To Bob's snide remark, how are we supposed to know that buying an ATTO card from Apple with the same card model number and brand as you would from the manufacturer or one of its other suppliers is not exactly the same? No one at Apple or any of the literature even hints at a difference.

This was an expensive lesson to learn that Apple charges the same or more for these types of upgrades as the original manufacturer, but the customer gets a crippled product. In my view, this is misrepresentation.

Something is not right here. Either ATTO reduces the reputation of their brand under this scenario, or Apple disrespects its customers or both. Either way, the customers loose. In my opinion, for some of us who made this made-to-order upgrade, we feel cheated because these upgrades really only work for the privileged who happened to buy this product directly from ATTO instead or one of it's other suppliers and not Apple.