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Today's corporate networks have become a mainstream business tool, playing an integral role in both revenue generation and competitive strategy. They manage the flow of vital information that's crucial to daily business survival; they're the very lifelines that keep companies running.
As corporate network strategies around the world continue to evolve, so does network complexity. More connections are required -- more nodes, routers, switches, software, and servers. With so many factors involved, people are challenged to find new ways of maintaining these powerful new networks.
Cisco understands that its customers have diverse needs and unique requirements. That's why Cisco developed a range of comprehensive support services designed to address the concerns of a variety of different customers.
Small to medium businesses, enterprise corporations, and service providers can choose from standard service packages, or build a customized service package to suit individual needs. A variety of support programs allow you to leverage internal support staff while augmenting your skills, experience, and resources with Cisco technical experts.
Cisco's support philosophy extends beyond traditional support into a full-service program aimed at covering the wide range of challenges you might encounter throughout the entire life cycle of your network. Whether you're looking to plan, design, implement, maintain or optimize your network, Cisco has the service offerings you require.
The planning and design phase of your network can begin even before you purchase your new networking equipment. An array of Cisco Service and Support solutions provide expert program and project managers and engineers to help you assess you current environment and develop a networking technology plan to meet your strategic business goals.
When you're ready to implement new or additional networking technology, Cisco Support Solutions give you installation service options -- from the initial delivery of equipment on your doorstep to the actual network start-up. Advanced Installation Services provide for local-area network installations and Network Implementation Services provide for a complex, multi-location wide-area network installations. You can also take advantage of Program and Project Management services, as well as customized consulting services to plan and manage the entire implementation from start to finish.
Maintenance services are the foundation of Cisco's Service and Support Solutions. Cisco Connection Online (CCO), the industry-leading online support and information service is your first stop, offering fast access to information, parts diagnostics, and technicians to get your equipment back in full production as quickly as possible. When direct help from the experts is necessary, you can call on the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC). With an automated escalation process, you're assured to get routed to a highly skilled engineer equipped to resolve your issues quickly.
With Cisco Support Solutions, you can choose from standard parts replacement and service contracts, or you can customize your own service program that meets your unique requirements. Whatever your network life cycle and business goals may be, Cisco has just the support offerings you need.
First and foremost, Cisco's "evergreen" technology allows your network to deliver years of optimal performance. Ongoing, automatic software upgrades allow your network to deliver even higher performance and greater functionality than when it was first installed. New features can be easily integrated to accommodate growth and changes in your business, as well as new applications and technology that may come along.
Next, Cisco Connection Online (CCO), the industry-leading online support and information service, provides you with fast access to parts and technicians so your equipment is back in full production as quickly as possible. Unrestricted access to the Cisco support knowledge base is available to registered and unregistered users 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
When direct help from the experts is necessary, you can call on the TAC. The Cisco TAC coordinates hundreds of technical experts, dozens of information resources, millions of dollars of equipment, and years of internetworking experience to assist you. Automated, skills-based routing gets you to a highly skilled engineer equipped to resolve your issues quickly. Escalation processes, both automated and user initiated, ensure that if additional assistance is required, you get it.
Finally, Cisco and its extensive network of partners offer you expert advice on common network strategies such as: design, management, and operation assessment. Standard service packages and flexible consulting options provide innovative methods of leveraging Cisco expert technicians and processes.
Certain programs have been developed to address market-specific needs. The following chart identifies the appropriate product for your business.
Cisco's dedication to support has earned it an outstanding reputation as a first-class service organization. You can rely on Cisco to partner with you as a strategic vendor of both leading networking technology and service. By making its knowledge, logistics, resources, and expert systems available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Cisco fulfills its promise -- The Network Works. No Excuses sm.
No matter where your company is located, you can be assured that Cisco support provides you fast, easy access to information and assistance. Cisco's global technological backbone and network of partners gives you assistance via the Web, the telephone, or in person.
These services are sold directly by Cisco
Network expansions and deployment are projects that occur infrequently in many organizations. When they do, however, they are high-priority, complex events that require high levels of expertise and coordination. When the clock is ticking and business-critical functions rely on your network, look to Cisco Systems as your installation and implementation partner.
With a global partner network, Cisco can assign a team to assist you with network deployment projects anywhere in the world. Each team is targeted to include skills and expertise that meet the unique requirements of each installation -- so you're ensured of having exactly the right resources, in the right place, at the right time.
Cisco Advanced Installation Services take the headache out of deploying your network. With assistance from a partner who knows the ropes, you can significantly reduce the time it takes to have your new network up and running. Time is money, and Cisco's rapid, guaranteed installation and implementations enable you to increase your return on investment, maximize user productivity, and enjoy optimal network performance.
Staging offers you consistency across all sites -- eliminating connectivity failures, and reducing network implementation time. With staging, Cisco configures and tests Cisco products in a staging area and coordinates deployment directly to your location according to the project timetable. Cisco will install the products onsite and will verify the successful network connection.
AIS project managers coordinate all activities involved in a large-scale complex installation across multiple customer sites. Project managers will identify your critical needs, define responsibilities, develop a project plan outlining the tasks and resources, and establish controls for a smooth, timely process. Then they'll properly configure, test, and install your Cisco product and supply you with regular project status reports, keeping you informed of the progress.
Based on the logical and physical project schematics and pertinent site information, Cisco will provide a rollout plan with milestones and schedules. AIS specialists will coordinate and manage all aspects of the installation activities to ensure successful network deployment.
Advanced Installation Services are currently available in U.S. only.
AIS for AccessPath offers specialized and streamlined installation of Cisco's integrated access systems. With AIS for AccessPath, Cisco technicians ensure that each step goes smoothly, from overall project management through end-to-end system testing.
Contact your local Cisco representative for AIS for AccessPath availability and scheduling.
Customers needing assistance with WAN expansions and backbone deployment can rely on Cisco's WAN Network Implementation Services (NIS). Cisco teams with the best equipment installation and implementation experts in the networking industry to provide you a complete turnkey solution that streamlines the implementation of your network. It gives you a range of services from initial installation through project management, depending upon your needs.
WAN NIS is designed to provide a complete, seamless support of network deployment for Cisco WAN products. It includes the following:
NIS project managers coordinate all activities involved in a large-scale, complex installation across multiple customer sites. Project managers will identify your critical needs, define responsibilities, develop a project plan outlining the tasks and resources, and establish controls for a smooth, timely process. Then they'll properly configure, test, and install your Cisco WAN products and supply you with regular project status reports, keeping you informed of the progress.
Cisco assigns an experienced project engineer to take ownership of all technical issues that arise during the project time frame. The project engineer and project manager work together to provide a seamless, successful WAN implementation. All NIS specialists, whether from Cisco or a third-party vendor, are subjected to a rigorous training and qualification program that ensures they are the best in the industry.
Cisco NIS eases the process deploying your wide-area network. With NIS project managers and engineers, you get seamless network implementation from a single point of contact. In addition, getting your network up and running fast helps maximize user productivity and increases the return on your network investment.
NIS is currently available on a multinational basis.
These services are sold directly by Cisco.
As the complex information sent around the world via the Internet increases, so do the busy signals. Ordinary phone lines are managing most of the traffic and bogging down under the pressure. They're just not fast enough for today's data -- video, audio, and graphics. And most people are searching for a faster way to send and receive information, a way that won't tie up their phone lines all day. ISDN is the answer for many.
ISDN, or Integrated Services Digital Network, is a service from your local phone company. It is designed for a completely digital telephone/telecommunications network, and will carry voice, data, images, video --- everything you could ever need. It is also designed to provide a single interface (in terms of both hardware and communication protocols) for hooking up your phone, fax machine, computer, videophone, and in the future, other services such as video-on-demand. ISDN is about what the future phone network, and information superhighway will look like.
ISDN Support Services from Cisco provide a single point-of-contact for setting up your Cisco equipment with an ISDN connection. Support representatives work closely with you to capture information for your Internet Service Provider and long distance carrier, while helping to make the transition to ISDN easy.
You can eliminate the frustration of dealing with a variety of different companies to obtain the ISDN service you need. With Cisco ISDN Support Services, you will have industry experts helping you through every step of the process and ensuring a smooth ISDN connection. A Cisco representative will notify you of all related connection issues via the method you choose (voice call, fax, voice mail, or e-mail). The order process takes only minutes. It's simple and easy, done right the first time.
There is no charge for provisioning a line that is to be connected to a Cisco product. Ongoing line or usage charges are contracted outside this service and are the responsibility of the customer.
ISDN Support Services are available in the U.S. only. To access this service or to obtain more information, just call 800 553-NETS (6387) and select the Customer Service option or visit the Cisco ISDN Web site at www.cisco.com/isdn.
These services are sold directly by Cisco.
These services are available on a multinational basis through Cisco.
In order to deploy and manage an internetwork, you need immediate access to expert information and assistance. SMARTnet, Cisco's industry-leading support program, provides real-time access to Cisco's expertise. SMARTnet access is provided through either its industry-leading electronic delivery system or its worldwide network of technical experts who have significant experience in providing remote-based software support to the world's largest internetworks.
You can use SMARTnet to meet a variety of your requirements ranging from initial deployment of networks to global implementation of advanced techniques and topologies. With SMARTnet, you'll receive telephone and online access to Cisco's technical support team, anytime, anywhere in the world (24x7x365).
A network requires constant modification to keep up with rapidly changing environments. As protocols change, the network fabric must also change to stay compatible. As new technologies are introduced, innovators must integrate them into devices that were built before the technology was invented. As the user base grows, solutions need to scale to support the increased demands.
Unlike other manufacturers who rely on hardware-dominant solutions, Cisco is able to respond to changes in your networking environment -- quickly -- providing low-cost, immediate software updates, thus enhancing your hardware and extending its life cycle.
And with SMARTnet service products, you're automatically entitled to all major updates, with sophisticated upgrade planning processes, as well as maintenance fixes. These updates are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through Cisco Connection Online (CCO).
For SMARTnet customers whose hardware maintenance model includes self-maintenance of hardware and incorporates redundant systems, SMARTnet's advance replacement feature provides the critical parts in a timely manner. A range of delivery options provides technical staff with replacement parts for rapid repair.
Defective parts must be returned to Cisco within ten days according to Cisco's Return Material Authorization (RMA) procedure, or customers will be invoiced for the replacement parts.
For more information regarding which service category your Cisco equipment belongs in, check the Cisco home page at www.cisco.com. For products not covered by one of the service categories, please check with your local reseller for availability and ordering information.
Availability of SMARTnet is subject to geographic restrictions. SMARTnet support delivered by Cisco is available in the following countries:
These services are sold directly by Cisco.
These services are available on a multinational basis through Cisco.
For customers needing onsite hardware maintenance service, Cisco offers SMARTnet Onsite. SMARTnet Onsite delivers all the services of SMARTnet, plus onsite support.
To quality for this service, each Cisco product must be registered under a Cisco SMARTnet Onsite Support Agreement. Cisco support customers may purchase different levels of support based on the physical location of Cisco products (Headquarters, branch, remote office, and so on) and different support needs at those locations. When purchasing SMARTnet Onsite support, customers will be required to identify the exact location(s) of Cisco products to ensure that the entitled level of support is provided.
Customers are also required to notify Cisco of any moves, adds, or changes to equipment under contract. Each Cisco product must be registered under a Cisco SMARTnet Onsite support agreement to qualify for this service.
Defective parts must be returned to Cisco within ten days according to Cisco's Return Material Authorization (RMA) procedure, or you will be invoiced for the replacement parts.
Availability of SMARTnet Onsite is subject to geographic restrictions and areas within a set distance from individual service locations. SMARTnet Onsite is available in the U.S., Canada, EU countries, Norway, Switzerland, and Australia.
In Australia, Cisco offers SMARTnet Onsite 8x5x4 (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, four-hour response), SMARTnet Onsite 12x7x4 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., seven days a week, four-hour response), and SMARTnet Onsite 24x7x4 (24 hours a day, seven days a week, four-hour response).
When ordering SMARTnet Onsite, note the following important information:
To build a profitable business in today's competitive environment, service providers (SPs) face many challenges. They must protect their substantial investment in the network infrastructure while they reduce operating costs.
Cisco's SP Maintenance Services are designed to protect your investment through delivery of ongoing software updates and upgrades that extend product life. You can use these same Cisco IOS software upgrades to develop new services that differentiate them from competitors and produce incremental revenue. Cisco's Maintenance Services also let you offer the right network availability that your customers demand.
Finally, Cisco's complete SP Maintenance Services eliminate the complexity, frustration, and high costs frequently associated with multiple-vendor support. You can support your local or wide-area Cisco network with world-class Cisco services -- end-to-end, no excuses.
Cisco's SP Maintenance Services re designed to give you the flexibility to select a program that will meet your requirements and budget. To get the maximum benefit from a Cisco maintenance solution, it's best to purchase the SP Base Plan plus the Hardware Support option that suits your service-level needs. For those SPs who also maintain customer premises equipment (CPE), Cisco offers a separate CPE support package.
For complete support, Cisco's SP Base Plan should be supplemented with the hardware option appropriate to the needs of your network segment. For example, to ensure the high availability that is mission critical to the network backbone, most SPs maintain an inventory of spare parts for quick hot-swapping, or replacement, of failed parts without disruption of network availability. Cisco's advance replacement and onsite hardware support are designed to keep this crucial inventory intact at all times. Remote distribution/point of presence (POP) sites also need service and support. It may be more cost-effective to offload this responsibility to a Cisco-dispatched onsite maintenance engineer, who can respond within four hours or by the next business day (NBD), as needed. There is also a return-for-replacement option to allow non-critical spare parts to be replaced affordably.
These services are sold directly by Cisco.
These services are available on a multinational basis through Cisco.
The SP Base Plan is the foundation of Cisco Maintenance Services and includes access to the award-winning Cisco Connection Online (CCO) Web site, Technical Assistance Center (TAC), and Cisco IOS software updates and enhancements -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. CCO access puts a substantial range of electronic problem-resolution tools, information, and services at your fingertips, including:
Whenever direct telephone contact is preferred, more than 2000 of the world's top development engineers stand ready to provide expert assistance. This service is available worldwide in more than 140 languages for global support.
These services are sold directly by Cisco.
These services are available on a multinational basis through Cisco.
Cisco offers a packaged support program to cover equipment that resides at your customer's site. As an all-in-one solution, the program meets the essential needs of CPE support by combining software-update, CCO, and TAC access features with a cost-effective level of hardware support that you can affordably extend to your customers.
Service Provider Maintenance Support is available on a multinational basis.
These services are sold directly by Cisco.
To ensure that you get the full benefit of your software investment, Cisco has expanded its industry-leading Cisco Support Solutions to include software (all Cisco software other than embedded software or Cisco IOS software.) The Software Application Support and Software Application Support Plus Upgrades offerings provide Technical Assistance and online support and maintenance updates. In addition, the Software Application Support Plus Upgrades offering provides new major releases, and proactive shipment of both major and minor releases.
With Cisco's Software Application Services, you get all the tools needed to ensure maximum value from your investment:
Cisco Software Application Services are available on a multinational basis.
These services are sold directly by Cisco.
These services are available on a multinational basis through Cisco.
When networking technology advances faster than the speed of business, many companies worry they will be left behind. Cisco's Networked Supported Accounts (NSA) program delivers the personalized, proactive, and consultative support that companies need to stay competitive.
Each NSA account team is headed by a primary engineer who has overall responsibility for the customer's networking success. Primary engineers manage all outstanding technical issues, maintain a current account profile, and inform the back up engineers of all major issues.
NSA team members are all development-level engineers who are either Cisco Certified Internetwork Experts (CCIEs), certified through the most highly respected networking certification program in the industry, or WAN networking or technology experts.
Because NSA engineers have intimate knowledge of companies' networks, many potential networking problems can be avoided. If critical, time-sensitive issues do arise, the NSA engineers are able to use this information to resolve issues quickly and completely. With this level of expertise, companies are able to spend less time worrying about the network, and more time making it -- and their business -- work for them.
This end-to-end Cisco support program increases the reliability of the network by providing access to Cisco networking experts, design reviews, network audits, and deployment services. As a result, it maximizes the performance and availability of a variety of networking environments. With Cisco's NSA -- The Network Works. No Excuses. And it works well.
Cisco's business is the network, and Cisco's goal is customer success. Cisco's strategy has always been to listen to its customers and deliver the right solutions. The NSA Services Program is another example of how Cisco provides comprehensive approaches to the implementation and support of seamless, end-to-end global networks.
NSA is available on a multinational basis.
These services are sold directly by Cisco.
Cisco Systems industry-leading Support Solutions now includes Professional Services. As the leader in end-to-end network solutions, Cisco combines forces with its partners to present significant professional services solutions. Cisco's suite of service and support offerings now provides the full range of assistance for all phases of the network life cycle: planning, design, implementation, and operation. This new Professional Services offering complements Cisco's core and advanced programs by giving you a choice of high-impact, value-added services to assist in all aspects of your network.
Professional Services can help you extend your resources to effectively manage your networks when in-house expertise isn't enough. Cisco can help you get flexible, expert service delivered onsite. You can rely on highly trained experts using advanced tools and methodologies to assist in all phases of the network life cycle.
Cisco's Professional Services partners are qualified companies with the expertise to deliver high-quality professional services. Chosen for their experience and skill set, Cisco's Professional Services partners deliver services in conjunction with Cisco or directly to the customer. Their service portfolio includes services similar to Cisco's own offerings, as well as services that compliment Cisco's.
Cisco's Professional Services includes four products -- LAN Assessment, WAN Audit, Program and Project Management, and Consulting Services -- additional products will be added. Updated information can be found at Cisco's Professional Services Web site at www.cisco.com/ps.
Whether your network is in need of a checkup or you need expert assistance in planning for a network transition, your unique situation will receive customized, expert attention from Cisco Systems and our Professional Services partners.
Professional Services are currently available in North America and Europe. For information please contact your local Cisco sales representative or visit the Cisco Professional Services Web site at www.cisco.com/ps.
For customers who want to proactively identify performance issues in just a portion of their network, a LAN Assessment is the answer. LAN Assessments from Cisco Systems provide customers with a detailed analysis of a portion of their overall network. They are usually the best way to tuneup a network or locate any possible bottlenecks that may degrade the performance of the network
Cisco consultants use advanced tools and methodologies to perform LAN Assessments based upon a determined size, scope, and time frame outlined in a TSOW. Bottlenecks are identified, and customized "best-practice guidelines" are created to stabilize and optimize the examined portion of the network.
The average time frame for a LAN Assessment is three weeks. When a LAN evaluation is complete, a detailed analysis report is generated with recommendations to senior network management.
LAN Assessments are not available in some locations. To find out more about a Cisco LAN Assessment or other Professional Services, please contact your local Cisco sales representative or visit the Cisco Web site at www.cisco.com. A Professional Services partner list is located at Cisco's Professional Services Web site at www.cisco.com/ps.
Periodically, a wide-area network needs a checkup to assess performance. But for most companies, the time, resources, expertise, and cost required to manage the process internally are overwhelming. Network managers are looking for a way to understand what's happening with their WANs without managing the process in house. A WAN Audit from Cisco Systems is the ideal solution.
Going beyond ordinary support services, a WAN Audit is a network health-monitoring service that explores network bandwidth issues and provides capacity-planning recommendations. This initial offering concentrates on Cisco WAN switching equipment. A more comprehensive audit can be contracted through Consulting Services.
A Cisco WAN Audit team uses the most advanced tools and methodologies to examine and define internal node resources, their relevance to the function of the network, and where they may be approaching known or suspected limits. Network issues are accurately identified, therefore simplifying troubleshooting activities and avoiding potential downtime. In addition, a WAN Audit establishes a baseline model of the existing network and contributes to successful long-term strategies.
The WAN Audit process begins by getting a precise picture of the network topology, configuration, addressing schemes, and operation of a network. Intensive information gathering is then performed remotely by Cisco, which includes sampling usage patterns and evaluating system configurations and performance. The information-gathering portion of the audit is typically performed over a one-week period, and doesn't disturb the network.
Once the auditing stage is finished, Professional Service partners provide a thorough report presenting the overall audit results. The report includes a summary of the audit findings, a comprehensive explanation of network resources (both at the domain and node levels), and expert recommendations for maintaining a healthy network.
WAN Audits are not available in some locations. To learn more about a Cisco WAN Audit or other Professional Services, please contact your local Cisco sales representative or visit the Cisco Web site at www.cisco.com. A Professional Services partner list is located at Cisco's Professional Services Web site at www.cisco.com/ps.
Setting up a new network or expanding an existing one usually involves complex management and maintenance issues. With Cisco Program and Project Management Services, customers don't have to deal with the day-to-day management of multiple network resources and projects. Customers can depend upon Cisco consultants to design high-performance network solutions and ensure rapid deployment.
Cisco program managers act as a single point of contact, providing leadership for all technology matters throughout the entire network life cycle; simply put, they are customer advocates. Their product expertise, coupled with their access to Cisco resources and information, gives customers the highest quality program services, solutions, and vision. In addition, customers can save time, money, and resources by using Cisco program managers instead of training and allocating an already burdened internal staff.
Cisco project managers develop the framework for all project communications, contractual activity, and project deliverables. They identify critical needs, define responsibilities, establish project controls, and manage schedules. Project managers are also responsible for keeping customers informed of progress through reports: Project Planning, Status, Change Management, and Problem Resolution.
Both Program Management and Project Management activities are especially helpful in managing the added complexity of intricate, multigeographical networking projects.
Cisco Program and Project Management Services are not available in some locations. To find out more about Program and Project Management Services or other Professional Services, please contact your local Cisco sales representative or visit the Cisco Web site at www.cisco.com. A Professional Services partner list is located at Cisco's Professional Services Web site at www.cisco.com/ps.
Most large, complex networks have unique issues that don't fall into a defined category. They require special services that are flexible and adaptable, and span the entire network life cycle: planning, design, implementation, operation, and management. That's why Cisco offers Consulting Services, a suite of customizable services for every phase of the network life cycle.
Customers can adapt Cisco Consulting Services in a variety of ways, and can include them with other Professional Service offerings. One way customers use Cisco consulting services is for project engineering, technical consulting and management expertise. A consulting services team works together to evaluate, design, plan, implement, and operate complex network infrastructures. By augmenting a customer's existing staff, they can contribute to one or many stages of a short or long-term project, bringing enormous technical knowledge and practical experience to a team.
Cisco program managers work with customers to determine how to create individualized Consulting Services packages that meet specific project needs and requirements.
Cisco's Consulting Services team can also provide installation expertise to a customer's network operations team. Typically, the service begins before installation, ensuring that the site meets equipment requirements. Complex access issues, as well as environmental and connectivity requirements are documented and presented. The delivery configuration is fully recorded, maintained, and verified prior to delivery and installation. The project engineer and manager can then coordinate, supervise, and participate in the installation and testing to make certain the design requirements are achieved. This participation ensures that the network is implemented in a timely manner, and runs properly at turn-up.
Customers can also use Consulting Services to design effective help desk assistance centers. Experienced consultants can work with a customer's help desk staff to establish and implement effective call flow processes and procedures including, trouble ticketing, repair, tracking, logistics, case management, problem resolution, and dispatch. Help desk design services can optimize network performance and minimize downtime.
Customized Consulting Services can also include training internal network operations staffs in managing all phases of the network life cycle in house.
Consulting Services are not available in some locations. To find out more about Cisco Consulting Services or other Professional Services, please contact your local Cisco sales representative or visit the Cisco Web site at www.cisco.com. A Professional Services partner list is located at Cisco's Professional Services Web site at www.cisco.com/ps.
These services are sold directly by Cisco.
Some customers prefer to engage Cisco's support services on a non-contract basis, for flexibility, as individual issues arise. Cisco Non-contract Services include software updates and upgrades, unregistered Cisco Connection Online (CCO) access, 24-hour telephone support, and advanced replacement of parts.
A software update involves the installation of a new major software version or maintenance software revision. A major release update reflects a version change, for example, 8.3(5) to 9.0(1). A major release update may require additional charge modifications to the hardware configuration or microcode of the system. A maintenance release update reflects a revision change, for example, 8.3(4) to 8.3(5). Maintenance release updates do not require hardware configuration modifications. Major version and maintenance revision software updates are included in the Software section of Cisco Support Contracts.
Software upgrades are additions to the standard Cisco operating software (for example, Bridging, X.25, DDN, and so on). The cost of software upgrades are listed in the current Cisco Price List, plus a service charge for the upgrade method chosen by the customer.
Cisco Connection Online (CCO) is a suite of interactive, electronic services that provides immediate, open access to Cisco information, resources, and systems -- at any time, from anywhere. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, CCO provides a wealth of standard and value-added services to everyone who does business with Cisco. CCO's broad range of features and services enables all of Cisco's customers to streamline business processes and improve their productivity.
The Guest Access link is for customers, prospects, the general public, and anyone who is not yet a CCO Registered User. There is no charge or restriction for using the Guest option on CCO.
Caution: All information with the exception of Guest Level option is considered confidential and is under the jurisdiction of the Nondisclosure and Support Agreements between Cisco and its channel partners.
Twenty-four-hour telephone support is available from Cisco. Non-contract telephone support is billed at the prevailing Time and Materials rates. All non-contract calls are handled on a "first-come, first-served" basis, with response time dependent on Cisco resource availability.
Cisco performs onsite remedial hardware service for non-contract customers. The labor and travel charges for non-contract remedial service calls will be subject to the current Time and Materials rates. The parts used are billed at the prevailing advance replacement rates. Full list price is charged for any additional items required or where a returned failed part is unrepairable. Response time is on a best-effort basis.
Cisco provides advance replacement parts for all Cisco-manufactured products. Advance replacement parts are shipped prepaid overnight express to customer sites in North America, provided the request is received prior to 3:00 p.m. pacific time. Overnight express is not available to customers outside of North America. Cisco assumes that the customer has properly isolated the failed unit prior to requesting the advance replacement.
Non-contract services are subject to regional availability.
Cisco's dedication to customer satisfaction is the driving force behind its development of a best-in-industry worldwide support delivery organization. Cisco service and support was ranked number one among internetworking hardware vendors in a recent survey by Communications Week magazine.
The following service delivery organizations are some of the key components of Cisco's world-class service delivery infrastructure.
The Cisco TAC provides warranty, contracted, or billable technical assistance with Cisco products and monitors the service problem from initial call to closure.
Cisco's best-in-industry TAC backbone scales technical support operations on a worldwide basis. TAC staff includes over 550 senior customer support engineers, more than 150 of whom are Cisco Certified Internetwork Experts (CCIEs). They offer many years of experience with every element of the Cisco product line and all aspects of data communications networking technology. They are highly qualified to provide world-class Cisco technical support, and serve as a resource for the Network-Supported Accounts (NSA) and escalation teams. Cisco has made a major investment in systems and tools so its CSEs can simulate the many different network environments. TAC equipment includes 4 IBM mainframes, 16 assorted client/server systems, 10 different operating systems, 600 routers, and 60 analyzers.
The organization supports all Cisco software and hardware maintenance and support services through a backbone of four strategically located centers around the world: San Jose, California; and Raleigh, North Carolina (North and South America); Brussels, Belgium (Europe, Middle East, and Africa); and Sydney, Australia (Asia/Pacific). These centers provide coverage in each region during normal business hours, with emergency coverage available 24 hours a day, 7days a week. For streamlined response and efficiency, the entire TAC system uses the same call tracking and bug tracking systems, is aligned in similar protocol groupings, and follows the same ISO 9001 standards.
Each call to the TAC is assigned a priority level by the customer, and the call's progress is closely monitored until it is resolved. For service issues that need closer attention, the TAC provides a formal system of escalation as well as the Customer Assurance Program (CAP).
In a recent Data Communications magazine user survey, Cisco technical support was ranked best among internetworking hardware vendors in the following categories:
Cisco's Global Onsite Services team is an integral part of Cisco's successful support delivery organization. The OSS team is based in four locations (San Jose, California; Raleigh, North Carolina; Brussels, Belgium; and Sydney, Australia). The team's primary responsibility is to provide onsite support on Cisco products on a multinational basis through effective use of 8000+ third-party field engineers and 150+ parts depots worldwide.
The OSS team handles coordination, call management, onsite field service, and technical assistance, for onsite contracts and billable services. A key differentiator for OSS is its use of the VISE (Virtual Internetworking Support Engineering) support mechanism. Under VISE, the OSS engineer remains in constant contact with the field engineer. By doing so, the OSS engineer maintains control of the call and can address very quickly any problems or difficulties encountered by the field engineer. The customer benefits from the experience and expert technical knowledge of the OSS engineer combined with the rapid availability of the third-party engineer dispatched onsite.
The OSS team consistently delivers very high customer satisfaction levels and is a critical component of Cisco's service delivery infrastructure. In a recent Data Communications magazine user survey, Cisco was ranked best among internetworking hardware vendors in speed of problem resolution by on-site technicians.
Cisco's Global Service Logistics (GSL) organization is responsible for managing parts distribution worldwide from over 150 parts depots. The organization's objectives are stated simply: "To deliver the right part to the right place, on time, every time." GSL's parts planning and forecasting expertise helps achieve this objective.
Sometimes special focus is required on a particular customer's problem -- in the case of a serious software bug, a particularly difficult hardware configuration, or any problem having a severe negative impact on a customer's ability to do business but not resolved via customary support processes. An exceptional resource in Cisco's arsenal of support services for its customers, the Customer Assurance Program (CAP) also monitors, analyzes, and corrects problems related to all levels of priority in a proactive manner. The CAP team works independent of the TAC, taking an objective view of case types and technical issues to identify and resolve potential problem areas. It is Cisco's highest level of escalation. Escalation to this level can be achieved through the TAC Duty Managers or Cisco Account Managers.
These services are sold directly by Cisco.
Cisco Connection Online (CCO) is Cisco's industry-leading family of interactive, electronic services that streamlines business relationships between Cisco Systems and its end users, partners, suppliers, and employees. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, CCO allows Cisco's constituents to access information, resources, and services at their convenience.
Through CCO you can download the exact upgrades and utilities you need from the Software Library or receive the latest release notes, eliminating days of waiting for software to arrive in the mail. Bug Navigator and Bug Search can help you get to the root of problems faster by searching for bugs based on products, keywords, or specific characteristics. Open Forum lets you search a database for quick answers to technical questions and talk with experts online for the most difficult questions. Networked Commerce applications let you configure, price, route, and submit orders directly to Cisco. CCO gives you anytime access to information and ordering, increasing your productivity and lowering your cost of doing business.
CCO provides two levels of access: Guest access for the general public and registered access for customers who have purchased one of Cisco's maintenance services or are sponsored by a Cisco-authorized partner. Guest users have access to general company and product information. Registered users have access to all information at the guest level, plus additional in-depth information and advanced online applications and services.
Customers and partners can access CCO today as guest users at www.cisco.com and register online with a Cisco service contract number or partner-provided account number. For other access methods, call the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) at 800 553-2447 in the U.S. and Canada, 32 2 778 4242 in Europe, 61 2 9935 410 7 in the Asia/Pacific region, or 408 526-7209 in all other areas. You can also send e-mail to tac@cisco.com or contact the Cisco partner from whom the product was purchased.
Cisco's powerful networked commerce applications take advantage of the Internet's capabilities to automate business processes, significantly impacting the bottom-line cost of doing business. Networked Commerce Ordering and Supporting Applications enable direct customers and partners to place orders for Cisco equipment and services electronically via the World Wide Web. These applications also provide links to Cisco's internal database, which contains current product and order information. This method of doing business increases the efficiency of the entire ordering process by allowing users to access information, resources, and services in ways that work best for them.
The Internetworking Product Center (IPC) is a Web-based Ordering Application that allows you to conveniently configure and price products, then submit your orders online. With direct access to Cisco's information database, you can accurately configure and price Cisco solutions before submitting orders, so there are no delays caused by re-work. Submitted orders are deposited directly into Cisco's procurement database, where they are immediately queued for scheduling.
Orders processed through IPC may be routed electronically throughout the user's organization, eliminating delays due to manual routing or mail services. And because IPC ensures that orders are already configured and priced correctly at the time of submission, this application enables Cisco to expedite scheduling and shipment. Eliminating order delays not only improves the personal productivity of purchasing agents, engineers, and network administrators, it also improves a company's ability to quickly deploy networking solutions that have a bottom-line business impact.
Automatic encryption ensures that orders cannot be changed or deleted without authorization. IPC employs the 40-bit Kerberos encryption protocol -- the most advanced form of encryption available today -- to ensure the security of ordering information.
Available 24 hours a day, 7days a week, IPC automates many of the tasks associated with manually configuring and pricing orders. It provides networked access to Cisco's current price list and configuration information and automatically verifies an order's accuracy before it is submitted. This saves time, eliminates ordering errors, and facilitates order processing. IPC offers the following features:
IPC is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
A suite of powerful Networked Commerce Supporting Applications, known as Commerce Agents, provide direct access to Cisco's internal product ordering and shipping databases via the Internet. These agents enable you to monitor the progress of orders and track shipments of Cisco equipment and service products. With Commerce Agents, you can obtain current information about orders, reduce order errors, lower administrative costs, and shorten the deployment time for new networking solutions. As a result, they give you greater control over your ordering processes, help you improve order management, and significantly increase the productivity of your purchasing and sales agents.
The suite of Cisco Commerce Agents include:
Commerce Agents are available via Cisco Connection Online (CCO), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.cisco.com. At the home page, log on and select Service and Support/Commerce Agents.
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Cisco's Commerce Agents provide networked access to up-to-the-minute information on current orders. Commerce Agents allow you to monitor the progress of both service and equipment orders, enabling you to forecast shipping dates and deployment schedules. Cisco's suite of Supporting Applications includes the following Commerce Agents:
Two Contract Agent tools provide a direct link to Cisco's contract database and service locator application.
Three Service Order Agent tools provide network administrators and engineers with a direct link to Cisco's service order management database.
Commerce Agents are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Cisco's networked commerce applications are available to registered users 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can register for IPC and the Commerce Agents at no charge through CCO, Cisco's award-winning Web site. To find CCO, visit the Cisco Web site at www.cisco.com. At the home page, log on and select Service and Support/Commerce Agents/Marketplace/IPC.
For more information on any of these applications, visit the Cisco Web site or send an e-mail message to ncreps@cisco.com. If you require assistance in using the application, support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For support, in the U.S. call 800 553-2447; outside the U.S., contact the local Cisco Technical Assistance Center.
For more information about Cisco service and support products for the small/medium business, enterprise, or Internet service provider contact your local Cisco sales representative or visit the Cisco Web site at www.cisco.com. For technical assistance and customer service, see the contact numbers below.
Phone: 800 553-24HR
Fax: 408 526-8787
E-Mail: tac@cisco.com
Phone: +61 2 9935 4107 (within Australia 800 805-227)
Fax: +61 2 9954 9453
E-Mail: asiapac-tac@cisco.com
Phone: +32 2 778 4242
Fax: +32 2 778 4300
E-Mail: euro-tac@cisco.com
Phone: 800 553-NETS (6387) or 408 526-7208
Fax: 408 526-7118 or 408 526-7117
E-Mail: cs@cisco.com
training-enrollment@cisco.com
express@cisco.com
cio-help@cisco.com
Phone: 800 829-2447 or 526-8750
Fax: 408 526-7550
E-Mail: oss-team@cisco.com
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