shipment:

Provided the RMA request has not been submitted during the Waiting Period and the RMA request is approved, Sophos may ship the Replacement Hardware to the Customer prior to receiving the Defective Hardware under the DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) Incoterms® 2020. Sophos shall bear all associated shipping costs. The Customer shall act as the Importer of Record and shall be solely responsible for obtaining and providing any required import licenses, permits, or documentation necessary for customs clearance, as well as for ensuring compliance with all applicable local laws and regulations. If the destination country has a local Sophos entity or the Customer is eligible to recover applicable customs duties and taxes, Sophos may, at its discretion, ship the Replacement Hardware under DAP (Delivered at Place) Incoterms® 2020 instead of DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) Incoterms® 2020.
Returning the Defective Hardware:
1. If Sophos ships Replacement Hardware prior to receipt of the Defective Hardware, Customer shall return the Defective Hardware within fifteen (15) days of receiving the Replacement Hardware. Customer shall use return packaging if provided by Sophos. If such return packaging is not available, Customer shall ensure the Defective Hardware is properly packaged to prevent further damage during transit. The Defective Hardware must be returned as a complete unit. Customer shall not remove or retain any internal components (e.g., hard disk drives, solid-state drives, or other internal parts), except for external accessories such as power supply units (PSUs), unless such removal and retention are expressly permitted in writing by Sophos.
2. Customer shall return the Defective Hardware to Sophos, at Sophos’ expense, using the carrier designated by Sophos. Customer shall act as the exporter of record and is solely responsible for customs clearance, complying with applicable local laws, and payment of local taxes.
3. If Customer fails to return the Defective Hardware within the specified period, Sophos may, at its sole discretion and without further notice, invoice Customer, or direct the applicable reseller or distributor to issue such invoice, for the full cost of the Replacement Hardware. Customer shall remit payment within thirty (30) days of the invoice date. Upon receipt of such payment, title to the Replacement Hardware shall pass to Customer.
Customer Responsibility for Costs:

Sophos reserves the right to invoice Customer, or direct the applicable reseller or distributor to do so, for any costs incurred due to Customer’s failure to comply with the return obligations set forth herein.

3. PROACTIVE HARDWARE RETURN AND REPLACEMENT:

If Sophos receives an automated failure notice from the Hardware, Sophos may initiate an RMA and ship the Replacement Hardware to the Customer without the need for the Customer to contact Sophos. In such cases, the Hardware Warranty Policy shall apply as if the Customer had requested an RMA as per the Hardware Warranty Policy.

4. DOA (DEAD ON ARRIVAL) POLICY

Hardware shall be considered Dead on Arrival (“DOA”) if the Hardware was defective upon its first use by the Customer and within:
1. Thirty (30) calendar days from the date on which Sophos processed the Order from its channel partner; or
2. A maximum of one hundred twenty (120) calendar days from the date on which Sophos processed the Order from its channel partner, provided the Hardware remained in storage and was not deployed or activated during that period.
Replacement of DOA Hardware is subject to Sophos’s verification and confirmation of the reported defect. Sophos reserves sole discretion to determine whether the device qualifies as DOA under this Hardware Replacement Policy.
If Hardware is verified to be DOA by Sophos, Sophos will provide new Replacement Hardware.

5. REPLACEMENT DEVICE TYPE

At Sophos’s sole discretion, the Replacement Hardware provided under this Hardware Replacement Policy may be either:
1. new or refurbished Replacement Hardware;
2. the same or a higher version model than the Defective Hardware; or
3. the original Defective Hardware after being repaired by Sophos.
If Sophos is unable to supply the same model as the Defective Hardware due to stock unavailability or any other unavoidable circumstances, Sophos reserves the right to ship an upgraded or higher version model as the Replacement Hardware.
The Replacement Hardware may or may not have the same manufacturing date as the Defective Hardware.
Replacement Hardware is generally provided without accessories. Unless explicitly stated on the RMA form, Customers are advised to retain and use the accessories from the Defective Hardware.
The Replacement Hardware may not be able to support the same version of the Software as installed on the Defective Hardware.
1. Sophos does not guarantee backward compatibility of the Replacement Hardware.
2. Replacement Hardware does not have pre-installed firmware. Customers can configure the required firmware as per the guidance provided atMove to a different firmware version - Sophos Firewall.

6. SHIPPING SLA, CUT-OFF, AND COSTS

For Advanced Hardware Replacement as described in Section 2.b above, Sophos will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship the Replacement Hardware by the next business day if the RMA number is fully processed (the RMA was raised by Sophos Support and the RMA was approved by Sophos Compliance) before the applicable cut-off time below. Please note that some RMA cases may require a compliance screening or additional information, which may entail additional time for processing the request and shipment.

Region	Cut-Off Time
APAC (ASIA Pacific)	14:00 (Taiwan Standard Time - TST)
JAPAN	14:30 (Japan Standard Time - JST)
ANZ (Australia, New Zealand)	13:30 (Australian East Standard Time - AEST)
INDIA	14:30 (India Standard Time - IST)
MEA (Middle East, Africa)	14:00 (Gulf Standard Time - GST)
EUROPE (Not Including United Kingdom)	13:00 (Central European Time - CET)
UNITED KINGDOM	13:00 (Greenwich Mean Time - GMT)
AMERICAS, LATAM (Latin America, Not Including Brazil)	13:00 (Pacifica Time Zone - PST)
BRAZIL	11:00 (Brasília Time - BRT)

Replacement Hardware is shipped during weekdays only (Monday to Friday), excluding weekdays which are regional public holidays or warehouse closure days. Any RMA requests that are approved after cut-off on Friday, or during holidays, warehouse closure days, or weekends, will be processed and shipped on the next business day.
Certain countries may require Customers to have necessary permits and import license(s) to import the Replacement Hardware into that country. If required, Sophos may request an authorized distributor to import the shipment on the Customer’s behalf, which may impact the dispatch timeframe. Sophos will only ship the Replacement Hardware to the country where the original Hardware was purchased. Customer shall be responsible for shipment of Replacement Hardware to any other country thereafter.
For compliance with applicable laws, Sophos may request the Customer to complete additional documentation or forms before shipment.
Sophos will ship Replacement Hardware using DAP or DDP Incoterms® 2020, subject to the conditions above. Sophos is not liable to pay any 3rd party brokerage fees or any other charges incurred to clear shipments. Sophos will cover the Freight cost (for DAP) and Freight, Duties, and Taxes (for DDP) shipments only. Sophos will use a suitable courier to ship the Replacement Hardware. Sophos cannot promise delivery dates as this can vary based on carriers and events that are beyond our control.

7. LICENSE TRANSFER

For SG/XG/XGS devices running SFOS, the Customer should “claim” (register) the Replacement Hardware and transfer the license from the Defective Hardware as soon as they receive the Replacement Hardware. Claim/registration can easily be done using the Hardware’s Web Admin Portal or Sophos Central account per the guidance available at Claim an RMA firewall - Sophos Central Admin.
Guidance for HA (High Availability) license transfers is available at How to transfer a license - Sophos Firewall.
The license transfer process is automated. When the Customer claims the Replacement Hardware using the same Sophos Central account where the Defective Hardware is registered, the system should prompt the Customer that licenses associated with the Defective Hardware will be transferred to the Replacement Hardware. This will de-register the Defective Hardware, which will then function as a basic router only.
For SG devices running UTM 9, the Customer must download the license file from the My UTM portal and upload it to the Web Admin Portal for the Replacement Hardware. For any issues during the license transfer process, please contact Sophos support at: Contact Sophos support - Sophos Support
For Sophos Switch or AP6 series devices, the Customer shall register the replacement device under the same Sophos Central account as the originally registered Defective Hardware. This registration is required because support licenses are administered through the Customer’s Sophos Central account and are not tied to individual hardware units.

8. BACK-UP AND HIGH AVAILABILITY CONFIGURATION

Customers can save backups on their defective Sophos Firewall, using FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to save them on a server or email the backup file. For more information, please see: Backup and restore - Sophos Firewall
To reconfigure a High Availability (HA) active-passive set up, please see: Reconfigure HA devices in active-passive mode after an RMA - Sophos Firewall

9. TITLE AND RISK

Title to the Defective Hardware shall pass to Sophos upon the earlier of (i) the Customer’s receipt of the Replacement Hardware, or (ii) Sophos’s receipt of the Defective Hardware at the return location indicated by Sophos.
Title to the Replacement Hardware provided to Customer under the Hardware Warranty Policy and this Hardware Replacement Policy shall pass to Customer upon the later of (i) shipment of the Replacement Hardware by or on behalf of Sophos, or (ii) Sophos’ receipt of the Defective Hardware. Risk of loss for the Replacement Hardware shall pass to the Customer upon shipment of such Replacement Hardware by or on behalf of Sophos. The Customer is responsible for obtaining and paying for any insurance as is necessary.

10. NO FAULT FOUND

If Sophos does not find any defect or any missing parts or components in the Defective Hardware returned by the Customer, Sophos reserves the right to invoice Customer or direct the applicable reseller or distributor to invoice the Customer, in which case Customer must pay the cost of any Replacement Hardware that had been sent to Customer.

11. DISCLAIMER

IN ADDITION TO THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, SOPHOS DISCLAIMS ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAINTAINING OR PROTECTING ANY CONFIGURATION SETTINGS OR DATA FOUND ON THE DEFECTIVE HARDWARE OR COMPONENT PARTS THEREOF. CUSTOMER IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR REMOVING ANY AND ALL OF CUSTOMER'S DATA FROM THE DEFECTIVE HARDWARE BEFORE SHIPPING THE DEFECTIVE HARDWARE.

12. EXCLUSIONS

This Hardware Replacement Policy covers repair or replacement of the Defective Hardware during the Support Period. It does not apply to Software, configuration, or configuration assistance, or any other Product, Service, or support.
This Hardware Replacement Policy does not apply to:
1. repair or replacement caused or necessitated by: (a) accident; unusual physical, electrical or electromagnetic stress; neglect; misuse; fluctuations in electrical power beyond those set out in the specifications; failure of air conditioning or humidity control; improper maintenance, or any other neglect, misuse, abuse or mishandling; (b) force majeure, including, without limitation, natural disasters such as fire, flood, wind, earthquake, lightning or similar disaster; (c) governmental actions or inactions; (d) strikes or work stoppages; (e) Customer’s failure to follow applicable use or operation instructions or manuals; (f) Customer’s failure to implement, or to allow Sophos or its agents to implement, any corrections or modifications to the Hardware made available to Customer by Sophos; or (g) such other events outside Sophos’s reasonable control; and/or
  1. repair or replacement that would be contrary to Sanctions and Export Control Laws; and/or
  2. repair or replacement for a Hardware unit that was provided at no cost to Customer under the EAP (Early Access Program).
ALL HARDWARE WARRANTIES ARE NULL AND VOID IF ANY WARRANTY STICKERS ARE TAMPERED WITH OR MISSING, OR IF THE HARDWARE WAS REPAIRED OR ALTERED BY PERSONNEL OTHER THAN THOSE AUTHORIZED BY SOPHOS.

13. CHANGES

Changes to this Hardware Replacement Policy shall be effective thirty (30) days from the date Customer is notified of changes. Such notice may include posting of the revised Hardware Replacement Policy to this website.

14. ORDER OF PRECEDENCE

Notwithstanding the terms and conditions set forth in this RMA Policy, Customer understands that in the event of a conflict, between this RMA Policy and the Sophos Hardware Warranty Policy, the Sophos Hardware Warranty Policy shall prevail.

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