Cisco SMARTnet

SMARTnet 24X7 Support

Cisco SMARTnet Service is an award-winning technical support service that offers direct, anytime access to Cisco engineers and an extensive range of technical resources. SMARTnet delivers rapid issue resolution, flexible device-by-device coverage, and premium service options to help maximize operational efficiency.

Extend the Life of Your Network Assets

As your network grows and changes in response to business demands, Cisco® Technical Support Services help to accelerate your success. This flexible suite of Cisco support services is designed to meet your individual business needs and assist you in effectively managing your network services while controlling operational costs. Whether you require reliable day-to-day network support or immediate resolution of critical issues, Cisco Technical Support Services can be the trusted resource you can rely on to help you meet those business needs.

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Award-Winning Service and Support

Cisco Technical Assistance Center

Available on the Web or by telephone, highly skilled Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) engineers, including certified and CCIE® professionals, are among the best in the industry, offering:

Superior expertise in a broad range of technologies
Knowledge transfer resources to enhance your skills
Sophisticated call routing to the right experts
Cisco live collaborative sessions
Global support available in local languages

Cisco.com

This award-winning, industry-leading online support and information system includes interactive consulting tools, a comprehensive database, and knowledge transfer resources. Cisco.com is your access to the robust set of Cisco technical tools and product information, which increases self-sufficiency and builds in-house expertise for improved productivity.

Online troubleshooting tools and support resources include:

Software Advisor—Features information and compatibility assistance
TAC Case Collection—Identifies and troubleshoots common problems
My Tech Support—Personalized Webpage with customized links
Output Interpreter—Provides problem resolution recommendations
Peer-to-peer online forums—Sharing with others in your industry
Technical Support Newsletter—Keeps you up-to-date and informed

SMARTnet Q & A

Q: What is Cisco® SMARTnet® support?

A: As part of Cisco Technical Support Services, the Cisco SMARTnet and SMARTnet Onsite programs offer innovative customer solution services that provide enhancement and maintenance support resources during the operational lifetime of a Cisco Systems® network.

Q: What is included with Cisco SMARTnet support?

A: Cisco SMARTnet support includes:

Software support on the licensed operating system software, such as Cisco IOS® Software or Cisco Catalyst® OS, for covered Cisco products, including maintenance, minor, and major releases
Access to the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Registered access to Cisco.com, for easy access to online technical information and service request management
Advance replacement of hardware parts, depending on the customer need and the coverage selected:

24x7x2—Advanced replacement parts, with or without a field engineer, are delivered within 2 hours of determining that part replacement is required during a standard work week (24 hours per day, 7 days per week).

24x7x4—Advanced replacement parts, with or without a field engineer, are delivered within 4 hours of determining that part replacement is required during a standard work week (24 hours per day, 7 days per week).

8x5x4—Advanced replacement parts, with or without a field engineer, are delivered within 4 hours of determining that part replacement is required during a standard work week (8 hours per day, 5 days per week).

Next business day (NBD)—Advanced replacement parts, with or without a field engineer, are delivered the next business day between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (provided the request is received before 3 p.m. local depot time).

Q: Why should a customer buy Cisco SMARTnet support or Cisco SMARTnet Onsite support?

A: By covering networking devices with a Cisco SMARTnet or Cisco SMARTnet Onsite contract,
a customer can:

Maximize network availability, reliability, and stability
Reduce the cost of network ownership by using Cisco expertise, knowledge, and availability
Increase return on investment (ROI) by having access to Cisco operating system software enhancements
Expedite time to repair with the right parts at the right time to resolve issues quickly
Better manage scarce internal expert resources at all locations
Improve productivity and revenue per employee with access to tools and technical support documentation that can increase self-sufficiency and technical knowledge

Q: Are Cisco SMARTnet support and Cisco SMARTnet Onsite support just break/fix insurance?

A: No. The Cisco SMARTnet and SMARTnet Onsite programs offer customers much more than remedies for when something goes wrong. Only a small portion of service requests (less than
5 percent) coming into the Cisco TAC deal with failures and defects. Most service requests help customers handle complex network operation and management issues such as:

Advanced software configuration
Interoperability and upgrade questions
Hardware and software information

In addition, the Cisco SMARTnet and SMARTnet Onsite programs help customers protect their network investments and minimize risks by:

Keeping the customer’s networking technology up-to-date with the latest software features and system improvements
Supplementing the customer’s network support organization to help ensure the availability of the knowledge and skills necessary to address rapidly changing technologies
Gaining access to knowledgeable resources and tools for rapid resolution of issues
Eliminating the challenges of carrying replacement hardware in inventory and delivering them to remote sites by making replacement parts available when needed
Providing trained field engineering resources to perform replacement services when and where needed

Q: If a product is already covered under the standard Cisco warranty, why should a customer buy Cisco SMARTnet services during the warranty duration?

A: The Cisco SMARTnet and SMARTnet Onsite programs provide more robust levels of support than are available under a Cisco warranty (Table 1). For most products, Cisco warranties are limited in duration (detailed specifically by product type), whereas Cisco SMARTnet programs can be purchased to deliver support and maintenance for at least five years after first product shipment. Services available under a
Cisco SMARTnet service contract that are not covered under a warranty are:

Rapid replacement of hardware in NBD, 4-hour, or 2-hour dispatch options (restrictions apply; see Cisco SMARTnet data sheet below for additional information)
Continuous technical support through Cisco TAC
Latest software updates
Registered access to Cisco.com

Table 1: Cisco SMARTnet Compared to Warranty

Benefit	Benefit	Renewable	Hardware*
Application software coverage duration	No	90 Days	No
Technical support from TAC	Yes	No	No
Maintenance releases for OS	Yes	90 Days	90 Days
Minor and major releases for OS	Yes	No	No
Software application maintenance & minor releases	No	No	No
Software application major releases	No	No	No
Signature file updates	No	No	No
Registered access to Cisco.com	Yes	No	No
Parts replacement	Next business	RTF(10 days)	RTF(10 days)
Equipment covered	All	All	All

*90-Day / 1-Year Limited hardware
**Fans and power supplies limited to five years