the effect of currency rate fluctuations, total hardware systems products margin and margin as a percentage of revenues decreased in fiscal 2013 as our total revenues for this segment decreased at a faster rate than our total expenses.

Hardware Systems Support:     Our hardware systems support offerings provide customers with software updates for software components that are essential to the functionality of our server, storage and networking products, such as Oracle Solaris and certain other software products, and can include product repairs, maintenance services and technical support services. Expenses associated with our hardware systems support operating segment include the cost of materials used to repair customer products, the cost of providing support services, largely personnel related expenses, and the amortization of our intangible assets associated with hardware systems support contracts and customer relationships obtained from our acquisitions.

 

Fiscal 2014 Compared to Fiscal 2013:     Excluding the impact of unfavorable currency rate fluctuations, hardware systems support revenues increased in fiscal 2014 primarily due to incremental revenues from our recent acquisitions. These hardware support revenues increases were partially offset by certain hardware support revenues decreases that were generally caused by the reductions in sales volumes of certain of our legacy hardware systems product lines for which we offer hardware systems support. In constant currency, hardware systems support revenues growth in the Americas and Asia Pacific region was partially offset by a decline in revenues in the EMEA region.

As a result of our acquisitions, we recorded adjustments to reduce assumed hardware systems support obligations to their estimated fair values at the acquisition dates. Due to our application of business combination accounting rules, hardware systems support revenues related to hardware systems support contracts in the amounts of $11 million, $14 million and $30 million that would have been otherwise reported by our acquired businesses as independent entities were not recognized in fiscal 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. To the extent these underlying hardware systems support contracts are renewed, we will recognize the revenues for the full values of these contracts over the future support periods.

Total hardware systems support expenses decreased in fiscal 2014 primarily due to a reduction in employee related expenses attributable to decreased headcount and reduced service delivery costs due to operational initiatives, partially offset by an increase in amortization of intangible assets.

Excluding the effect of currency rate fluctuations, total hardware systems support margin and margin as a percentage of total revenues increased in fiscal 2014 as our total revenues for this segment increased while our total expenses for this segment decreased.

Fiscal 2013 Compared to Fiscal 2012:     Excluding the impact of currency rate fluctuations, hardware systems support revenues decreased in fiscal 2013 primarily due to reductions in sales volumes of certain of our legacy hardware systems product lines for which we offer