Data Sheet

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Resolve network problems rapidly with direct, anytime access to Cisco
experts and hardware replacement matched to your needs.

When Minutes Matter, Depend on Cisco SMARTnet Service to Deliver

As networks evolve and critical business processes, systems, and services are added, the
consequences of downtime increase dramatically. When a problem occurs that can dis-
rupt business continuity, IT departments are under intense pressure to resolve the issue as
quickly as possible before it can affect the business. Cisco® SMARTnet® Service facili-
tates rapid problem resolution and improves operational efficiency through a combination
of expert troubleshooting assistance, online tools, and flexible device coverage options.
You experience the benefits of greater network availability while reducing operating costs.

Move Quickly with Anytime Access to Cisco Expertise and Resources

The Value of Cisco Support
Cisco SMARTnet Service is an award-winning technical support service that gives your IT
“We have maintenance contracts staff direct, anytime access to Technical Assistance Center (TAC) engineers and Cisco.com
with multiple vendors and Cisco resources. You receive the fast, expert response and the dedicated accountability you
is the most responsive of them require to resolve critical network issues.
all. When we have a network Cisco SMARTnet Service provides the following device-level support:
issue, we count on their four- • Global access 24 hours a day, 365 a year to specialized engineers in the Cisco TAC
hour response time to have the
• Anytime access to the extensive Cisco.com online knowledge base, resources, and tools
problem resolved.”
• Hardware replacement options include 2-hour, 4-hour, Next-business-day (NDB) advance
—Thuan Nguyen, Director of replacement, as well as Return for Repair (RFR)
Information Technology
Kent School District • Ongoing operating system software updates, including both minor and major releases
within your licensed feature set

• Proactive diagnostics and real-time alerts on select devices with Smart Call Home

In addition, Cisco SMARTnet Onsite Service is an option that provides a field engineer to
install replacement parts at your location and help ensure that your network operates at
the highest levels.

© 1992–2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 1 of 6
 Data Sheet

Connect Directly to the Network Experts at Cisco

When a network problem is affecting business-critical systems, you want fast access
to technology experts with experience in diagnosing the toughest problems. Cisco
SMARTnet Service connects you directly to the Cisco TAC, staffed by Cisco professionals
certified in a broad range of Cisco foundational and advanced technologies. The Cisco
Facts About TAC Engineers
TAC employs a sophisticated system that automatically routes your service request to the
• Thousands of expert networking tech-
nologists with specialized certifications appropriate technology team and automatically escalates your case to the next level of
• More than 500 engineers with CCIE® support if it is not resolved within a specified time frame.
certification
The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year around the world, with support
• Average more than five years of technical
available in local languages. If your assigned TAC engineer changes for any reason before
support experience
your service request is resolved, a personal handoff is completed between all parties
• Computer science/electrical engineering
degrees to provide service continuity through issue resolution. You can interact with Cisco TAC
engineers in a way that is most convenient and useful for you, including email, telephone,
web-based collaboration, and even a state-of-art, face-to-face discussion using Cisco
WebEx® collaboration. Live chat is ready to help you through a service request submission,
and online video collaboration is the perfect option for a virtual troubleshooting session.
To confirm the right remediation action, Cisco engineers can test solutions in a laboratory
environment that simulates your network. These simulation labs are equipped with Cisco
device and technology solutions so that an engineer can accurately mirror a customer IT
configuration to make sure a proposed solution will solve your problem. Throughout a TAC
engagement the goal of every Cisco engineer is to use the best resources at hand to solve
“Cisco Smart Call Home your issues and empower your staff through active knowledge transfer.
allowed me to fix a network Gain Critical Insight with Embedded Diagnostics
problem in about an hour that With the Smart Call Home feature of the Cisco SMARTnet Service, you get proactive,
would have typically taken detailed diagnostics and real-time alerts on core network devices to help you identify and
resolve issues even more quickly, conserving valuable staff time and improving network
one of my staff two days to
availability. Smart Call Home is available on call home-capable devices, such as the Cisco
troubleshoot.” Catalyst® 6500 Series Switches. Devices equipped with the call home technology con-
—Mike DeDecker, CCIE tinuously monitor their own health and automatically notify you of potential issues
Warner Pacific Insurance using encrypted, authenticated transmissions. If a serious problem arises, Smart Call
Services Home automatically generates a service request with the Cisco TAC that is routed to the
right team for your particular problem. Cisco is adding the call home capability to many of
its current and new products over time. Visit www.cisco.com/go/smartcall to see the latest
list of call home-enabled Cisco products.

Extract More Value from Your Network with Online OS Updates

Protect your investment and extend the life of your network with anytime, online access
to the latest operating system software updates within your licensed feature set. Rather
than purchase OS software updates individually, a support contract saves you time and
money by covering the cost of updates, including both minor and major releases within
Rather than purchase OS software your licensed feature set. These updates enhance your existing equipment with the latest
updates individually, a support contract features such as advanced security, regulatory compliance, and greater network capacity,
saves you time and money by cover- potentially adding years of service and improved performance to your network.
ing the cost of updates, including both The Cisco SMARTnet Service includes a personalized Software Advisor, available through
minor and major releases within your the Cisco.com web portal, to keep you advised about which new software releases are
licensed feature set. available for your Cisco network devices. Users download millions of copies of operating sys-
tem and application software each month. However, only Cisco customers with support
contracts are authorized to access the software-related tools on the Cisco.com portal to
help identify the latest versions of OS and applications for their equipment, troubleshoot
software bugs, and migrate to the most current software features.

© 1992–2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 2 of 6
 Data Sheet

New OS features enable greater network capacity, advanced security, and regulatory com-
pliance as well as better interoperability. In addition, greater business value is achieved
through innovative technology enhancements that provide increased business productivity
and customer satisfaction. With up-to-date software, your business will be poised to take
“I love TAC. I think it’s brilliant. advantage of new technology innovation, get a greater return on investment, and lower
We are a global company, and total cost of ownership while staying competitive in today’s global economy.

we travel to different countries Count on the Right Part, When and Where You Need It
for network purposes. To be able When you need dependable, fast access to business-critical parts, your Cisco SMARTnet
to reach competent engineers Service delivers. Choose from a variety of hardware replacement options, including premium
at any time of day, anywhere options such as two-hour replacement and onsite parts replacement and installation. You
can select coverage on a device-by-device basis, so you get the flexible coverage you need.
I am, is a brilliant service and
worth every penny of the All options include anytime, global access to the Cisco TAC and award-winning Cisco.
com resources. Plus you have flexibility of choosing the coverage you want on a device-
maintenance that we pay.”
by-device basis. The Cisco SMARTnet Service options are shown in Table 1.
—Thys Coetzee, Director of
Dependable parts delivery on a global basis is enabled by the Cisco service supply chain,
Information Technology
a network of over 900 spare parts depots around the world managed by a sophisticated
ZinPro, Performance Minerals
global inventory that automates parts stocking processes worldwide. Cisco is constantly
adjusting regional stock holdings so spares are available where and when you need them.

More than a Warranty

Companies sometimes think of warranties as an adequate defense against product prob-
lems. Cisco SMARTnet Service goes far beyond a simple warranty replacement policy
(see Table 1). Cisco SMARTnet Service provides troubleshooting support, advanced hard-
ware replacement options, and extensive self-help and knowledge transfer to empower
your network operations and support staff. A warranty only offers delayed hardware
replacement during the warranty duration.

Table 1. Cisco SMARTnet Service Features and Options

Cisco Smart
Hardware Operating Onsite Registered Services
Equipment Replacement System Cisco TAC Engineer Access to Diagnostics
Covered Duration Options1 Updates Support Option Cisco.com and Alerts
Cisco All3 Renewable Advance Yes, ongoing Yes Only with Yes, 24x7 full Yes
SMARTnet/ contracts Replacement: updates within onsite access
Cisco SMARTnet • 24x7x2 hour the licensed option
Onsite Services • 24x7x4 hour feature set
• 8x5x4 hour
• 8x5xNBD
Other:
• RFR2
Cisco Warranty All Standard Advance No5 No No No No
hardware: 90 days replacement
(specific products (10 days)3
1 year/limited
lifetime)4
Standard
software: 90 days4
1 Advance hardware replacement is available in various service-level combinations. For example, 8x5xNBD indicates that a technical support engineer is available 24x7 and advance
hardware replacement is available 8 hours per day (delivering the replacement hardware during normal business hours only), 5 days a week, with next business day delivery.
2 Return for Repair on select video products only.
3 Some equipment exclusions might apply; consult service sales representatives for more details.
4 Optical networking products offer 5 year limited hardware warranty with 15 days return to factory replacement and 1 year limited software warranty, this warranty only
applies to Optical products.
5 Warranty ensures only that software media are defect-free and the software substantially conforms to its published specifications.

© 1992–2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 3 of 6
 Data Sheet

Online Cisco Expertise on Demand

Improving operational efficiency is an ongoing concern for IT departments. The Cisco
Support site includes extensive resources that are designed to put the most up-to-date
Cisco.com Support Site Statistics technical information and tools into the hands of you and your staff to use any day on
• Eighty-five percent of survey participants
claim that the Cisco Support site has
demand. Cisco customers with support contracts have authorized access to high-value
helped them solve network problems, technical resources and a growing number of personalized pages to create an acceler-
compared to 29 percent industry average* ated path to issue resolution. Using the automated tools and personalized content based
• More than 24 million page views per month on your network environment, you can quickly resolve many issues yourself online.
• 2.8 million software downloads per month
The comprehensive self-help technical support resources available on Cisco.com through
*2008 Walker survey
your Cisco SMARTnet Service contract give you access to Cisco expertise every day, at
any time. With automated troubleshooting tools, your in-house IT staff can quickly resolve
many issues online, saving a significant amount of time, effort, and operational costs.

Table 2 summarizes the Cisco support experience.

Table 2. Cisco Support Experience
Resource Features and Benefits
My Tech Support Personalized web portal allows you to find new software releases, bug
reports and repairs, and troubleshooting tools customized for your network.
Automated tools Get instant access to troubleshooting and configuration tools, knowledge
base, software updates, and other personalized content:
• Software downloads
• Software advisor
• Bug toolkit
• TAC case collection
• Error message decoder
• Command lookup tool
• Output interpreter
Document access Access more than 90,000 technical documents for Cisco and third-
party equipment and applications, including:
• Software documentation
• Technical videos on demand
• Webcasts and podcasts
• White papers
• Security advisories
Online service request Submit and track your service requests online as well as view history of
management tool your TAC cases and case resolution notes.
NetPro global Online discussion forum for sharing questions, suggestions, and infor-
community mation with other professionals:
• Networking professionals forums
• Live webinars and podcasts
• Ask the Expert live chat events
Support wiki Collaborate, create, and access the latest technology by participating in
this dynamic knowledge base:
• Combines user contributions, Cisco expertise, documentation, and tools
• Share best practices, technical tips, and methodologies
Cisco Technical Monthly newsletter alerts subscribers to new tools, resources, and
Services newsletter exclusive networking tips.

© 1992–2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 4 of 6
 Data Sheet

Service That Evolves Along with Your Business Needs

Cisco provides industry-leading service capabilities and processes that continue to grow
and evolve to meet changing customer requirements. Your feedback, along with that of
other customers, is acted upon through a unique process that promotes product, service,
and process improvements. Cisco is committed to delivering an exceptional service
experience that is flexible enough to meet your needs, today and in the future.

Award-Winning Service
With Cisco you get service and support that consistently win awards year after year. The
certifications and awards shown in Figure 1 illustrate how Cisco continues to set the standard
when it comes to support performance and value to our customers. Visit www.cisco.com/
go/serviceawards to find out more about the industry recognition Cisco has earned for
high-quality support performance, web-based support, and engineer certifications.

Ordering Information
Cisco SMARTnet Service can be ordered through your local Cisco account representative
or Cisco certified partner. You can find a Cisco certified partner in your area by searching
in the partner locator at www.cisco.com/go/partnerlocator.

Why Cisco Services

Cisco Services make networks, applications, and the people who use them work
better together.

Today, the network is a strategic platform in a world that demands better integration
between people, information, and ideas. The network works better when services, together
with products, create solutions aligned with business needs and opportunities.

Figure 1. Industry-Recognized High-Quality Service

Awards
2009 STAR Award for Best Practices
In 2009, Cisco was presented with two STAR Awards for Best Practices. These awards for Best Practices recognize companies
for developing, implementing, and benchmarking the most innovative and efficient processes for service and support delivery.
Cisco was awarded in both the Best Online Community category for high customer and partner participation rates utilizing
discussion forums and wikis and the Best Online Support Category for Cisco’s web-based technologies
and Knowledge Management processes that provide an effective, yet personalized, online self-service support experience
for customers. Since 1989, Cisco has been recognized with numerous SSPA STAR Awards for both Best Practices and
Service Excellence. Cisco was inducted into the SSPA Hall of Fame in 2007.
VARBusiness Annual Report Card
Cisco rates highest in “post-sales support” and “quality of tech support“ in the areas of Security Appliances, Security Software,
and VoiP in their 2006 VARBusiness Annual Report Card.
ASP 2008 Ten Best Web Support Sites and Web Support “Hall of Fame”
The Association of Support Professionals (ASP) declared the Cisco Technical Support and Documentation Website a
winner of the annual “Ten Best Web Support Sites” competition, a prestigious award that showcases excellence in online
service and support.
2008–2009 Best International Web Support Sites Award
The Localization Industry Standards Association (LISA) Association of Support Professionals (ASP) recognized the Cisco
Support Websites: Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish editions, among the 2008/2009 Best International Web Support
Sites. This award honors companies that excel in providing local language support websites to their international customers.

© 1992–2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 5 of 6
 Data Sheet

The unique Cisco Lifecycle approach to services defines the requisite activities at each
phase of the network lifecycle to help ensure service excellence. With a collaborative
support methodology that joins the forces of Cisco, our skilled network of partners, and
our customers, we achieve the best results. Figure 2 shows the lifecycle phases.
Figure 2. Lifecycle Phases
The Cisco Lifecycle Services Approach

The unique Cisco Lifecycle

Prepare Plan Design approach to services defines
the requisite activities at
Develop a business Assess readiness to Create a detailed design each phase of the network
case for a technology support proposed solution to address business and lifecycle to help ensure
investment technical requirements
service excellence. With a
collaborative delivery
methodology that joins the
Optimize Operate Implement forces of Cisco, our skilled
network of partners, and our
Achieve operational Maintain network health Deploy new technology customers, we achieve the
excellence through through day-to-day
ongoing improvements operations
best results.

For More Information

For more information about Cisco SMARTnet Service, visit www.cisco.com/go/smartnet
or contact your local account representative.

For more information about other types of Cisco Services to maintain and optimize your
network, including technology-specific and remote management services, visit
www.cisco.com/go/supportservices.

For a complete list of the technical services available for your Cisco products and appli-
cations, visit our Service Finder tool at www.cisco-servicefinder.com.

Americas Headquarters Asia Pacific Headquarters Europe Headquarters

Cisco Systems, Inc. Cisco Systems (USA) Pte. Ltd. Cisco Systems International BV
San Jose, CA Singapore Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide. Addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at www.cisco.com/go/offices.

CCDE, CCENT, CCSI, Cisco Eos, Cisco HealthPresence, Cisco IronPort, the Cisco logo, Cisco Lumin, Cisco Nexus, Cisco Nurse Connect, Cisco Pulse, Cisco StackPower, Cisco StadiumVision, Cisco TelePresence,
Cisco Unified Computing System, Cisco WebEx, DCE, Flip Channels, Flip for Good, Flip Mino, Flipshare (Design), Flip Ultra, Flip Video, Flip Video (Design), Instant Broadband, and Welcome to the Human Network are
trademarks; Changing the Way We Work, Live, Play, and Learn, Cisco Capital, Cisco Capital (Design), Cisco:Financed (Stylized), Cisco Store, and Flip Gift Card are service marks; and Access Registrar, Aironet, AllTouch,
AsyncOS, Bringing the Meeting To You, Catalyst, CCDA, CCDP, CCIE, CCIP, CCNA, CCNP, CCSP, CCVP, Cisco, the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert logo, Cisco IOS, Cisco Press, Cisco Systems, Cisco Systems Capital, the
Cisco Systems logo, Cisco Unity, Collaboration Without Limitation, Continuum, EtherFast, EtherSwitch, Event Center, Explorer, Fast Step, Follow Me Browsing, FormShare, GainMaker, GigaDrive, HomeLink, iLYNX, Internet
Quotient, IOS, iPhone, iQuick Study, IronPort, the IronPort logo, Laser Link, LightStream, Linksys, MediaTone, MeetingPlace, MeetingPlace Chime Sound, MGX, Networkers, Networking Academy, Network Registrar, PCNow, PIX,
PowerKEY, PowerPanels, PowerTV, PowerTV (Design), PowerVu, Prisma, ProConnect, ROSA, ScriptShare, SenderBase, SMARTnet, Spectrum Expert, StackWise, The Fastest Way to Increase Your Internet Quotient, TransPath,
WebEx, and the WebEx logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries.

All other trademarks mentioned in this document or website are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (0908R)

C78-418582-04 09/09

© 1992–2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 6 of 6