51
Cisco Smart Care Service Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution.

Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    14

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care ServicePartner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

iiThis document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

About Cisco Smart Care Service 1

General 1

Security 5

Availability and Localization 6

Products 7

Partners 8

Partner Qualification and Certification 8

Partner Registration 9

Training and Testing 11

Quoting Ordering and Billing 13

Pricing Framework 14

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner 15

Ultimate Contract Value 16

Initial Price Estimate 17

Final Quote 17

Ordering 18

Billing and Payment 18

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals 18

Contract Management 18

Contract Creation 19

Contract Updates 19

Contract Cancellations 21

Access Management 21

Partner Enablement 22

Metrics 22

Role of Distributor 23

Features and Tools 24

Discovery and Inventory 24

Device Support 27

Labs 29

Marketing Support 29

Assessments and Remote Repairs 31

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client) 33

Software Client 34

Hardware Appliance 35

Customer Network 36

Data 37

Application 38

IPS Signature Update 41

Dashboard Reports 43

Technical Assistance 43

Advance Replacement 45

Comparison to Other Services 46

Cisco SMARTnet Service 46

Collaborative Services 46

Shared Support 46

Remote Management Service 47

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs 47

Managed Services 48

Table of Contents

1

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

About Cisco Smart Care Services

General

Q What is Ciscoreg Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service is a unique proactive services platform that allows Cisco Certified Partners to build upon Cisco networking expertise methodologies technical tools best practices and service infrastructure to create new personalized services for their customers

Smart Care Service provides partners with the capabilities needed to offer the network-level insight traditional maintenance and proactive network services their customers require it also helps partners grow and differentiate their businesses in the commercial marketplace With the core capabilities of Cisco Smart Care Service partners can provide their customers with capabilities such as

bull RemotemonitoringandrepairofCiscodevicesandsoftwareapplications

bull ProactivehealthchecksandperiodicassessmentsofCisconetwork foundation voice and security technologies to identify potential issues

bull TechnicalsupportforallCiscohardwareandsoftwareinthenetwork with a single network-wide maintenance contract

bull Selectedsoftwareupdatesandupgrades(seetablebelow)

bull Nextbusinessday(NBD)advancereplacementofCiscodeviceswith an option to upgrade individual devices to 4-hour coverage (onsite service not included)

bull ProactivenotificationstosimplifytheupdatingofCiscodevices

bull Assessmentandpreparationservicestosimplifytheadditionofnew technologies and applications over time

bull Disasterrecoveryservicestobackupthecustomerrsquosroutersswitches and security solutions to a remote location and easily restore the network in the event of a disaster

Offering off-the-shelf best in class proactive network monitoring capabilities backed by Cisco as part of a service that helps provide visibilityintothecustomerrsquosnetworksavesoperationalcostsandsimplifies network-level contract management

For the end customer a partner offering based on Cisco Smart Care provides a comprehensive network-wide service that can include proactive network monitoring health checkups diagnostics and software repairs in addition to technical support for their entire Cisco networkmdashin a single contract Smart Care Service is delivered through a local Cisco Certified Partner that works with Cisco to provide a superior service experience

Table 1

Contract Type Description

CCO Access Level

PicaAdministration

Hardware Coverage

Service Level Group

Software Center Access

Major Software Updates

Software Maintainence

ReleasesTAC

Access

CNL1 CNL1 ROUTRSWTCHSEC Partner Yes Yes 8x5xNBD Yes No Yes Yes

CNL3 CNL3 VOICE ADDED Partner Yes Yes 8x5xNBD Yes No Yes Yes

CNL4 CNL4 ADV VOICE ADDED Partner Yes Yes 8x5xNBD Yes No Yes Yes

CNLA SMARTCARE ASSESS SVC Partner Yes No SAS for client only Yes No No Yes

CNLB SMARTCARE ASSESS SVC Partner Yes No SAS for client only Yes No No Yes

CNLP SMARTCARE PREMIUM Partner Yes Yes 24x7x4 Yes No Yes Yes

Refer to the Products section for a list of eligible devices and software applications covered by Cisco Smart Care Service

Software upgrades do not contain entitlement for licensed upgrades These licensed upgrades have to be purchased separately

2

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Customizablealertservicestosendemailortextnotificationsofany issue in customer networks

bull Proactivenotificationsofanyend-of-lifeCiscodevicesincustomer networks

bull Disasterrecoveryservicestoremotelybackupcustomernetwork configurations

bull PartneraccesstotheCiscoTechnicalAssistanceCenter(TAC)for escalations (partners take all calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

bull SoftwareupdatesandmaintenancereleasesforqualifiedCiscoapplications

bull CiscoIOSregSoftwaresupportincludingmaintenancereleasesand patches and access to Ciscocom and the Cisco Smart Care Service portal and tools

bull Anetwork-levelservicecontractcoveringallqualifiedCiscodevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetwork(SeeTable1intheProductssection for a list of eligible devices and software applications covered by Cisco Smart Care Service)

Q Why should partners sell a support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service helps partners expand their business opportunities by providing a proactive services platform on which they can build the next generation of personalized services that promote higher profit margins recurrent revenue and long-lasting customer relationships

The Cisco Smart Care Service platform enables partners to

bull Improveprofitabilitybytransitioningtoaservice-ledmodelwhich can result in higher profit margins and predictable recurring revenue

bull Differentiatetheirbusinessesbydevelopingpersonalizedservicesfor midsize customers

Purchasing Cisco Smart Care Service from a Cisco Certified Partner is the way for midsize customers to verify that their network is secure reliable and functioning optimally so that they can improve their employee productivity increase customer responsiveness and get the most from their technology investments Utilizing a service based on Cisco Smart Care gives customers greater visibility into network performance and greatly reduces the time and effort necessary to help ensure that their networks are running efficiently

Q What is included for partners in Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes

bull Dashboardvisibilityintoacustomerrsquosnetworktoremotelymonitorperformance and correct potential problems

bull Periodicassessmentandrepairservicestoidentifypotentialnetwork health and security issues

bull Single-usenetworkhealthandsecurityassessmentstoprovideassessments as a one-time professional service or to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers

bull Assessmentandpreparationservicestosimplifytheadditionofnew technologies and applications over time

bull Voiceassessmentservicesthatcanbeusedpriortodeployingvoice in the network

bull Voicequalitymonitoringservicetohelpensuretheaudiblequalityof voice

bull Proactivedevice-leveldiagnosticsalertsandremediationadvicefor Cisco Smart Call Home-enabled products when an issue is detected

bull SinglesupportcontractforallCiscodevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetwork

bull Next-business-day(NBD)advancehardwarereplacementtothe end user for the entire network with the option to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour coverage software updatesupgrades and ESW equivalence (Onsite service not included)

3

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who is the target customer for service based on Cisco Smart Care

A The Cisco Smart Care Service is designed to enable partners to provide support for midsize businesses typically between 100 and 1000 employees Target customers primarily or exclusively use Cisco networking devices and lack sufficient in-house resources with networking expertise or have qualified IT staff but choose to save time and effort maintaining and optimizing their network to help ensure higher network security availability and performance

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service different from other services

bull Proactiveremotemonitoringforvisibilityintothehealthsecurityand availability of the network

bull Assessmentandservices

bull Customizablealertservices

bull Disasterrecoverycapabilities

bull Technicalsupporttothepartnerforlevel2+issues(partnerstakeall calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

bull NBDadvancehardwarereplacementforCiscodeviceswiththeoption to upgrade individual devices to 4-hour coverage (onsite service not included)

bull Simplifiedadditionofnewtechnologiesandapplicationsovertimewith assessment and preparation services

bull AsinglecontractthatcoversallqualifiedCiscodevicesonthe network

bull Increasecustomerloyaltybycombiningthecomplementaryserviceadvantages of Cisco and the partner to deliver an exceptional service experience to customers

bull Growtheirservicebusinessthroughacollaborativego-to-marketstrategy with Cisco

bull Reducecontractmanagementthroughasinglenetwork-widecontract

Q Why should customers buy a partner service based on Cisco Smart Care

A A partner support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service provides customers the following benefits

bull Theopportunitytochoosethelevelandtypeofnetworkcoverageto best support the size and complexity of their business

bull Increasednetworkvisibilitywiththeinformationpartnersneedtoefficiently manage and continually improve customer networks

bull Ongoingmonitoringandperiodicassessmentsofnetworkhealth availability and security to protect and optimize essential network applications communications and business operations so problems can be addressed before they affect business functionality

bull Enhancedbusinesscontinuitythroughdisasterrecoverycapabilitiesthat remotely back up network routing switching and security configurations allowing the quick restoration of the network to its prior working order in the event of a disaster

bull AsingleservicecontractthatcoversallCiscodevicestosimplifycontract management and maintenance requirements

bull ThecombinedstrengthsofCiscotheindustryleaderinnetworking with a local value-add reseller providing midsize customers with network care and improvement planning to help keep the network efficient and secure

4

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Note The estimate of 50 to 1000 network users represents the number of active concurrent users on the network In some industries such as manufacturing or healthcare many employees access the network only occasionally The number of employees in a business could be much higher This could translate to up to 1000 users

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service a good option for businesses that want to add voice to their network

A Yes Successful IP voice implementation requires more than simply deploying an IP call processing solution and IP phones A company needs a network that prioritizes voice services provides the necessary bandwidth and processing resources and is protected from common networking issues that have negligible effects on other services but that significantly impact voice quality

Q How does Cisco define network coverage

A Network coverage means that the customer covers Cisco devices in the network with a service level contract that includes proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics and software repairs in addition to technical support delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner The customer gets the same high level of service across the network

Since this service is designed to serve the needs of medium-sized customers coverage is limited to products that those businesses typically purchase The customer may not purchase Cisco Smart Care Service if some of their network equipment is considered to be high-end enterprise or service provider-class devices

Most commercial-class and some enterprise-class Cisco products are eligible to be covered by Cisco Smart Care Service For more information about eligible products refer to the Products section

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract on some devices such as Cisco SMARTnetreg Service or Shared Support can they get Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes The customer can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Cisco Smart Care Service will be applied to the uncovered products and at the renewal time for the other service contracts they will be converted to Cisco Smart Care Service For more information see the Pricing section As these other Cisco service contracts expire the devices will migrate over on the Smart Care contract and the price will be adjusted as part of the true-up process

Q Is there a limit to the number of network users Cisco Smart Care Service can support on any one network

A No Since Cisco Smart Care Service is sold based on the number and class of Cisco devices are on the network the actual number of network users will vary

5

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Next-business-day(NBD)advancehardwarereplacementtothe end user for the entire network with the option to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour coverage software updatesupgrades and ESW equivalence (onsite service is not included)

bull Simplifiedadditionofnewtechnologiesandapplicationsovertimewith assessment and preparation services

bull AsinglecontractthatcoversallqualifiedCiscodevicesonthenetwork

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (for example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract lets partners provide NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility to upgrade individual devices to a premium 4-hour hardware replacement option (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will behonoredforthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpires it will automatically be migrated to a partner offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet Service contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

SecurityNoteForinformationonhowyourcustomerrsquosdataissecurewithSmartCare go to wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_security_wppdf

Q What steps are taken to help ensure that network data sent to Cisco is secure

A A network appliance or software application on the network continuously collects data about the health of the network This data is

With a support plan based on the Cisco Smart Care Service a qualified Cisco partnermdashbacked by extensive tools and in-depth training from Ciscomdashprovides a comprehensive analysis to determine whether the network meets these requirements before the customer invests in IP voice technologies The assessment tools include voice traffic injection capabilities and detailed measurements of the delay jitter and loss in the customer network The assessment also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) for the customer networkmdashthe industry-standard scoring criteria for IP voice circuits

Through this evaluation the Cisco partner provides detailed information about everything the network requires (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and helps create a smoother more successful implementation According to a 2005 Cisco survey of companies with IP voice solutions nearly 90 percent ofcustomersthatperformedapresalesassessmentoftheirnetworkrsquosvoice capabilities reported that they were pleased with the solution Alternativelyapproximately 80 percent of those companies that did not perform such assessments were dissatisfied

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service different from other services

A Unlike traditional maintenance services Cisco Smart Care Service provides you with a proactive services platform that provides tools to deliver both traditional maintenance and proactive services including

bull Proactiveremotemonitoringforvisibilityintothehealthsecurityand availability of the network

bull Assessmentandrepairservices

bull Customizablealertservices

bull Disasterrecoverycapabilities

bull Technicalsupporttothepartnerforlevel2+issues(partnerstakeall calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

6

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What are the disaster recovery capabilities in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes service capabilities that partners can use to help their customers ensure business continuance in the event of a major outage The Cisco Smart Care appliance automatically backsupconfigurationinformationforallofthecustomerrsquosCiscoroutersswitchesandsecuritydevicesrunningtheCiscoCatalystregOSCiscoIOS Software and Cisco Security Device Manager These configuration files are always stored on the appliance locally and can be retrieved and viewed from the Smart Care portal on-demand Storing configuration filesallowspartnerstoquicklyrestorethecustomerrsquosnetworktoitspriorworking order in the event of a major disaster

Availability and Localization

Q Where is Cisco Smart Care Service available

A Currently Smart Care is available in Europe the United States and Canada and in select countries in emerging markets In other regions globally it will be available in phases Refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q If a customer has multiple international sites will these international locations or branches be supported by Smart Care

A Yes There is no problem in supporting international sites with Smart Care

Q What components of the Cisco Smart Care Service will be localized

A The intention is to localize the support experience for partners and customers Cisco is currently working with its local contacts and functional groups to determine the optimized localization solution for each market The service is currently available in English and Spanish

sent to Cisco over a highly secure HTTPS connection and is analyzed Cisco communicates network performance and security assessments to the customer and authorized partner over a secure HTTPS connection

Q How does Cisco use information from customer networks

A Cisco uses device information from customer networks to provide the customerandthecustomerrsquosauthorizedpartnerwiththeinformationtheyneed to assess the health security and availability of the network and make repairs Cisco also uses this information to improve future software and hardware offerings Neither Cisco nor the partner has access to the data that passes through the network

Q How does Cisco protect the confidentiality of sensitive customer information

A Cisco has access only to the device information needed to perform its services and never has access to the information that passes throughthecustomerrsquosnetworkCiscokeepsonlytheinformationabout customer networks necessary to fulfill its service obligations Information used for assessment repair and preparation services is held in temporary memory and discarded immediately following the service

Q Can the Smart Care dashboard alertnotification be integrated with our existing network management platform (for example Whatrsquos Up Gold Solarwinds and so on) using something like Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) alert notification

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a customizable emailtext message alerting feature This feature can be customized to integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) platforms and trouble- ticket systems that support email case input capability

Q Which versions of the SNMP are supported by Smart Care

A SNMP V1 and SNMP V2 are supported by Smart Care SNMP V3 is not supported by Smart Care

7

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

There is no need to request exclusions for the following devices

bull TheSmartCareappliance

bull Third-partydevices

bull DevicesnolongerintheSmartCareinventory

bull Personalcomputers

Q Can a nonqualifying product on a network be covered with another service and the rest of the network be covered with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes Nonqualifying products on a network may be covered with another service while the rest of the network is covered with Smart Care However the smart service features and coverage offered by Smart Care will not apply to nonqualifying products

Q Will older Cisco devices be supported for example a Cisco 2503 Router

A This depends on the device When an end-of-support notice is issued affected devices will no longer be covered Talk to your Cisco service account manager about replacement strategies

Q If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product what happens to the network-level support contract

A If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product that customer still remains eligible for a partner support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service to continue to cover qualified devices on their network

Products

Q What products does Cisco Smart Care Service support

A Cisco Smart Care Service supports a broad range of products for mid-sized business networks which are organized into six technology groups This list is continually updated as Cisco introduces new products into this market segment For the most up-to-date product list refer to the Cisco Service Quote Upload and Estimates Tool which is found on the Smart Care Partner Central website under Resources then Tools section (direct link httptoolsciscocomcacacspapplicationindexjsp)

Q Why are some products excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A Since this service is designed for midsize businesses coverage is limited to products that those companies typically purchase Cisco has included products that are commonly used by businesses of all sizes such as Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches However most enterprise-class products are excluded from this service

Q What devices are excluded

A Generallyanydevicedetectedwillbeaddedtothecustomerrsquoscontract will be eligible for entitlement and will be considered during the quarterly pricing reviews It is reasonable to anticipate that customers will have devices in their networks that might need to be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract Reasons for the exclusions may include but are not limited to

bull Ciscoorpartner-providedtestlabordemogear

bull Serviceprovider-ownedgear

The partner may request that these devices be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract through the Service Support Center (SSC) The request will be reviewed by a Cisco Smart Care Service administrator and if approved excluded devices will be marked on the inventory as excluded and if appropriate removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

8This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Partners

Partner Qualification and Certification

Q What qualifications do partners need to sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service

A At a minimum you must be a Cisco Select Premier Silver or Gold Certified Partner and must have passed the Cisco Smart Care Service exam If you meet these requirements you can sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service for networks that contain basic Cisco routing switching security and storage technology products For networks with basic voice technology a Cisco Express Unified Communications Specialization is required from the partner For networks with advanced voice technology products an Advanced Unified Communications Specialization is required Specialization requirements may vary depending on country and theater Contact your Cisco representative for more information Additionally you must be able to provide 8x5 support to your customers

Q May Global Service Alliance (GSA) and Regional Service Alliance (RSA) partners offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A GSA and RSA partners can qualify to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service if they meet the minimum partner eligibility requirements If a GSA or RSA partner chooses to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service the GSA or RSA benefits will not be applied to Cisco Smart Care Service Cisco Smart Care Service does not include rebates or discounts GSA and RSA partners will not be able to apply the strategic alliance benefits they receive to Cisco Smart Care Service

Q What if it says I am not qualified to register

A There are specific eligibility criteria that your partner company needs to meet before registering for the Cisco Smart Care program Visit the program homepage (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) to review those criteria If you think that your company meets the criteria visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to validate if the appropriate certificationsspecializations are in place

It is also possible that your company does not reside in one of the countries in which the Cisco Smart Care program is currently available VisitthePartnerSelf-Servicetooltovalidateyourcompanyrsquosaddressinformation and refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q What if the portal does not recognize or show all the certifications and specializations my company has

A If you have recently acquired a new certification or specialization it might not have been updated on your profile To verify visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to view your certifications and specializations and to report any issues

Q How do increased specializationcertification levels affect my registration with Smart Care

A If your company acquires one of the higher specializations that make you eligible for a higher Cisco Smart Care access level your Cisco Smart Care access level will automatically be increased This will allow you to support and sell Cisco Smart Care for more complex customer networks To see the eligibility requirements for Smart Care visit wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareofferhtml

Q What is meant by ldquoIn the event the partner is not recertified within the 90-day grace period the customerrsquos Smart Care Service contract will be supported until it expires rdquo

A Partners will still have access to the Smart Care Service Portal but will be unable to run any services Customer networks are still covered by the Smart Care Service contract and partners can access support for the customer networks

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

9This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How do I become eligible to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Each geographic region may have additional requirements but the following are the general steps to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

Step 1 Review Minimum Partner Eligibility Requirements

1 Confirm theater availability for your partner location

2 Hold a Select Premier Silver or Gold Cisco partner certification

3 Agree to provide technical support (8x5 business hoursmdashself-certify)

4 Complete live or online training (self-certify)

5 Pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online test (free to partners one person from partnership needs to pass)

Step 2 Get Trained and Take the Online Test

The Cisco Smart Care Service e-learning contains several role-based training paths (including ownermanager account manager systems engineer and sales operationsadministrative) It is available to you at no cost To view the entire range of training offered view the training map wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare training_maphtml

Partner eligibility to participate in the Cisco Smart Care Service program requires a partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent to pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online eligibility test This test is focused on the installation configuration and use of the Cisco Smart Care Service delivery tools Only one member of your partner organization is required to pass the test to meet eligibility The test must be passed before your organization can successfully register for the Cisco Smart Care Service program You can access the Smart Care tests through the registration tab in the e-learning course

Partner Registration

Q How can I familiarize myself with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Go to wwwciscocomgosmartcare for details on Cisco Smart Care Service This site includes data sheets at-a-glance documents a demo overview of the program and all of the tools overviews of the network health security and voice assessments and much more

Q Where should I go when deciding to offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A The ldquoOffer the Servicerdquo section on the Smart Care website (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) will take you through a five-phase decision-making process The five phases are

bull UnderstandingtheSmartCarevalueproposition

bull Buildingyourbusinesscase

bull Buildingyourservicesoffering

bull Incorporatingintoyourbusinessmodel

bull SellinganddeliveringaplanbasedonCiscoSmartCareService

Included in these five phases are the relevant documentation and tools to guide you through the decision-making stage

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

10This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why does it say my Cisco com user ID is no longer associated with the partner company

A Your Ciscocom user ID might no longer be associated with the company with which you were originally registered for Cisco Smart Care Service If you have switched companies recently or if you believe this message has been received in error visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to correct the information

Q Does everyone from the partner organization need to sign up and create a separate Cisco Smart Care account

A Every user should have a separate Ciscocom user ID and should be registered on the Cisco Smart Care portal by the designated Smart Care administrator at your company

Q If I am already registered how do I become a registered user for my company

A You will need to contact the designated Smart Care administrator at you company to get access

Q Does everyone from the partner organization have to com-plete the Cisco Smart Care registration click-to-accept terms

A No only the person authorized to accept the Cisco terms and conditions will be required to sign at the time of registration

Q When registering it says I need to self-certify that I am capable of providing 8x5 business hours technical support What does this mean

A This is a requirement to sell Cisco Smart Care Service You should check this box only if you are able to provide technical support during business hours (8 hours a day 5 days a week) to customers

There are two different tests associated with the systems engineering training path modules The systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass onlythetestthatmatchesthepartnerorganizationrsquosservicelevel(Seenotes following each test title) The tests are

bull Cisco Smart Care Base + Voice Pass this test to sell level 3 and level 4 of Smart Care (unified communications)

bull Cisco Smart Care Base Pass this test to sell level 1 and level 2 of Smart Care (foundation technology and security)

Step 3 Register to Begin Offering a Support Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care Service

When your systems engineer has passed the online test and you meet the other eligibility requirements described in step 1 you may register to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care by filling out a simple registration form

Step 4 Begin Selling a Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care

Now that you are officially registered to start offering a support plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service you can begin using all of the online marketing selling and delivery tools through the Cisco Smart Care control panel

Q What is the URL to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A The URL is httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare All requirements must be met before you can register

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page

A Visit httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID for logging into the portal

Q What if my Cisco com user ID is not working

A It might not exist in which case you will need to create one at httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo Or you might need to reset the password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

11This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Training and Testing

Q Where do I go to get training for Cisco Smart Care Service

A ForinternalsalesandbusinesstrainingonSmartCareandCiscorsquosportfolio of technical services visit Accelerate wwwciscocomgoaccelerateCiscorsquospartnerportaldedicatedtoservicestrainingandeducation For all the tools and resources required to help you position and sell Smart Care to your customers visit wwwciscocomgosmartcare

To gain a more technical experience of Cisco Smart Care Service the Partner Education Connection e-learning resources are available at wwwciscocomgopec

Q Is there a fee for accessing the online training

A No The online training is free to all Cisco partners

Q How do I complete the Cisco Smart Care training Is it web based In person Do I have to pass a written test

A You may access training in two ways (1) Complete the training online at your own pace (2) There may be live trainings offered by the Cisco channel sales team The training should be completed to prepare for the required online test to become a Cisco Smart Care Service registered partner

Q What type of web-based training is available to me

A There are four role-based learning paths available for partners They are as follows

For OwnerManagers 30 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

Q If I acquire new certifications or specializations when should I expect to get an email regarding my change of access level

A Afterapartnerrsquosprofilehasbeenupdatedwiththenewlyacquiredspecialization in the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo the next time someone from your company logs into the Cisco Smart Care portal the access level will be automatically increased You will receive an email notifying you of this change

Q Why would I have trouble registering for Cisco Smart Care Service if I meet the minimum eligibility

A The majority of issues with registration involve partner certifications levels per the Partner Self-Service tool You can verify that you have the right certification or specialization level to qualify by visiting httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo

Q How many employees need to pass the Smart Care Exam to register the program

A One employee needs to pass COLT

Q Does an employee who will take the Smart Care Exam need to hold any kind of Cisco certification such as a Cisco CCNAreg

A No

Q What languages are available for the Smart Care Exam

A English only

Q If my companyrsquos attorney has questions about a certain clause in the terms and conditions to whom should these questions be directed

A For questions regarding the terms and conditions for Cisco contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

12This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q There are two different Cisco Smart Care Service tests How do I know which test to take

A When you go to the URL to take the test you will have two choices eitherldquoSmartCareBaserdquoorldquoSmartCareBase+VoicerdquoIfyourcompanyhas a Cisco Express or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts you will have access tothevoicetoolsandshouldtaketheBase+Voicetest

Q Is there a fee for taking the test

A No The Cisco Smart Care Service online test is free to partners Only one partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass the exam

Q How long does the test take

A The test should take no more than 60 minutes to complete The test will time out and score the test at 60 minutes

Q What score do I need to get to pass the test

A The passing score for the Cisco Smart Care Service online test is 70 percent correct

Q How long before I can retake the test if I do not pass it on the first try

A You may retake the test within minutes of receiving your email passfail notification There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test

Q How often do I have to take the test to remain eligible (for example once annually)

A You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) need to take the test only one time

For Account Managers 1 Hour 15 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 34 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 17 minutes

For Systems Engineers 2 Hours 36 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 56 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

AdministratorsOperations 2 Hours

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 25 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

Q Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Before you can register to offer Smart Care one person from your staff needs to take and pass the appropriate online test The online test is based on the sales or systems engineer learning path content (see above)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 2: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

iiThis document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

About Cisco Smart Care Service 1

General 1

Security 5

Availability and Localization 6

Products 7

Partners 8

Partner Qualification and Certification 8

Partner Registration 9

Training and Testing 11

Quoting Ordering and Billing 13

Pricing Framework 14

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner 15

Ultimate Contract Value 16

Initial Price Estimate 17

Final Quote 17

Ordering 18

Billing and Payment 18

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals 18

Contract Management 18

Contract Creation 19

Contract Updates 19

Contract Cancellations 21

Access Management 21

Partner Enablement 22

Metrics 22

Role of Distributor 23

Features and Tools 24

Discovery and Inventory 24

Device Support 27

Labs 29

Marketing Support 29

Assessments and Remote Repairs 31

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client) 33

Software Client 34

Hardware Appliance 35

Customer Network 36

Data 37

Application 38

IPS Signature Update 41

Dashboard Reports 43

Technical Assistance 43

Advance Replacement 45

Comparison to Other Services 46

Cisco SMARTnet Service 46

Collaborative Services 46

Shared Support 46

Remote Management Service 47

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs 47

Managed Services 48

Table of Contents

1

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

About Cisco Smart Care Services

General

Q What is Ciscoreg Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service is a unique proactive services platform that allows Cisco Certified Partners to build upon Cisco networking expertise methodologies technical tools best practices and service infrastructure to create new personalized services for their customers

Smart Care Service provides partners with the capabilities needed to offer the network-level insight traditional maintenance and proactive network services their customers require it also helps partners grow and differentiate their businesses in the commercial marketplace With the core capabilities of Cisco Smart Care Service partners can provide their customers with capabilities such as

bull RemotemonitoringandrepairofCiscodevicesandsoftwareapplications

bull ProactivehealthchecksandperiodicassessmentsofCisconetwork foundation voice and security technologies to identify potential issues

bull TechnicalsupportforallCiscohardwareandsoftwareinthenetwork with a single network-wide maintenance contract

bull Selectedsoftwareupdatesandupgrades(seetablebelow)

bull Nextbusinessday(NBD)advancereplacementofCiscodeviceswith an option to upgrade individual devices to 4-hour coverage (onsite service not included)

bull ProactivenotificationstosimplifytheupdatingofCiscodevices

bull Assessmentandpreparationservicestosimplifytheadditionofnew technologies and applications over time

bull Disasterrecoveryservicestobackupthecustomerrsquosroutersswitches and security solutions to a remote location and easily restore the network in the event of a disaster

Offering off-the-shelf best in class proactive network monitoring capabilities backed by Cisco as part of a service that helps provide visibilityintothecustomerrsquosnetworksavesoperationalcostsandsimplifies network-level contract management

For the end customer a partner offering based on Cisco Smart Care provides a comprehensive network-wide service that can include proactive network monitoring health checkups diagnostics and software repairs in addition to technical support for their entire Cisco networkmdashin a single contract Smart Care Service is delivered through a local Cisco Certified Partner that works with Cisco to provide a superior service experience

Table 1

Contract Type Description

CCO Access Level

PicaAdministration

Hardware Coverage

Service Level Group

Software Center Access

Major Software Updates

Software Maintainence

ReleasesTAC

Access

CNL1 CNL1 ROUTRSWTCHSEC Partner Yes Yes 8x5xNBD Yes No Yes Yes

CNL3 CNL3 VOICE ADDED Partner Yes Yes 8x5xNBD Yes No Yes Yes

CNL4 CNL4 ADV VOICE ADDED Partner Yes Yes 8x5xNBD Yes No Yes Yes

CNLA SMARTCARE ASSESS SVC Partner Yes No SAS for client only Yes No No Yes

CNLB SMARTCARE ASSESS SVC Partner Yes No SAS for client only Yes No No Yes

CNLP SMARTCARE PREMIUM Partner Yes Yes 24x7x4 Yes No Yes Yes

Refer to the Products section for a list of eligible devices and software applications covered by Cisco Smart Care Service

Software upgrades do not contain entitlement for licensed upgrades These licensed upgrades have to be purchased separately

2

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Customizablealertservicestosendemailortextnotificationsofany issue in customer networks

bull Proactivenotificationsofanyend-of-lifeCiscodevicesincustomer networks

bull Disasterrecoveryservicestoremotelybackupcustomernetwork configurations

bull PartneraccesstotheCiscoTechnicalAssistanceCenter(TAC)for escalations (partners take all calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

bull SoftwareupdatesandmaintenancereleasesforqualifiedCiscoapplications

bull CiscoIOSregSoftwaresupportincludingmaintenancereleasesand patches and access to Ciscocom and the Cisco Smart Care Service portal and tools

bull Anetwork-levelservicecontractcoveringallqualifiedCiscodevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetwork(SeeTable1intheProductssection for a list of eligible devices and software applications covered by Cisco Smart Care Service)

Q Why should partners sell a support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service helps partners expand their business opportunities by providing a proactive services platform on which they can build the next generation of personalized services that promote higher profit margins recurrent revenue and long-lasting customer relationships

The Cisco Smart Care Service platform enables partners to

bull Improveprofitabilitybytransitioningtoaservice-ledmodelwhich can result in higher profit margins and predictable recurring revenue

bull Differentiatetheirbusinessesbydevelopingpersonalizedservicesfor midsize customers

Purchasing Cisco Smart Care Service from a Cisco Certified Partner is the way for midsize customers to verify that their network is secure reliable and functioning optimally so that they can improve their employee productivity increase customer responsiveness and get the most from their technology investments Utilizing a service based on Cisco Smart Care gives customers greater visibility into network performance and greatly reduces the time and effort necessary to help ensure that their networks are running efficiently

Q What is included for partners in Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes

bull Dashboardvisibilityintoacustomerrsquosnetworktoremotelymonitorperformance and correct potential problems

bull Periodicassessmentandrepairservicestoidentifypotentialnetwork health and security issues

bull Single-usenetworkhealthandsecurityassessmentstoprovideassessments as a one-time professional service or to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers

bull Assessmentandpreparationservicestosimplifytheadditionofnew technologies and applications over time

bull Voiceassessmentservicesthatcanbeusedpriortodeployingvoice in the network

bull Voicequalitymonitoringservicetohelpensuretheaudiblequalityof voice

bull Proactivedevice-leveldiagnosticsalertsandremediationadvicefor Cisco Smart Call Home-enabled products when an issue is detected

bull SinglesupportcontractforallCiscodevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetwork

bull Next-business-day(NBD)advancehardwarereplacementtothe end user for the entire network with the option to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour coverage software updatesupgrades and ESW equivalence (Onsite service not included)

3

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who is the target customer for service based on Cisco Smart Care

A The Cisco Smart Care Service is designed to enable partners to provide support for midsize businesses typically between 100 and 1000 employees Target customers primarily or exclusively use Cisco networking devices and lack sufficient in-house resources with networking expertise or have qualified IT staff but choose to save time and effort maintaining and optimizing their network to help ensure higher network security availability and performance

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service different from other services

bull Proactiveremotemonitoringforvisibilityintothehealthsecurityand availability of the network

bull Assessmentandservices

bull Customizablealertservices

bull Disasterrecoverycapabilities

bull Technicalsupporttothepartnerforlevel2+issues(partnerstakeall calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

bull NBDadvancehardwarereplacementforCiscodeviceswiththeoption to upgrade individual devices to 4-hour coverage (onsite service not included)

bull Simplifiedadditionofnewtechnologiesandapplicationsovertimewith assessment and preparation services

bull AsinglecontractthatcoversallqualifiedCiscodevicesonthe network

bull Increasecustomerloyaltybycombiningthecomplementaryserviceadvantages of Cisco and the partner to deliver an exceptional service experience to customers

bull Growtheirservicebusinessthroughacollaborativego-to-marketstrategy with Cisco

bull Reducecontractmanagementthroughasinglenetwork-widecontract

Q Why should customers buy a partner service based on Cisco Smart Care

A A partner support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service provides customers the following benefits

bull Theopportunitytochoosethelevelandtypeofnetworkcoverageto best support the size and complexity of their business

bull Increasednetworkvisibilitywiththeinformationpartnersneedtoefficiently manage and continually improve customer networks

bull Ongoingmonitoringandperiodicassessmentsofnetworkhealth availability and security to protect and optimize essential network applications communications and business operations so problems can be addressed before they affect business functionality

bull Enhancedbusinesscontinuitythroughdisasterrecoverycapabilitiesthat remotely back up network routing switching and security configurations allowing the quick restoration of the network to its prior working order in the event of a disaster

bull AsingleservicecontractthatcoversallCiscodevicestosimplifycontract management and maintenance requirements

bull ThecombinedstrengthsofCiscotheindustryleaderinnetworking with a local value-add reseller providing midsize customers with network care and improvement planning to help keep the network efficient and secure

4

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Note The estimate of 50 to 1000 network users represents the number of active concurrent users on the network In some industries such as manufacturing or healthcare many employees access the network only occasionally The number of employees in a business could be much higher This could translate to up to 1000 users

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service a good option for businesses that want to add voice to their network

A Yes Successful IP voice implementation requires more than simply deploying an IP call processing solution and IP phones A company needs a network that prioritizes voice services provides the necessary bandwidth and processing resources and is protected from common networking issues that have negligible effects on other services but that significantly impact voice quality

Q How does Cisco define network coverage

A Network coverage means that the customer covers Cisco devices in the network with a service level contract that includes proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics and software repairs in addition to technical support delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner The customer gets the same high level of service across the network

Since this service is designed to serve the needs of medium-sized customers coverage is limited to products that those businesses typically purchase The customer may not purchase Cisco Smart Care Service if some of their network equipment is considered to be high-end enterprise or service provider-class devices

Most commercial-class and some enterprise-class Cisco products are eligible to be covered by Cisco Smart Care Service For more information about eligible products refer to the Products section

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract on some devices such as Cisco SMARTnetreg Service or Shared Support can they get Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes The customer can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Cisco Smart Care Service will be applied to the uncovered products and at the renewal time for the other service contracts they will be converted to Cisco Smart Care Service For more information see the Pricing section As these other Cisco service contracts expire the devices will migrate over on the Smart Care contract and the price will be adjusted as part of the true-up process

Q Is there a limit to the number of network users Cisco Smart Care Service can support on any one network

A No Since Cisco Smart Care Service is sold based on the number and class of Cisco devices are on the network the actual number of network users will vary

5

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Next-business-day(NBD)advancehardwarereplacementtothe end user for the entire network with the option to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour coverage software updatesupgrades and ESW equivalence (onsite service is not included)

bull Simplifiedadditionofnewtechnologiesandapplicationsovertimewith assessment and preparation services

bull AsinglecontractthatcoversallqualifiedCiscodevicesonthenetwork

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (for example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract lets partners provide NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility to upgrade individual devices to a premium 4-hour hardware replacement option (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will behonoredforthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpires it will automatically be migrated to a partner offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet Service contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

SecurityNoteForinformationonhowyourcustomerrsquosdataissecurewithSmartCare go to wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_security_wppdf

Q What steps are taken to help ensure that network data sent to Cisco is secure

A A network appliance or software application on the network continuously collects data about the health of the network This data is

With a support plan based on the Cisco Smart Care Service a qualified Cisco partnermdashbacked by extensive tools and in-depth training from Ciscomdashprovides a comprehensive analysis to determine whether the network meets these requirements before the customer invests in IP voice technologies The assessment tools include voice traffic injection capabilities and detailed measurements of the delay jitter and loss in the customer network The assessment also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) for the customer networkmdashthe industry-standard scoring criteria for IP voice circuits

Through this evaluation the Cisco partner provides detailed information about everything the network requires (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and helps create a smoother more successful implementation According to a 2005 Cisco survey of companies with IP voice solutions nearly 90 percent ofcustomersthatperformedapresalesassessmentoftheirnetworkrsquosvoice capabilities reported that they were pleased with the solution Alternativelyapproximately 80 percent of those companies that did not perform such assessments were dissatisfied

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service different from other services

A Unlike traditional maintenance services Cisco Smart Care Service provides you with a proactive services platform that provides tools to deliver both traditional maintenance and proactive services including

bull Proactiveremotemonitoringforvisibilityintothehealthsecurityand availability of the network

bull Assessmentandrepairservices

bull Customizablealertservices

bull Disasterrecoverycapabilities

bull Technicalsupporttothepartnerforlevel2+issues(partnerstakeall calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

6

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What are the disaster recovery capabilities in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes service capabilities that partners can use to help their customers ensure business continuance in the event of a major outage The Cisco Smart Care appliance automatically backsupconfigurationinformationforallofthecustomerrsquosCiscoroutersswitchesandsecuritydevicesrunningtheCiscoCatalystregOSCiscoIOS Software and Cisco Security Device Manager These configuration files are always stored on the appliance locally and can be retrieved and viewed from the Smart Care portal on-demand Storing configuration filesallowspartnerstoquicklyrestorethecustomerrsquosnetworktoitspriorworking order in the event of a major disaster

Availability and Localization

Q Where is Cisco Smart Care Service available

A Currently Smart Care is available in Europe the United States and Canada and in select countries in emerging markets In other regions globally it will be available in phases Refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q If a customer has multiple international sites will these international locations or branches be supported by Smart Care

A Yes There is no problem in supporting international sites with Smart Care

Q What components of the Cisco Smart Care Service will be localized

A The intention is to localize the support experience for partners and customers Cisco is currently working with its local contacts and functional groups to determine the optimized localization solution for each market The service is currently available in English and Spanish

sent to Cisco over a highly secure HTTPS connection and is analyzed Cisco communicates network performance and security assessments to the customer and authorized partner over a secure HTTPS connection

Q How does Cisco use information from customer networks

A Cisco uses device information from customer networks to provide the customerandthecustomerrsquosauthorizedpartnerwiththeinformationtheyneed to assess the health security and availability of the network and make repairs Cisco also uses this information to improve future software and hardware offerings Neither Cisco nor the partner has access to the data that passes through the network

Q How does Cisco protect the confidentiality of sensitive customer information

A Cisco has access only to the device information needed to perform its services and never has access to the information that passes throughthecustomerrsquosnetworkCiscokeepsonlytheinformationabout customer networks necessary to fulfill its service obligations Information used for assessment repair and preparation services is held in temporary memory and discarded immediately following the service

Q Can the Smart Care dashboard alertnotification be integrated with our existing network management platform (for example Whatrsquos Up Gold Solarwinds and so on) using something like Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) alert notification

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a customizable emailtext message alerting feature This feature can be customized to integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) platforms and trouble- ticket systems that support email case input capability

Q Which versions of the SNMP are supported by Smart Care

A SNMP V1 and SNMP V2 are supported by Smart Care SNMP V3 is not supported by Smart Care

7

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

There is no need to request exclusions for the following devices

bull TheSmartCareappliance

bull Third-partydevices

bull DevicesnolongerintheSmartCareinventory

bull Personalcomputers

Q Can a nonqualifying product on a network be covered with another service and the rest of the network be covered with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes Nonqualifying products on a network may be covered with another service while the rest of the network is covered with Smart Care However the smart service features and coverage offered by Smart Care will not apply to nonqualifying products

Q Will older Cisco devices be supported for example a Cisco 2503 Router

A This depends on the device When an end-of-support notice is issued affected devices will no longer be covered Talk to your Cisco service account manager about replacement strategies

Q If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product what happens to the network-level support contract

A If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product that customer still remains eligible for a partner support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service to continue to cover qualified devices on their network

Products

Q What products does Cisco Smart Care Service support

A Cisco Smart Care Service supports a broad range of products for mid-sized business networks which are organized into six technology groups This list is continually updated as Cisco introduces new products into this market segment For the most up-to-date product list refer to the Cisco Service Quote Upload and Estimates Tool which is found on the Smart Care Partner Central website under Resources then Tools section (direct link httptoolsciscocomcacacspapplicationindexjsp)

Q Why are some products excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A Since this service is designed for midsize businesses coverage is limited to products that those companies typically purchase Cisco has included products that are commonly used by businesses of all sizes such as Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches However most enterprise-class products are excluded from this service

Q What devices are excluded

A Generallyanydevicedetectedwillbeaddedtothecustomerrsquoscontract will be eligible for entitlement and will be considered during the quarterly pricing reviews It is reasonable to anticipate that customers will have devices in their networks that might need to be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract Reasons for the exclusions may include but are not limited to

bull Ciscoorpartner-providedtestlabordemogear

bull Serviceprovider-ownedgear

The partner may request that these devices be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract through the Service Support Center (SSC) The request will be reviewed by a Cisco Smart Care Service administrator and if approved excluded devices will be marked on the inventory as excluded and if appropriate removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

8This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Partners

Partner Qualification and Certification

Q What qualifications do partners need to sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service

A At a minimum you must be a Cisco Select Premier Silver or Gold Certified Partner and must have passed the Cisco Smart Care Service exam If you meet these requirements you can sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service for networks that contain basic Cisco routing switching security and storage technology products For networks with basic voice technology a Cisco Express Unified Communications Specialization is required from the partner For networks with advanced voice technology products an Advanced Unified Communications Specialization is required Specialization requirements may vary depending on country and theater Contact your Cisco representative for more information Additionally you must be able to provide 8x5 support to your customers

Q May Global Service Alliance (GSA) and Regional Service Alliance (RSA) partners offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A GSA and RSA partners can qualify to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service if they meet the minimum partner eligibility requirements If a GSA or RSA partner chooses to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service the GSA or RSA benefits will not be applied to Cisco Smart Care Service Cisco Smart Care Service does not include rebates or discounts GSA and RSA partners will not be able to apply the strategic alliance benefits they receive to Cisco Smart Care Service

Q What if it says I am not qualified to register

A There are specific eligibility criteria that your partner company needs to meet before registering for the Cisco Smart Care program Visit the program homepage (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) to review those criteria If you think that your company meets the criteria visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to validate if the appropriate certificationsspecializations are in place

It is also possible that your company does not reside in one of the countries in which the Cisco Smart Care program is currently available VisitthePartnerSelf-Servicetooltovalidateyourcompanyrsquosaddressinformation and refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q What if the portal does not recognize or show all the certifications and specializations my company has

A If you have recently acquired a new certification or specialization it might not have been updated on your profile To verify visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to view your certifications and specializations and to report any issues

Q How do increased specializationcertification levels affect my registration with Smart Care

A If your company acquires one of the higher specializations that make you eligible for a higher Cisco Smart Care access level your Cisco Smart Care access level will automatically be increased This will allow you to support and sell Cisco Smart Care for more complex customer networks To see the eligibility requirements for Smart Care visit wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareofferhtml

Q What is meant by ldquoIn the event the partner is not recertified within the 90-day grace period the customerrsquos Smart Care Service contract will be supported until it expires rdquo

A Partners will still have access to the Smart Care Service Portal but will be unable to run any services Customer networks are still covered by the Smart Care Service contract and partners can access support for the customer networks

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

9This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How do I become eligible to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Each geographic region may have additional requirements but the following are the general steps to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

Step 1 Review Minimum Partner Eligibility Requirements

1 Confirm theater availability for your partner location

2 Hold a Select Premier Silver or Gold Cisco partner certification

3 Agree to provide technical support (8x5 business hoursmdashself-certify)

4 Complete live or online training (self-certify)

5 Pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online test (free to partners one person from partnership needs to pass)

Step 2 Get Trained and Take the Online Test

The Cisco Smart Care Service e-learning contains several role-based training paths (including ownermanager account manager systems engineer and sales operationsadministrative) It is available to you at no cost To view the entire range of training offered view the training map wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare training_maphtml

Partner eligibility to participate in the Cisco Smart Care Service program requires a partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent to pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online eligibility test This test is focused on the installation configuration and use of the Cisco Smart Care Service delivery tools Only one member of your partner organization is required to pass the test to meet eligibility The test must be passed before your organization can successfully register for the Cisco Smart Care Service program You can access the Smart Care tests through the registration tab in the e-learning course

Partner Registration

Q How can I familiarize myself with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Go to wwwciscocomgosmartcare for details on Cisco Smart Care Service This site includes data sheets at-a-glance documents a demo overview of the program and all of the tools overviews of the network health security and voice assessments and much more

Q Where should I go when deciding to offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A The ldquoOffer the Servicerdquo section on the Smart Care website (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) will take you through a five-phase decision-making process The five phases are

bull UnderstandingtheSmartCarevalueproposition

bull Buildingyourbusinesscase

bull Buildingyourservicesoffering

bull Incorporatingintoyourbusinessmodel

bull SellinganddeliveringaplanbasedonCiscoSmartCareService

Included in these five phases are the relevant documentation and tools to guide you through the decision-making stage

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

10This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why does it say my Cisco com user ID is no longer associated with the partner company

A Your Ciscocom user ID might no longer be associated with the company with which you were originally registered for Cisco Smart Care Service If you have switched companies recently or if you believe this message has been received in error visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to correct the information

Q Does everyone from the partner organization need to sign up and create a separate Cisco Smart Care account

A Every user should have a separate Ciscocom user ID and should be registered on the Cisco Smart Care portal by the designated Smart Care administrator at your company

Q If I am already registered how do I become a registered user for my company

A You will need to contact the designated Smart Care administrator at you company to get access

Q Does everyone from the partner organization have to com-plete the Cisco Smart Care registration click-to-accept terms

A No only the person authorized to accept the Cisco terms and conditions will be required to sign at the time of registration

Q When registering it says I need to self-certify that I am capable of providing 8x5 business hours technical support What does this mean

A This is a requirement to sell Cisco Smart Care Service You should check this box only if you are able to provide technical support during business hours (8 hours a day 5 days a week) to customers

There are two different tests associated with the systems engineering training path modules The systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass onlythetestthatmatchesthepartnerorganizationrsquosservicelevel(Seenotes following each test title) The tests are

bull Cisco Smart Care Base + Voice Pass this test to sell level 3 and level 4 of Smart Care (unified communications)

bull Cisco Smart Care Base Pass this test to sell level 1 and level 2 of Smart Care (foundation technology and security)

Step 3 Register to Begin Offering a Support Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care Service

When your systems engineer has passed the online test and you meet the other eligibility requirements described in step 1 you may register to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care by filling out a simple registration form

Step 4 Begin Selling a Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care

Now that you are officially registered to start offering a support plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service you can begin using all of the online marketing selling and delivery tools through the Cisco Smart Care control panel

Q What is the URL to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A The URL is httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare All requirements must be met before you can register

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page

A Visit httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID for logging into the portal

Q What if my Cisco com user ID is not working

A It might not exist in which case you will need to create one at httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo Or you might need to reset the password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

11This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Training and Testing

Q Where do I go to get training for Cisco Smart Care Service

A ForinternalsalesandbusinesstrainingonSmartCareandCiscorsquosportfolio of technical services visit Accelerate wwwciscocomgoaccelerateCiscorsquospartnerportaldedicatedtoservicestrainingandeducation For all the tools and resources required to help you position and sell Smart Care to your customers visit wwwciscocomgosmartcare

To gain a more technical experience of Cisco Smart Care Service the Partner Education Connection e-learning resources are available at wwwciscocomgopec

Q Is there a fee for accessing the online training

A No The online training is free to all Cisco partners

Q How do I complete the Cisco Smart Care training Is it web based In person Do I have to pass a written test

A You may access training in two ways (1) Complete the training online at your own pace (2) There may be live trainings offered by the Cisco channel sales team The training should be completed to prepare for the required online test to become a Cisco Smart Care Service registered partner

Q What type of web-based training is available to me

A There are four role-based learning paths available for partners They are as follows

For OwnerManagers 30 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

Q If I acquire new certifications or specializations when should I expect to get an email regarding my change of access level

A Afterapartnerrsquosprofilehasbeenupdatedwiththenewlyacquiredspecialization in the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo the next time someone from your company logs into the Cisco Smart Care portal the access level will be automatically increased You will receive an email notifying you of this change

Q Why would I have trouble registering for Cisco Smart Care Service if I meet the minimum eligibility

A The majority of issues with registration involve partner certifications levels per the Partner Self-Service tool You can verify that you have the right certification or specialization level to qualify by visiting httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo

Q How many employees need to pass the Smart Care Exam to register the program

A One employee needs to pass COLT

Q Does an employee who will take the Smart Care Exam need to hold any kind of Cisco certification such as a Cisco CCNAreg

A No

Q What languages are available for the Smart Care Exam

A English only

Q If my companyrsquos attorney has questions about a certain clause in the terms and conditions to whom should these questions be directed

A For questions regarding the terms and conditions for Cisco contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

12This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q There are two different Cisco Smart Care Service tests How do I know which test to take

A When you go to the URL to take the test you will have two choices eitherldquoSmartCareBaserdquoorldquoSmartCareBase+VoicerdquoIfyourcompanyhas a Cisco Express or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts you will have access tothevoicetoolsandshouldtaketheBase+Voicetest

Q Is there a fee for taking the test

A No The Cisco Smart Care Service online test is free to partners Only one partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass the exam

Q How long does the test take

A The test should take no more than 60 minutes to complete The test will time out and score the test at 60 minutes

Q What score do I need to get to pass the test

A The passing score for the Cisco Smart Care Service online test is 70 percent correct

Q How long before I can retake the test if I do not pass it on the first try

A You may retake the test within minutes of receiving your email passfail notification There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test

Q How often do I have to take the test to remain eligible (for example once annually)

A You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) need to take the test only one time

For Account Managers 1 Hour 15 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 34 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 17 minutes

For Systems Engineers 2 Hours 36 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 56 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

AdministratorsOperations 2 Hours

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 25 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

Q Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Before you can register to offer Smart Care one person from your staff needs to take and pass the appropriate online test The online test is based on the sales or systems engineer learning path content (see above)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 3: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

1

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

About Cisco Smart Care Services

General

Q What is Ciscoreg Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service is a unique proactive services platform that allows Cisco Certified Partners to build upon Cisco networking expertise methodologies technical tools best practices and service infrastructure to create new personalized services for their customers

Smart Care Service provides partners with the capabilities needed to offer the network-level insight traditional maintenance and proactive network services their customers require it also helps partners grow and differentiate their businesses in the commercial marketplace With the core capabilities of Cisco Smart Care Service partners can provide their customers with capabilities such as

bull RemotemonitoringandrepairofCiscodevicesandsoftwareapplications

bull ProactivehealthchecksandperiodicassessmentsofCisconetwork foundation voice and security technologies to identify potential issues

bull TechnicalsupportforallCiscohardwareandsoftwareinthenetwork with a single network-wide maintenance contract

bull Selectedsoftwareupdatesandupgrades(seetablebelow)

bull Nextbusinessday(NBD)advancereplacementofCiscodeviceswith an option to upgrade individual devices to 4-hour coverage (onsite service not included)

bull ProactivenotificationstosimplifytheupdatingofCiscodevices

bull Assessmentandpreparationservicestosimplifytheadditionofnew technologies and applications over time

bull Disasterrecoveryservicestobackupthecustomerrsquosroutersswitches and security solutions to a remote location and easily restore the network in the event of a disaster

Offering off-the-shelf best in class proactive network monitoring capabilities backed by Cisco as part of a service that helps provide visibilityintothecustomerrsquosnetworksavesoperationalcostsandsimplifies network-level contract management

For the end customer a partner offering based on Cisco Smart Care provides a comprehensive network-wide service that can include proactive network monitoring health checkups diagnostics and software repairs in addition to technical support for their entire Cisco networkmdashin a single contract Smart Care Service is delivered through a local Cisco Certified Partner that works with Cisco to provide a superior service experience

Table 1

Contract Type Description

CCO Access Level

PicaAdministration

Hardware Coverage

Service Level Group

Software Center Access

Major Software Updates

Software Maintainence

ReleasesTAC

Access

CNL1 CNL1 ROUTRSWTCHSEC Partner Yes Yes 8x5xNBD Yes No Yes Yes

CNL3 CNL3 VOICE ADDED Partner Yes Yes 8x5xNBD Yes No Yes Yes

CNL4 CNL4 ADV VOICE ADDED Partner Yes Yes 8x5xNBD Yes No Yes Yes

CNLA SMARTCARE ASSESS SVC Partner Yes No SAS for client only Yes No No Yes

CNLB SMARTCARE ASSESS SVC Partner Yes No SAS for client only Yes No No Yes

CNLP SMARTCARE PREMIUM Partner Yes Yes 24x7x4 Yes No Yes Yes

Refer to the Products section for a list of eligible devices and software applications covered by Cisco Smart Care Service

Software upgrades do not contain entitlement for licensed upgrades These licensed upgrades have to be purchased separately

2

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Customizablealertservicestosendemailortextnotificationsofany issue in customer networks

bull Proactivenotificationsofanyend-of-lifeCiscodevicesincustomer networks

bull Disasterrecoveryservicestoremotelybackupcustomernetwork configurations

bull PartneraccesstotheCiscoTechnicalAssistanceCenter(TAC)for escalations (partners take all calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

bull SoftwareupdatesandmaintenancereleasesforqualifiedCiscoapplications

bull CiscoIOSregSoftwaresupportincludingmaintenancereleasesand patches and access to Ciscocom and the Cisco Smart Care Service portal and tools

bull Anetwork-levelservicecontractcoveringallqualifiedCiscodevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetwork(SeeTable1intheProductssection for a list of eligible devices and software applications covered by Cisco Smart Care Service)

Q Why should partners sell a support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service helps partners expand their business opportunities by providing a proactive services platform on which they can build the next generation of personalized services that promote higher profit margins recurrent revenue and long-lasting customer relationships

The Cisco Smart Care Service platform enables partners to

bull Improveprofitabilitybytransitioningtoaservice-ledmodelwhich can result in higher profit margins and predictable recurring revenue

bull Differentiatetheirbusinessesbydevelopingpersonalizedservicesfor midsize customers

Purchasing Cisco Smart Care Service from a Cisco Certified Partner is the way for midsize customers to verify that their network is secure reliable and functioning optimally so that they can improve their employee productivity increase customer responsiveness and get the most from their technology investments Utilizing a service based on Cisco Smart Care gives customers greater visibility into network performance and greatly reduces the time and effort necessary to help ensure that their networks are running efficiently

Q What is included for partners in Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes

bull Dashboardvisibilityintoacustomerrsquosnetworktoremotelymonitorperformance and correct potential problems

bull Periodicassessmentandrepairservicestoidentifypotentialnetwork health and security issues

bull Single-usenetworkhealthandsecurityassessmentstoprovideassessments as a one-time professional service or to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers

bull Assessmentandpreparationservicestosimplifytheadditionofnew technologies and applications over time

bull Voiceassessmentservicesthatcanbeusedpriortodeployingvoice in the network

bull Voicequalitymonitoringservicetohelpensuretheaudiblequalityof voice

bull Proactivedevice-leveldiagnosticsalertsandremediationadvicefor Cisco Smart Call Home-enabled products when an issue is detected

bull SinglesupportcontractforallCiscodevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetwork

bull Next-business-day(NBD)advancehardwarereplacementtothe end user for the entire network with the option to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour coverage software updatesupgrades and ESW equivalence (Onsite service not included)

3

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who is the target customer for service based on Cisco Smart Care

A The Cisco Smart Care Service is designed to enable partners to provide support for midsize businesses typically between 100 and 1000 employees Target customers primarily or exclusively use Cisco networking devices and lack sufficient in-house resources with networking expertise or have qualified IT staff but choose to save time and effort maintaining and optimizing their network to help ensure higher network security availability and performance

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service different from other services

bull Proactiveremotemonitoringforvisibilityintothehealthsecurityand availability of the network

bull Assessmentandservices

bull Customizablealertservices

bull Disasterrecoverycapabilities

bull Technicalsupporttothepartnerforlevel2+issues(partnerstakeall calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

bull NBDadvancehardwarereplacementforCiscodeviceswiththeoption to upgrade individual devices to 4-hour coverage (onsite service not included)

bull Simplifiedadditionofnewtechnologiesandapplicationsovertimewith assessment and preparation services

bull AsinglecontractthatcoversallqualifiedCiscodevicesonthe network

bull Increasecustomerloyaltybycombiningthecomplementaryserviceadvantages of Cisco and the partner to deliver an exceptional service experience to customers

bull Growtheirservicebusinessthroughacollaborativego-to-marketstrategy with Cisco

bull Reducecontractmanagementthroughasinglenetwork-widecontract

Q Why should customers buy a partner service based on Cisco Smart Care

A A partner support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service provides customers the following benefits

bull Theopportunitytochoosethelevelandtypeofnetworkcoverageto best support the size and complexity of their business

bull Increasednetworkvisibilitywiththeinformationpartnersneedtoefficiently manage and continually improve customer networks

bull Ongoingmonitoringandperiodicassessmentsofnetworkhealth availability and security to protect and optimize essential network applications communications and business operations so problems can be addressed before they affect business functionality

bull Enhancedbusinesscontinuitythroughdisasterrecoverycapabilitiesthat remotely back up network routing switching and security configurations allowing the quick restoration of the network to its prior working order in the event of a disaster

bull AsingleservicecontractthatcoversallCiscodevicestosimplifycontract management and maintenance requirements

bull ThecombinedstrengthsofCiscotheindustryleaderinnetworking with a local value-add reseller providing midsize customers with network care and improvement planning to help keep the network efficient and secure

4

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Note The estimate of 50 to 1000 network users represents the number of active concurrent users on the network In some industries such as manufacturing or healthcare many employees access the network only occasionally The number of employees in a business could be much higher This could translate to up to 1000 users

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service a good option for businesses that want to add voice to their network

A Yes Successful IP voice implementation requires more than simply deploying an IP call processing solution and IP phones A company needs a network that prioritizes voice services provides the necessary bandwidth and processing resources and is protected from common networking issues that have negligible effects on other services but that significantly impact voice quality

Q How does Cisco define network coverage

A Network coverage means that the customer covers Cisco devices in the network with a service level contract that includes proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics and software repairs in addition to technical support delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner The customer gets the same high level of service across the network

Since this service is designed to serve the needs of medium-sized customers coverage is limited to products that those businesses typically purchase The customer may not purchase Cisco Smart Care Service if some of their network equipment is considered to be high-end enterprise or service provider-class devices

Most commercial-class and some enterprise-class Cisco products are eligible to be covered by Cisco Smart Care Service For more information about eligible products refer to the Products section

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract on some devices such as Cisco SMARTnetreg Service or Shared Support can they get Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes The customer can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Cisco Smart Care Service will be applied to the uncovered products and at the renewal time for the other service contracts they will be converted to Cisco Smart Care Service For more information see the Pricing section As these other Cisco service contracts expire the devices will migrate over on the Smart Care contract and the price will be adjusted as part of the true-up process

Q Is there a limit to the number of network users Cisco Smart Care Service can support on any one network

A No Since Cisco Smart Care Service is sold based on the number and class of Cisco devices are on the network the actual number of network users will vary

5

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Next-business-day(NBD)advancehardwarereplacementtothe end user for the entire network with the option to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour coverage software updatesupgrades and ESW equivalence (onsite service is not included)

bull Simplifiedadditionofnewtechnologiesandapplicationsovertimewith assessment and preparation services

bull AsinglecontractthatcoversallqualifiedCiscodevicesonthenetwork

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (for example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract lets partners provide NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility to upgrade individual devices to a premium 4-hour hardware replacement option (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will behonoredforthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpires it will automatically be migrated to a partner offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet Service contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

SecurityNoteForinformationonhowyourcustomerrsquosdataissecurewithSmartCare go to wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_security_wppdf

Q What steps are taken to help ensure that network data sent to Cisco is secure

A A network appliance or software application on the network continuously collects data about the health of the network This data is

With a support plan based on the Cisco Smart Care Service a qualified Cisco partnermdashbacked by extensive tools and in-depth training from Ciscomdashprovides a comprehensive analysis to determine whether the network meets these requirements before the customer invests in IP voice technologies The assessment tools include voice traffic injection capabilities and detailed measurements of the delay jitter and loss in the customer network The assessment also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) for the customer networkmdashthe industry-standard scoring criteria for IP voice circuits

Through this evaluation the Cisco partner provides detailed information about everything the network requires (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and helps create a smoother more successful implementation According to a 2005 Cisco survey of companies with IP voice solutions nearly 90 percent ofcustomersthatperformedapresalesassessmentoftheirnetworkrsquosvoice capabilities reported that they were pleased with the solution Alternativelyapproximately 80 percent of those companies that did not perform such assessments were dissatisfied

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service different from other services

A Unlike traditional maintenance services Cisco Smart Care Service provides you with a proactive services platform that provides tools to deliver both traditional maintenance and proactive services including

bull Proactiveremotemonitoringforvisibilityintothehealthsecurityand availability of the network

bull Assessmentandrepairservices

bull Customizablealertservices

bull Disasterrecoverycapabilities

bull Technicalsupporttothepartnerforlevel2+issues(partnerstakeall calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

6

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What are the disaster recovery capabilities in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes service capabilities that partners can use to help their customers ensure business continuance in the event of a major outage The Cisco Smart Care appliance automatically backsupconfigurationinformationforallofthecustomerrsquosCiscoroutersswitchesandsecuritydevicesrunningtheCiscoCatalystregOSCiscoIOS Software and Cisco Security Device Manager These configuration files are always stored on the appliance locally and can be retrieved and viewed from the Smart Care portal on-demand Storing configuration filesallowspartnerstoquicklyrestorethecustomerrsquosnetworktoitspriorworking order in the event of a major disaster

Availability and Localization

Q Where is Cisco Smart Care Service available

A Currently Smart Care is available in Europe the United States and Canada and in select countries in emerging markets In other regions globally it will be available in phases Refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q If a customer has multiple international sites will these international locations or branches be supported by Smart Care

A Yes There is no problem in supporting international sites with Smart Care

Q What components of the Cisco Smart Care Service will be localized

A The intention is to localize the support experience for partners and customers Cisco is currently working with its local contacts and functional groups to determine the optimized localization solution for each market The service is currently available in English and Spanish

sent to Cisco over a highly secure HTTPS connection and is analyzed Cisco communicates network performance and security assessments to the customer and authorized partner over a secure HTTPS connection

Q How does Cisco use information from customer networks

A Cisco uses device information from customer networks to provide the customerandthecustomerrsquosauthorizedpartnerwiththeinformationtheyneed to assess the health security and availability of the network and make repairs Cisco also uses this information to improve future software and hardware offerings Neither Cisco nor the partner has access to the data that passes through the network

Q How does Cisco protect the confidentiality of sensitive customer information

A Cisco has access only to the device information needed to perform its services and never has access to the information that passes throughthecustomerrsquosnetworkCiscokeepsonlytheinformationabout customer networks necessary to fulfill its service obligations Information used for assessment repair and preparation services is held in temporary memory and discarded immediately following the service

Q Can the Smart Care dashboard alertnotification be integrated with our existing network management platform (for example Whatrsquos Up Gold Solarwinds and so on) using something like Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) alert notification

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a customizable emailtext message alerting feature This feature can be customized to integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) platforms and trouble- ticket systems that support email case input capability

Q Which versions of the SNMP are supported by Smart Care

A SNMP V1 and SNMP V2 are supported by Smart Care SNMP V3 is not supported by Smart Care

7

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

There is no need to request exclusions for the following devices

bull TheSmartCareappliance

bull Third-partydevices

bull DevicesnolongerintheSmartCareinventory

bull Personalcomputers

Q Can a nonqualifying product on a network be covered with another service and the rest of the network be covered with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes Nonqualifying products on a network may be covered with another service while the rest of the network is covered with Smart Care However the smart service features and coverage offered by Smart Care will not apply to nonqualifying products

Q Will older Cisco devices be supported for example a Cisco 2503 Router

A This depends on the device When an end-of-support notice is issued affected devices will no longer be covered Talk to your Cisco service account manager about replacement strategies

Q If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product what happens to the network-level support contract

A If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product that customer still remains eligible for a partner support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service to continue to cover qualified devices on their network

Products

Q What products does Cisco Smart Care Service support

A Cisco Smart Care Service supports a broad range of products for mid-sized business networks which are organized into six technology groups This list is continually updated as Cisco introduces new products into this market segment For the most up-to-date product list refer to the Cisco Service Quote Upload and Estimates Tool which is found on the Smart Care Partner Central website under Resources then Tools section (direct link httptoolsciscocomcacacspapplicationindexjsp)

Q Why are some products excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A Since this service is designed for midsize businesses coverage is limited to products that those companies typically purchase Cisco has included products that are commonly used by businesses of all sizes such as Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches However most enterprise-class products are excluded from this service

Q What devices are excluded

A Generallyanydevicedetectedwillbeaddedtothecustomerrsquoscontract will be eligible for entitlement and will be considered during the quarterly pricing reviews It is reasonable to anticipate that customers will have devices in their networks that might need to be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract Reasons for the exclusions may include but are not limited to

bull Ciscoorpartner-providedtestlabordemogear

bull Serviceprovider-ownedgear

The partner may request that these devices be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract through the Service Support Center (SSC) The request will be reviewed by a Cisco Smart Care Service administrator and if approved excluded devices will be marked on the inventory as excluded and if appropriate removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

8This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Partners

Partner Qualification and Certification

Q What qualifications do partners need to sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service

A At a minimum you must be a Cisco Select Premier Silver or Gold Certified Partner and must have passed the Cisco Smart Care Service exam If you meet these requirements you can sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service for networks that contain basic Cisco routing switching security and storage technology products For networks with basic voice technology a Cisco Express Unified Communications Specialization is required from the partner For networks with advanced voice technology products an Advanced Unified Communications Specialization is required Specialization requirements may vary depending on country and theater Contact your Cisco representative for more information Additionally you must be able to provide 8x5 support to your customers

Q May Global Service Alliance (GSA) and Regional Service Alliance (RSA) partners offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A GSA and RSA partners can qualify to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service if they meet the minimum partner eligibility requirements If a GSA or RSA partner chooses to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service the GSA or RSA benefits will not be applied to Cisco Smart Care Service Cisco Smart Care Service does not include rebates or discounts GSA and RSA partners will not be able to apply the strategic alliance benefits they receive to Cisco Smart Care Service

Q What if it says I am not qualified to register

A There are specific eligibility criteria that your partner company needs to meet before registering for the Cisco Smart Care program Visit the program homepage (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) to review those criteria If you think that your company meets the criteria visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to validate if the appropriate certificationsspecializations are in place

It is also possible that your company does not reside in one of the countries in which the Cisco Smart Care program is currently available VisitthePartnerSelf-Servicetooltovalidateyourcompanyrsquosaddressinformation and refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q What if the portal does not recognize or show all the certifications and specializations my company has

A If you have recently acquired a new certification or specialization it might not have been updated on your profile To verify visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to view your certifications and specializations and to report any issues

Q How do increased specializationcertification levels affect my registration with Smart Care

A If your company acquires one of the higher specializations that make you eligible for a higher Cisco Smart Care access level your Cisco Smart Care access level will automatically be increased This will allow you to support and sell Cisco Smart Care for more complex customer networks To see the eligibility requirements for Smart Care visit wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareofferhtml

Q What is meant by ldquoIn the event the partner is not recertified within the 90-day grace period the customerrsquos Smart Care Service contract will be supported until it expires rdquo

A Partners will still have access to the Smart Care Service Portal but will be unable to run any services Customer networks are still covered by the Smart Care Service contract and partners can access support for the customer networks

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

9This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How do I become eligible to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Each geographic region may have additional requirements but the following are the general steps to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

Step 1 Review Minimum Partner Eligibility Requirements

1 Confirm theater availability for your partner location

2 Hold a Select Premier Silver or Gold Cisco partner certification

3 Agree to provide technical support (8x5 business hoursmdashself-certify)

4 Complete live or online training (self-certify)

5 Pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online test (free to partners one person from partnership needs to pass)

Step 2 Get Trained and Take the Online Test

The Cisco Smart Care Service e-learning contains several role-based training paths (including ownermanager account manager systems engineer and sales operationsadministrative) It is available to you at no cost To view the entire range of training offered view the training map wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare training_maphtml

Partner eligibility to participate in the Cisco Smart Care Service program requires a partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent to pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online eligibility test This test is focused on the installation configuration and use of the Cisco Smart Care Service delivery tools Only one member of your partner organization is required to pass the test to meet eligibility The test must be passed before your organization can successfully register for the Cisco Smart Care Service program You can access the Smart Care tests through the registration tab in the e-learning course

Partner Registration

Q How can I familiarize myself with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Go to wwwciscocomgosmartcare for details on Cisco Smart Care Service This site includes data sheets at-a-glance documents a demo overview of the program and all of the tools overviews of the network health security and voice assessments and much more

Q Where should I go when deciding to offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A The ldquoOffer the Servicerdquo section on the Smart Care website (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) will take you through a five-phase decision-making process The five phases are

bull UnderstandingtheSmartCarevalueproposition

bull Buildingyourbusinesscase

bull Buildingyourservicesoffering

bull Incorporatingintoyourbusinessmodel

bull SellinganddeliveringaplanbasedonCiscoSmartCareService

Included in these five phases are the relevant documentation and tools to guide you through the decision-making stage

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

10This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why does it say my Cisco com user ID is no longer associated with the partner company

A Your Ciscocom user ID might no longer be associated with the company with which you were originally registered for Cisco Smart Care Service If you have switched companies recently or if you believe this message has been received in error visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to correct the information

Q Does everyone from the partner organization need to sign up and create a separate Cisco Smart Care account

A Every user should have a separate Ciscocom user ID and should be registered on the Cisco Smart Care portal by the designated Smart Care administrator at your company

Q If I am already registered how do I become a registered user for my company

A You will need to contact the designated Smart Care administrator at you company to get access

Q Does everyone from the partner organization have to com-plete the Cisco Smart Care registration click-to-accept terms

A No only the person authorized to accept the Cisco terms and conditions will be required to sign at the time of registration

Q When registering it says I need to self-certify that I am capable of providing 8x5 business hours technical support What does this mean

A This is a requirement to sell Cisco Smart Care Service You should check this box only if you are able to provide technical support during business hours (8 hours a day 5 days a week) to customers

There are two different tests associated with the systems engineering training path modules The systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass onlythetestthatmatchesthepartnerorganizationrsquosservicelevel(Seenotes following each test title) The tests are

bull Cisco Smart Care Base + Voice Pass this test to sell level 3 and level 4 of Smart Care (unified communications)

bull Cisco Smart Care Base Pass this test to sell level 1 and level 2 of Smart Care (foundation technology and security)

Step 3 Register to Begin Offering a Support Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care Service

When your systems engineer has passed the online test and you meet the other eligibility requirements described in step 1 you may register to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care by filling out a simple registration form

Step 4 Begin Selling a Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care

Now that you are officially registered to start offering a support plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service you can begin using all of the online marketing selling and delivery tools through the Cisco Smart Care control panel

Q What is the URL to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A The URL is httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare All requirements must be met before you can register

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page

A Visit httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID for logging into the portal

Q What if my Cisco com user ID is not working

A It might not exist in which case you will need to create one at httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo Or you might need to reset the password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

11This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Training and Testing

Q Where do I go to get training for Cisco Smart Care Service

A ForinternalsalesandbusinesstrainingonSmartCareandCiscorsquosportfolio of technical services visit Accelerate wwwciscocomgoaccelerateCiscorsquospartnerportaldedicatedtoservicestrainingandeducation For all the tools and resources required to help you position and sell Smart Care to your customers visit wwwciscocomgosmartcare

To gain a more technical experience of Cisco Smart Care Service the Partner Education Connection e-learning resources are available at wwwciscocomgopec

Q Is there a fee for accessing the online training

A No The online training is free to all Cisco partners

Q How do I complete the Cisco Smart Care training Is it web based In person Do I have to pass a written test

A You may access training in two ways (1) Complete the training online at your own pace (2) There may be live trainings offered by the Cisco channel sales team The training should be completed to prepare for the required online test to become a Cisco Smart Care Service registered partner

Q What type of web-based training is available to me

A There are four role-based learning paths available for partners They are as follows

For OwnerManagers 30 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

Q If I acquire new certifications or specializations when should I expect to get an email regarding my change of access level

A Afterapartnerrsquosprofilehasbeenupdatedwiththenewlyacquiredspecialization in the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo the next time someone from your company logs into the Cisco Smart Care portal the access level will be automatically increased You will receive an email notifying you of this change

Q Why would I have trouble registering for Cisco Smart Care Service if I meet the minimum eligibility

A The majority of issues with registration involve partner certifications levels per the Partner Self-Service tool You can verify that you have the right certification or specialization level to qualify by visiting httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo

Q How many employees need to pass the Smart Care Exam to register the program

A One employee needs to pass COLT

Q Does an employee who will take the Smart Care Exam need to hold any kind of Cisco certification such as a Cisco CCNAreg

A No

Q What languages are available for the Smart Care Exam

A English only

Q If my companyrsquos attorney has questions about a certain clause in the terms and conditions to whom should these questions be directed

A For questions regarding the terms and conditions for Cisco contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

12This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q There are two different Cisco Smart Care Service tests How do I know which test to take

A When you go to the URL to take the test you will have two choices eitherldquoSmartCareBaserdquoorldquoSmartCareBase+VoicerdquoIfyourcompanyhas a Cisco Express or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts you will have access tothevoicetoolsandshouldtaketheBase+Voicetest

Q Is there a fee for taking the test

A No The Cisco Smart Care Service online test is free to partners Only one partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass the exam

Q How long does the test take

A The test should take no more than 60 minutes to complete The test will time out and score the test at 60 minutes

Q What score do I need to get to pass the test

A The passing score for the Cisco Smart Care Service online test is 70 percent correct

Q How long before I can retake the test if I do not pass it on the first try

A You may retake the test within minutes of receiving your email passfail notification There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test

Q How often do I have to take the test to remain eligible (for example once annually)

A You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) need to take the test only one time

For Account Managers 1 Hour 15 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 34 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 17 minutes

For Systems Engineers 2 Hours 36 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 56 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

AdministratorsOperations 2 Hours

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 25 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

Q Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Before you can register to offer Smart Care one person from your staff needs to take and pass the appropriate online test The online test is based on the sales or systems engineer learning path content (see above)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 4: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

2

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Customizablealertservicestosendemailortextnotificationsofany issue in customer networks

bull Proactivenotificationsofanyend-of-lifeCiscodevicesincustomer networks

bull Disasterrecoveryservicestoremotelybackupcustomernetwork configurations

bull PartneraccesstotheCiscoTechnicalAssistanceCenter(TAC)for escalations (partners take all calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

bull SoftwareupdatesandmaintenancereleasesforqualifiedCiscoapplications

bull CiscoIOSregSoftwaresupportincludingmaintenancereleasesand patches and access to Ciscocom and the Cisco Smart Care Service portal and tools

bull Anetwork-levelservicecontractcoveringallqualifiedCiscodevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetwork(SeeTable1intheProductssection for a list of eligible devices and software applications covered by Cisco Smart Care Service)

Q Why should partners sell a support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service helps partners expand their business opportunities by providing a proactive services platform on which they can build the next generation of personalized services that promote higher profit margins recurrent revenue and long-lasting customer relationships

The Cisco Smart Care Service platform enables partners to

bull Improveprofitabilitybytransitioningtoaservice-ledmodelwhich can result in higher profit margins and predictable recurring revenue

bull Differentiatetheirbusinessesbydevelopingpersonalizedservicesfor midsize customers

Purchasing Cisco Smart Care Service from a Cisco Certified Partner is the way for midsize customers to verify that their network is secure reliable and functioning optimally so that they can improve their employee productivity increase customer responsiveness and get the most from their technology investments Utilizing a service based on Cisco Smart Care gives customers greater visibility into network performance and greatly reduces the time and effort necessary to help ensure that their networks are running efficiently

Q What is included for partners in Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes

bull Dashboardvisibilityintoacustomerrsquosnetworktoremotelymonitorperformance and correct potential problems

bull Periodicassessmentandrepairservicestoidentifypotentialnetwork health and security issues

bull Single-usenetworkhealthandsecurityassessmentstoprovideassessments as a one-time professional service or to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers

bull Assessmentandpreparationservicestosimplifytheadditionofnew technologies and applications over time

bull Voiceassessmentservicesthatcanbeusedpriortodeployingvoice in the network

bull Voicequalitymonitoringservicetohelpensuretheaudiblequalityof voice

bull Proactivedevice-leveldiagnosticsalertsandremediationadvicefor Cisco Smart Call Home-enabled products when an issue is detected

bull SinglesupportcontractforallCiscodevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetwork

bull Next-business-day(NBD)advancehardwarereplacementtothe end user for the entire network with the option to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour coverage software updatesupgrades and ESW equivalence (Onsite service not included)

3

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who is the target customer for service based on Cisco Smart Care

A The Cisco Smart Care Service is designed to enable partners to provide support for midsize businesses typically between 100 and 1000 employees Target customers primarily or exclusively use Cisco networking devices and lack sufficient in-house resources with networking expertise or have qualified IT staff but choose to save time and effort maintaining and optimizing their network to help ensure higher network security availability and performance

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service different from other services

bull Proactiveremotemonitoringforvisibilityintothehealthsecurityand availability of the network

bull Assessmentandservices

bull Customizablealertservices

bull Disasterrecoverycapabilities

bull Technicalsupporttothepartnerforlevel2+issues(partnerstakeall calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

bull NBDadvancehardwarereplacementforCiscodeviceswiththeoption to upgrade individual devices to 4-hour coverage (onsite service not included)

bull Simplifiedadditionofnewtechnologiesandapplicationsovertimewith assessment and preparation services

bull AsinglecontractthatcoversallqualifiedCiscodevicesonthe network

bull Increasecustomerloyaltybycombiningthecomplementaryserviceadvantages of Cisco and the partner to deliver an exceptional service experience to customers

bull Growtheirservicebusinessthroughacollaborativego-to-marketstrategy with Cisco

bull Reducecontractmanagementthroughasinglenetwork-widecontract

Q Why should customers buy a partner service based on Cisco Smart Care

A A partner support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service provides customers the following benefits

bull Theopportunitytochoosethelevelandtypeofnetworkcoverageto best support the size and complexity of their business

bull Increasednetworkvisibilitywiththeinformationpartnersneedtoefficiently manage and continually improve customer networks

bull Ongoingmonitoringandperiodicassessmentsofnetworkhealth availability and security to protect and optimize essential network applications communications and business operations so problems can be addressed before they affect business functionality

bull Enhancedbusinesscontinuitythroughdisasterrecoverycapabilitiesthat remotely back up network routing switching and security configurations allowing the quick restoration of the network to its prior working order in the event of a disaster

bull AsingleservicecontractthatcoversallCiscodevicestosimplifycontract management and maintenance requirements

bull ThecombinedstrengthsofCiscotheindustryleaderinnetworking with a local value-add reseller providing midsize customers with network care and improvement planning to help keep the network efficient and secure

4

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Note The estimate of 50 to 1000 network users represents the number of active concurrent users on the network In some industries such as manufacturing or healthcare many employees access the network only occasionally The number of employees in a business could be much higher This could translate to up to 1000 users

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service a good option for businesses that want to add voice to their network

A Yes Successful IP voice implementation requires more than simply deploying an IP call processing solution and IP phones A company needs a network that prioritizes voice services provides the necessary bandwidth and processing resources and is protected from common networking issues that have negligible effects on other services but that significantly impact voice quality

Q How does Cisco define network coverage

A Network coverage means that the customer covers Cisco devices in the network with a service level contract that includes proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics and software repairs in addition to technical support delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner The customer gets the same high level of service across the network

Since this service is designed to serve the needs of medium-sized customers coverage is limited to products that those businesses typically purchase The customer may not purchase Cisco Smart Care Service if some of their network equipment is considered to be high-end enterprise or service provider-class devices

Most commercial-class and some enterprise-class Cisco products are eligible to be covered by Cisco Smart Care Service For more information about eligible products refer to the Products section

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract on some devices such as Cisco SMARTnetreg Service or Shared Support can they get Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes The customer can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Cisco Smart Care Service will be applied to the uncovered products and at the renewal time for the other service contracts they will be converted to Cisco Smart Care Service For more information see the Pricing section As these other Cisco service contracts expire the devices will migrate over on the Smart Care contract and the price will be adjusted as part of the true-up process

Q Is there a limit to the number of network users Cisco Smart Care Service can support on any one network

A No Since Cisco Smart Care Service is sold based on the number and class of Cisco devices are on the network the actual number of network users will vary

5

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Next-business-day(NBD)advancehardwarereplacementtothe end user for the entire network with the option to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour coverage software updatesupgrades and ESW equivalence (onsite service is not included)

bull Simplifiedadditionofnewtechnologiesandapplicationsovertimewith assessment and preparation services

bull AsinglecontractthatcoversallqualifiedCiscodevicesonthenetwork

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (for example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract lets partners provide NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility to upgrade individual devices to a premium 4-hour hardware replacement option (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will behonoredforthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpires it will automatically be migrated to a partner offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet Service contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

SecurityNoteForinformationonhowyourcustomerrsquosdataissecurewithSmartCare go to wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_security_wppdf

Q What steps are taken to help ensure that network data sent to Cisco is secure

A A network appliance or software application on the network continuously collects data about the health of the network This data is

With a support plan based on the Cisco Smart Care Service a qualified Cisco partnermdashbacked by extensive tools and in-depth training from Ciscomdashprovides a comprehensive analysis to determine whether the network meets these requirements before the customer invests in IP voice technologies The assessment tools include voice traffic injection capabilities and detailed measurements of the delay jitter and loss in the customer network The assessment also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) for the customer networkmdashthe industry-standard scoring criteria for IP voice circuits

Through this evaluation the Cisco partner provides detailed information about everything the network requires (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and helps create a smoother more successful implementation According to a 2005 Cisco survey of companies with IP voice solutions nearly 90 percent ofcustomersthatperformedapresalesassessmentoftheirnetworkrsquosvoice capabilities reported that they were pleased with the solution Alternativelyapproximately 80 percent of those companies that did not perform such assessments were dissatisfied

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service different from other services

A Unlike traditional maintenance services Cisco Smart Care Service provides you with a proactive services platform that provides tools to deliver both traditional maintenance and proactive services including

bull Proactiveremotemonitoringforvisibilityintothehealthsecurityand availability of the network

bull Assessmentandrepairservices

bull Customizablealertservices

bull Disasterrecoverycapabilities

bull Technicalsupporttothepartnerforlevel2+issues(partnerstakeall calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

6

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What are the disaster recovery capabilities in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes service capabilities that partners can use to help their customers ensure business continuance in the event of a major outage The Cisco Smart Care appliance automatically backsupconfigurationinformationforallofthecustomerrsquosCiscoroutersswitchesandsecuritydevicesrunningtheCiscoCatalystregOSCiscoIOS Software and Cisco Security Device Manager These configuration files are always stored on the appliance locally and can be retrieved and viewed from the Smart Care portal on-demand Storing configuration filesallowspartnerstoquicklyrestorethecustomerrsquosnetworktoitspriorworking order in the event of a major disaster

Availability and Localization

Q Where is Cisco Smart Care Service available

A Currently Smart Care is available in Europe the United States and Canada and in select countries in emerging markets In other regions globally it will be available in phases Refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q If a customer has multiple international sites will these international locations or branches be supported by Smart Care

A Yes There is no problem in supporting international sites with Smart Care

Q What components of the Cisco Smart Care Service will be localized

A The intention is to localize the support experience for partners and customers Cisco is currently working with its local contacts and functional groups to determine the optimized localization solution for each market The service is currently available in English and Spanish

sent to Cisco over a highly secure HTTPS connection and is analyzed Cisco communicates network performance and security assessments to the customer and authorized partner over a secure HTTPS connection

Q How does Cisco use information from customer networks

A Cisco uses device information from customer networks to provide the customerandthecustomerrsquosauthorizedpartnerwiththeinformationtheyneed to assess the health security and availability of the network and make repairs Cisco also uses this information to improve future software and hardware offerings Neither Cisco nor the partner has access to the data that passes through the network

Q How does Cisco protect the confidentiality of sensitive customer information

A Cisco has access only to the device information needed to perform its services and never has access to the information that passes throughthecustomerrsquosnetworkCiscokeepsonlytheinformationabout customer networks necessary to fulfill its service obligations Information used for assessment repair and preparation services is held in temporary memory and discarded immediately following the service

Q Can the Smart Care dashboard alertnotification be integrated with our existing network management platform (for example Whatrsquos Up Gold Solarwinds and so on) using something like Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) alert notification

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a customizable emailtext message alerting feature This feature can be customized to integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) platforms and trouble- ticket systems that support email case input capability

Q Which versions of the SNMP are supported by Smart Care

A SNMP V1 and SNMP V2 are supported by Smart Care SNMP V3 is not supported by Smart Care

7

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

There is no need to request exclusions for the following devices

bull TheSmartCareappliance

bull Third-partydevices

bull DevicesnolongerintheSmartCareinventory

bull Personalcomputers

Q Can a nonqualifying product on a network be covered with another service and the rest of the network be covered with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes Nonqualifying products on a network may be covered with another service while the rest of the network is covered with Smart Care However the smart service features and coverage offered by Smart Care will not apply to nonqualifying products

Q Will older Cisco devices be supported for example a Cisco 2503 Router

A This depends on the device When an end-of-support notice is issued affected devices will no longer be covered Talk to your Cisco service account manager about replacement strategies

Q If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product what happens to the network-level support contract

A If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product that customer still remains eligible for a partner support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service to continue to cover qualified devices on their network

Products

Q What products does Cisco Smart Care Service support

A Cisco Smart Care Service supports a broad range of products for mid-sized business networks which are organized into six technology groups This list is continually updated as Cisco introduces new products into this market segment For the most up-to-date product list refer to the Cisco Service Quote Upload and Estimates Tool which is found on the Smart Care Partner Central website under Resources then Tools section (direct link httptoolsciscocomcacacspapplicationindexjsp)

Q Why are some products excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A Since this service is designed for midsize businesses coverage is limited to products that those companies typically purchase Cisco has included products that are commonly used by businesses of all sizes such as Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches However most enterprise-class products are excluded from this service

Q What devices are excluded

A Generallyanydevicedetectedwillbeaddedtothecustomerrsquoscontract will be eligible for entitlement and will be considered during the quarterly pricing reviews It is reasonable to anticipate that customers will have devices in their networks that might need to be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract Reasons for the exclusions may include but are not limited to

bull Ciscoorpartner-providedtestlabordemogear

bull Serviceprovider-ownedgear

The partner may request that these devices be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract through the Service Support Center (SSC) The request will be reviewed by a Cisco Smart Care Service administrator and if approved excluded devices will be marked on the inventory as excluded and if appropriate removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

8This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Partners

Partner Qualification and Certification

Q What qualifications do partners need to sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service

A At a minimum you must be a Cisco Select Premier Silver or Gold Certified Partner and must have passed the Cisco Smart Care Service exam If you meet these requirements you can sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service for networks that contain basic Cisco routing switching security and storage technology products For networks with basic voice technology a Cisco Express Unified Communications Specialization is required from the partner For networks with advanced voice technology products an Advanced Unified Communications Specialization is required Specialization requirements may vary depending on country and theater Contact your Cisco representative for more information Additionally you must be able to provide 8x5 support to your customers

Q May Global Service Alliance (GSA) and Regional Service Alliance (RSA) partners offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A GSA and RSA partners can qualify to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service if they meet the minimum partner eligibility requirements If a GSA or RSA partner chooses to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service the GSA or RSA benefits will not be applied to Cisco Smart Care Service Cisco Smart Care Service does not include rebates or discounts GSA and RSA partners will not be able to apply the strategic alliance benefits they receive to Cisco Smart Care Service

Q What if it says I am not qualified to register

A There are specific eligibility criteria that your partner company needs to meet before registering for the Cisco Smart Care program Visit the program homepage (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) to review those criteria If you think that your company meets the criteria visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to validate if the appropriate certificationsspecializations are in place

It is also possible that your company does not reside in one of the countries in which the Cisco Smart Care program is currently available VisitthePartnerSelf-Servicetooltovalidateyourcompanyrsquosaddressinformation and refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q What if the portal does not recognize or show all the certifications and specializations my company has

A If you have recently acquired a new certification or specialization it might not have been updated on your profile To verify visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to view your certifications and specializations and to report any issues

Q How do increased specializationcertification levels affect my registration with Smart Care

A If your company acquires one of the higher specializations that make you eligible for a higher Cisco Smart Care access level your Cisco Smart Care access level will automatically be increased This will allow you to support and sell Cisco Smart Care for more complex customer networks To see the eligibility requirements for Smart Care visit wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareofferhtml

Q What is meant by ldquoIn the event the partner is not recertified within the 90-day grace period the customerrsquos Smart Care Service contract will be supported until it expires rdquo

A Partners will still have access to the Smart Care Service Portal but will be unable to run any services Customer networks are still covered by the Smart Care Service contract and partners can access support for the customer networks

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

9This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How do I become eligible to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Each geographic region may have additional requirements but the following are the general steps to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

Step 1 Review Minimum Partner Eligibility Requirements

1 Confirm theater availability for your partner location

2 Hold a Select Premier Silver or Gold Cisco partner certification

3 Agree to provide technical support (8x5 business hoursmdashself-certify)

4 Complete live or online training (self-certify)

5 Pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online test (free to partners one person from partnership needs to pass)

Step 2 Get Trained and Take the Online Test

The Cisco Smart Care Service e-learning contains several role-based training paths (including ownermanager account manager systems engineer and sales operationsadministrative) It is available to you at no cost To view the entire range of training offered view the training map wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare training_maphtml

Partner eligibility to participate in the Cisco Smart Care Service program requires a partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent to pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online eligibility test This test is focused on the installation configuration and use of the Cisco Smart Care Service delivery tools Only one member of your partner organization is required to pass the test to meet eligibility The test must be passed before your organization can successfully register for the Cisco Smart Care Service program You can access the Smart Care tests through the registration tab in the e-learning course

Partner Registration

Q How can I familiarize myself with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Go to wwwciscocomgosmartcare for details on Cisco Smart Care Service This site includes data sheets at-a-glance documents a demo overview of the program and all of the tools overviews of the network health security and voice assessments and much more

Q Where should I go when deciding to offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A The ldquoOffer the Servicerdquo section on the Smart Care website (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) will take you through a five-phase decision-making process The five phases are

bull UnderstandingtheSmartCarevalueproposition

bull Buildingyourbusinesscase

bull Buildingyourservicesoffering

bull Incorporatingintoyourbusinessmodel

bull SellinganddeliveringaplanbasedonCiscoSmartCareService

Included in these five phases are the relevant documentation and tools to guide you through the decision-making stage

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

10This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why does it say my Cisco com user ID is no longer associated with the partner company

A Your Ciscocom user ID might no longer be associated with the company with which you were originally registered for Cisco Smart Care Service If you have switched companies recently or if you believe this message has been received in error visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to correct the information

Q Does everyone from the partner organization need to sign up and create a separate Cisco Smart Care account

A Every user should have a separate Ciscocom user ID and should be registered on the Cisco Smart Care portal by the designated Smart Care administrator at your company

Q If I am already registered how do I become a registered user for my company

A You will need to contact the designated Smart Care administrator at you company to get access

Q Does everyone from the partner organization have to com-plete the Cisco Smart Care registration click-to-accept terms

A No only the person authorized to accept the Cisco terms and conditions will be required to sign at the time of registration

Q When registering it says I need to self-certify that I am capable of providing 8x5 business hours technical support What does this mean

A This is a requirement to sell Cisco Smart Care Service You should check this box only if you are able to provide technical support during business hours (8 hours a day 5 days a week) to customers

There are two different tests associated with the systems engineering training path modules The systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass onlythetestthatmatchesthepartnerorganizationrsquosservicelevel(Seenotes following each test title) The tests are

bull Cisco Smart Care Base + Voice Pass this test to sell level 3 and level 4 of Smart Care (unified communications)

bull Cisco Smart Care Base Pass this test to sell level 1 and level 2 of Smart Care (foundation technology and security)

Step 3 Register to Begin Offering a Support Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care Service

When your systems engineer has passed the online test and you meet the other eligibility requirements described in step 1 you may register to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care by filling out a simple registration form

Step 4 Begin Selling a Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care

Now that you are officially registered to start offering a support plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service you can begin using all of the online marketing selling and delivery tools through the Cisco Smart Care control panel

Q What is the URL to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A The URL is httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare All requirements must be met before you can register

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page

A Visit httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID for logging into the portal

Q What if my Cisco com user ID is not working

A It might not exist in which case you will need to create one at httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo Or you might need to reset the password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

11This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Training and Testing

Q Where do I go to get training for Cisco Smart Care Service

A ForinternalsalesandbusinesstrainingonSmartCareandCiscorsquosportfolio of technical services visit Accelerate wwwciscocomgoaccelerateCiscorsquospartnerportaldedicatedtoservicestrainingandeducation For all the tools and resources required to help you position and sell Smart Care to your customers visit wwwciscocomgosmartcare

To gain a more technical experience of Cisco Smart Care Service the Partner Education Connection e-learning resources are available at wwwciscocomgopec

Q Is there a fee for accessing the online training

A No The online training is free to all Cisco partners

Q How do I complete the Cisco Smart Care training Is it web based In person Do I have to pass a written test

A You may access training in two ways (1) Complete the training online at your own pace (2) There may be live trainings offered by the Cisco channel sales team The training should be completed to prepare for the required online test to become a Cisco Smart Care Service registered partner

Q What type of web-based training is available to me

A There are four role-based learning paths available for partners They are as follows

For OwnerManagers 30 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

Q If I acquire new certifications or specializations when should I expect to get an email regarding my change of access level

A Afterapartnerrsquosprofilehasbeenupdatedwiththenewlyacquiredspecialization in the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo the next time someone from your company logs into the Cisco Smart Care portal the access level will be automatically increased You will receive an email notifying you of this change

Q Why would I have trouble registering for Cisco Smart Care Service if I meet the minimum eligibility

A The majority of issues with registration involve partner certifications levels per the Partner Self-Service tool You can verify that you have the right certification or specialization level to qualify by visiting httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo

Q How many employees need to pass the Smart Care Exam to register the program

A One employee needs to pass COLT

Q Does an employee who will take the Smart Care Exam need to hold any kind of Cisco certification such as a Cisco CCNAreg

A No

Q What languages are available for the Smart Care Exam

A English only

Q If my companyrsquos attorney has questions about a certain clause in the terms and conditions to whom should these questions be directed

A For questions regarding the terms and conditions for Cisco contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

12This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q There are two different Cisco Smart Care Service tests How do I know which test to take

A When you go to the URL to take the test you will have two choices eitherldquoSmartCareBaserdquoorldquoSmartCareBase+VoicerdquoIfyourcompanyhas a Cisco Express or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts you will have access tothevoicetoolsandshouldtaketheBase+Voicetest

Q Is there a fee for taking the test

A No The Cisco Smart Care Service online test is free to partners Only one partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass the exam

Q How long does the test take

A The test should take no more than 60 minutes to complete The test will time out and score the test at 60 minutes

Q What score do I need to get to pass the test

A The passing score for the Cisco Smart Care Service online test is 70 percent correct

Q How long before I can retake the test if I do not pass it on the first try

A You may retake the test within minutes of receiving your email passfail notification There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test

Q How often do I have to take the test to remain eligible (for example once annually)

A You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) need to take the test only one time

For Account Managers 1 Hour 15 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 34 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 17 minutes

For Systems Engineers 2 Hours 36 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 56 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

AdministratorsOperations 2 Hours

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 25 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

Q Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Before you can register to offer Smart Care one person from your staff needs to take and pass the appropriate online test The online test is based on the sales or systems engineer learning path content (see above)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 5: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

3

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who is the target customer for service based on Cisco Smart Care

A The Cisco Smart Care Service is designed to enable partners to provide support for midsize businesses typically between 100 and 1000 employees Target customers primarily or exclusively use Cisco networking devices and lack sufficient in-house resources with networking expertise or have qualified IT staff but choose to save time and effort maintaining and optimizing their network to help ensure higher network security availability and performance

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service different from other services

bull Proactiveremotemonitoringforvisibilityintothehealthsecurityand availability of the network

bull Assessmentandservices

bull Customizablealertservices

bull Disasterrecoverycapabilities

bull Technicalsupporttothepartnerforlevel2+issues(partnerstakeall calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

bull NBDadvancehardwarereplacementforCiscodeviceswiththeoption to upgrade individual devices to 4-hour coverage (onsite service not included)

bull Simplifiedadditionofnewtechnologiesandapplicationsovertimewith assessment and preparation services

bull AsinglecontractthatcoversallqualifiedCiscodevicesonthe network

bull Increasecustomerloyaltybycombiningthecomplementaryserviceadvantages of Cisco and the partner to deliver an exceptional service experience to customers

bull Growtheirservicebusinessthroughacollaborativego-to-marketstrategy with Cisco

bull Reducecontractmanagementthroughasinglenetwork-widecontract

Q Why should customers buy a partner service based on Cisco Smart Care

A A partner support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service provides customers the following benefits

bull Theopportunitytochoosethelevelandtypeofnetworkcoverageto best support the size and complexity of their business

bull Increasednetworkvisibilitywiththeinformationpartnersneedtoefficiently manage and continually improve customer networks

bull Ongoingmonitoringandperiodicassessmentsofnetworkhealth availability and security to protect and optimize essential network applications communications and business operations so problems can be addressed before they affect business functionality

bull Enhancedbusinesscontinuitythroughdisasterrecoverycapabilitiesthat remotely back up network routing switching and security configurations allowing the quick restoration of the network to its prior working order in the event of a disaster

bull AsingleservicecontractthatcoversallCiscodevicestosimplifycontract management and maintenance requirements

bull ThecombinedstrengthsofCiscotheindustryleaderinnetworking with a local value-add reseller providing midsize customers with network care and improvement planning to help keep the network efficient and secure

4

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Note The estimate of 50 to 1000 network users represents the number of active concurrent users on the network In some industries such as manufacturing or healthcare many employees access the network only occasionally The number of employees in a business could be much higher This could translate to up to 1000 users

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service a good option for businesses that want to add voice to their network

A Yes Successful IP voice implementation requires more than simply deploying an IP call processing solution and IP phones A company needs a network that prioritizes voice services provides the necessary bandwidth and processing resources and is protected from common networking issues that have negligible effects on other services but that significantly impact voice quality

Q How does Cisco define network coverage

A Network coverage means that the customer covers Cisco devices in the network with a service level contract that includes proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics and software repairs in addition to technical support delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner The customer gets the same high level of service across the network

Since this service is designed to serve the needs of medium-sized customers coverage is limited to products that those businesses typically purchase The customer may not purchase Cisco Smart Care Service if some of their network equipment is considered to be high-end enterprise or service provider-class devices

Most commercial-class and some enterprise-class Cisco products are eligible to be covered by Cisco Smart Care Service For more information about eligible products refer to the Products section

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract on some devices such as Cisco SMARTnetreg Service or Shared Support can they get Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes The customer can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Cisco Smart Care Service will be applied to the uncovered products and at the renewal time for the other service contracts they will be converted to Cisco Smart Care Service For more information see the Pricing section As these other Cisco service contracts expire the devices will migrate over on the Smart Care contract and the price will be adjusted as part of the true-up process

Q Is there a limit to the number of network users Cisco Smart Care Service can support on any one network

A No Since Cisco Smart Care Service is sold based on the number and class of Cisco devices are on the network the actual number of network users will vary

5

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Next-business-day(NBD)advancehardwarereplacementtothe end user for the entire network with the option to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour coverage software updatesupgrades and ESW equivalence (onsite service is not included)

bull Simplifiedadditionofnewtechnologiesandapplicationsovertimewith assessment and preparation services

bull AsinglecontractthatcoversallqualifiedCiscodevicesonthenetwork

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (for example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract lets partners provide NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility to upgrade individual devices to a premium 4-hour hardware replacement option (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will behonoredforthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpires it will automatically be migrated to a partner offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet Service contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

SecurityNoteForinformationonhowyourcustomerrsquosdataissecurewithSmartCare go to wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_security_wppdf

Q What steps are taken to help ensure that network data sent to Cisco is secure

A A network appliance or software application on the network continuously collects data about the health of the network This data is

With a support plan based on the Cisco Smart Care Service a qualified Cisco partnermdashbacked by extensive tools and in-depth training from Ciscomdashprovides a comprehensive analysis to determine whether the network meets these requirements before the customer invests in IP voice technologies The assessment tools include voice traffic injection capabilities and detailed measurements of the delay jitter and loss in the customer network The assessment also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) for the customer networkmdashthe industry-standard scoring criteria for IP voice circuits

Through this evaluation the Cisco partner provides detailed information about everything the network requires (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and helps create a smoother more successful implementation According to a 2005 Cisco survey of companies with IP voice solutions nearly 90 percent ofcustomersthatperformedapresalesassessmentoftheirnetworkrsquosvoice capabilities reported that they were pleased with the solution Alternativelyapproximately 80 percent of those companies that did not perform such assessments were dissatisfied

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service different from other services

A Unlike traditional maintenance services Cisco Smart Care Service provides you with a proactive services platform that provides tools to deliver both traditional maintenance and proactive services including

bull Proactiveremotemonitoringforvisibilityintothehealthsecurityand availability of the network

bull Assessmentandrepairservices

bull Customizablealertservices

bull Disasterrecoverycapabilities

bull Technicalsupporttothepartnerforlevel2+issues(partnerstakeall calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

6

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What are the disaster recovery capabilities in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes service capabilities that partners can use to help their customers ensure business continuance in the event of a major outage The Cisco Smart Care appliance automatically backsupconfigurationinformationforallofthecustomerrsquosCiscoroutersswitchesandsecuritydevicesrunningtheCiscoCatalystregOSCiscoIOS Software and Cisco Security Device Manager These configuration files are always stored on the appliance locally and can be retrieved and viewed from the Smart Care portal on-demand Storing configuration filesallowspartnerstoquicklyrestorethecustomerrsquosnetworktoitspriorworking order in the event of a major disaster

Availability and Localization

Q Where is Cisco Smart Care Service available

A Currently Smart Care is available in Europe the United States and Canada and in select countries in emerging markets In other regions globally it will be available in phases Refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q If a customer has multiple international sites will these international locations or branches be supported by Smart Care

A Yes There is no problem in supporting international sites with Smart Care

Q What components of the Cisco Smart Care Service will be localized

A The intention is to localize the support experience for partners and customers Cisco is currently working with its local contacts and functional groups to determine the optimized localization solution for each market The service is currently available in English and Spanish

sent to Cisco over a highly secure HTTPS connection and is analyzed Cisco communicates network performance and security assessments to the customer and authorized partner over a secure HTTPS connection

Q How does Cisco use information from customer networks

A Cisco uses device information from customer networks to provide the customerandthecustomerrsquosauthorizedpartnerwiththeinformationtheyneed to assess the health security and availability of the network and make repairs Cisco also uses this information to improve future software and hardware offerings Neither Cisco nor the partner has access to the data that passes through the network

Q How does Cisco protect the confidentiality of sensitive customer information

A Cisco has access only to the device information needed to perform its services and never has access to the information that passes throughthecustomerrsquosnetworkCiscokeepsonlytheinformationabout customer networks necessary to fulfill its service obligations Information used for assessment repair and preparation services is held in temporary memory and discarded immediately following the service

Q Can the Smart Care dashboard alertnotification be integrated with our existing network management platform (for example Whatrsquos Up Gold Solarwinds and so on) using something like Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) alert notification

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a customizable emailtext message alerting feature This feature can be customized to integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) platforms and trouble- ticket systems that support email case input capability

Q Which versions of the SNMP are supported by Smart Care

A SNMP V1 and SNMP V2 are supported by Smart Care SNMP V3 is not supported by Smart Care

7

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

There is no need to request exclusions for the following devices

bull TheSmartCareappliance

bull Third-partydevices

bull DevicesnolongerintheSmartCareinventory

bull Personalcomputers

Q Can a nonqualifying product on a network be covered with another service and the rest of the network be covered with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes Nonqualifying products on a network may be covered with another service while the rest of the network is covered with Smart Care However the smart service features and coverage offered by Smart Care will not apply to nonqualifying products

Q Will older Cisco devices be supported for example a Cisco 2503 Router

A This depends on the device When an end-of-support notice is issued affected devices will no longer be covered Talk to your Cisco service account manager about replacement strategies

Q If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product what happens to the network-level support contract

A If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product that customer still remains eligible for a partner support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service to continue to cover qualified devices on their network

Products

Q What products does Cisco Smart Care Service support

A Cisco Smart Care Service supports a broad range of products for mid-sized business networks which are organized into six technology groups This list is continually updated as Cisco introduces new products into this market segment For the most up-to-date product list refer to the Cisco Service Quote Upload and Estimates Tool which is found on the Smart Care Partner Central website under Resources then Tools section (direct link httptoolsciscocomcacacspapplicationindexjsp)

Q Why are some products excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A Since this service is designed for midsize businesses coverage is limited to products that those companies typically purchase Cisco has included products that are commonly used by businesses of all sizes such as Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches However most enterprise-class products are excluded from this service

Q What devices are excluded

A Generallyanydevicedetectedwillbeaddedtothecustomerrsquoscontract will be eligible for entitlement and will be considered during the quarterly pricing reviews It is reasonable to anticipate that customers will have devices in their networks that might need to be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract Reasons for the exclusions may include but are not limited to

bull Ciscoorpartner-providedtestlabordemogear

bull Serviceprovider-ownedgear

The partner may request that these devices be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract through the Service Support Center (SSC) The request will be reviewed by a Cisco Smart Care Service administrator and if approved excluded devices will be marked on the inventory as excluded and if appropriate removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

8This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Partners

Partner Qualification and Certification

Q What qualifications do partners need to sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service

A At a minimum you must be a Cisco Select Premier Silver or Gold Certified Partner and must have passed the Cisco Smart Care Service exam If you meet these requirements you can sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service for networks that contain basic Cisco routing switching security and storage technology products For networks with basic voice technology a Cisco Express Unified Communications Specialization is required from the partner For networks with advanced voice technology products an Advanced Unified Communications Specialization is required Specialization requirements may vary depending on country and theater Contact your Cisco representative for more information Additionally you must be able to provide 8x5 support to your customers

Q May Global Service Alliance (GSA) and Regional Service Alliance (RSA) partners offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A GSA and RSA partners can qualify to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service if they meet the minimum partner eligibility requirements If a GSA or RSA partner chooses to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service the GSA or RSA benefits will not be applied to Cisco Smart Care Service Cisco Smart Care Service does not include rebates or discounts GSA and RSA partners will not be able to apply the strategic alliance benefits they receive to Cisco Smart Care Service

Q What if it says I am not qualified to register

A There are specific eligibility criteria that your partner company needs to meet before registering for the Cisco Smart Care program Visit the program homepage (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) to review those criteria If you think that your company meets the criteria visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to validate if the appropriate certificationsspecializations are in place

It is also possible that your company does not reside in one of the countries in which the Cisco Smart Care program is currently available VisitthePartnerSelf-Servicetooltovalidateyourcompanyrsquosaddressinformation and refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q What if the portal does not recognize or show all the certifications and specializations my company has

A If you have recently acquired a new certification or specialization it might not have been updated on your profile To verify visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to view your certifications and specializations and to report any issues

Q How do increased specializationcertification levels affect my registration with Smart Care

A If your company acquires one of the higher specializations that make you eligible for a higher Cisco Smart Care access level your Cisco Smart Care access level will automatically be increased This will allow you to support and sell Cisco Smart Care for more complex customer networks To see the eligibility requirements for Smart Care visit wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareofferhtml

Q What is meant by ldquoIn the event the partner is not recertified within the 90-day grace period the customerrsquos Smart Care Service contract will be supported until it expires rdquo

A Partners will still have access to the Smart Care Service Portal but will be unable to run any services Customer networks are still covered by the Smart Care Service contract and partners can access support for the customer networks

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

9This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How do I become eligible to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Each geographic region may have additional requirements but the following are the general steps to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

Step 1 Review Minimum Partner Eligibility Requirements

1 Confirm theater availability for your partner location

2 Hold a Select Premier Silver or Gold Cisco partner certification

3 Agree to provide technical support (8x5 business hoursmdashself-certify)

4 Complete live or online training (self-certify)

5 Pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online test (free to partners one person from partnership needs to pass)

Step 2 Get Trained and Take the Online Test

The Cisco Smart Care Service e-learning contains several role-based training paths (including ownermanager account manager systems engineer and sales operationsadministrative) It is available to you at no cost To view the entire range of training offered view the training map wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare training_maphtml

Partner eligibility to participate in the Cisco Smart Care Service program requires a partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent to pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online eligibility test This test is focused on the installation configuration and use of the Cisco Smart Care Service delivery tools Only one member of your partner organization is required to pass the test to meet eligibility The test must be passed before your organization can successfully register for the Cisco Smart Care Service program You can access the Smart Care tests through the registration tab in the e-learning course

Partner Registration

Q How can I familiarize myself with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Go to wwwciscocomgosmartcare for details on Cisco Smart Care Service This site includes data sheets at-a-glance documents a demo overview of the program and all of the tools overviews of the network health security and voice assessments and much more

Q Where should I go when deciding to offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A The ldquoOffer the Servicerdquo section on the Smart Care website (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) will take you through a five-phase decision-making process The five phases are

bull UnderstandingtheSmartCarevalueproposition

bull Buildingyourbusinesscase

bull Buildingyourservicesoffering

bull Incorporatingintoyourbusinessmodel

bull SellinganddeliveringaplanbasedonCiscoSmartCareService

Included in these five phases are the relevant documentation and tools to guide you through the decision-making stage

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

10This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why does it say my Cisco com user ID is no longer associated with the partner company

A Your Ciscocom user ID might no longer be associated with the company with which you were originally registered for Cisco Smart Care Service If you have switched companies recently or if you believe this message has been received in error visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to correct the information

Q Does everyone from the partner organization need to sign up and create a separate Cisco Smart Care account

A Every user should have a separate Ciscocom user ID and should be registered on the Cisco Smart Care portal by the designated Smart Care administrator at your company

Q If I am already registered how do I become a registered user for my company

A You will need to contact the designated Smart Care administrator at you company to get access

Q Does everyone from the partner organization have to com-plete the Cisco Smart Care registration click-to-accept terms

A No only the person authorized to accept the Cisco terms and conditions will be required to sign at the time of registration

Q When registering it says I need to self-certify that I am capable of providing 8x5 business hours technical support What does this mean

A This is a requirement to sell Cisco Smart Care Service You should check this box only if you are able to provide technical support during business hours (8 hours a day 5 days a week) to customers

There are two different tests associated with the systems engineering training path modules The systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass onlythetestthatmatchesthepartnerorganizationrsquosservicelevel(Seenotes following each test title) The tests are

bull Cisco Smart Care Base + Voice Pass this test to sell level 3 and level 4 of Smart Care (unified communications)

bull Cisco Smart Care Base Pass this test to sell level 1 and level 2 of Smart Care (foundation technology and security)

Step 3 Register to Begin Offering a Support Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care Service

When your systems engineer has passed the online test and you meet the other eligibility requirements described in step 1 you may register to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care by filling out a simple registration form

Step 4 Begin Selling a Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care

Now that you are officially registered to start offering a support plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service you can begin using all of the online marketing selling and delivery tools through the Cisco Smart Care control panel

Q What is the URL to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A The URL is httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare All requirements must be met before you can register

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page

A Visit httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID for logging into the portal

Q What if my Cisco com user ID is not working

A It might not exist in which case you will need to create one at httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo Or you might need to reset the password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

11This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Training and Testing

Q Where do I go to get training for Cisco Smart Care Service

A ForinternalsalesandbusinesstrainingonSmartCareandCiscorsquosportfolio of technical services visit Accelerate wwwciscocomgoaccelerateCiscorsquospartnerportaldedicatedtoservicestrainingandeducation For all the tools and resources required to help you position and sell Smart Care to your customers visit wwwciscocomgosmartcare

To gain a more technical experience of Cisco Smart Care Service the Partner Education Connection e-learning resources are available at wwwciscocomgopec

Q Is there a fee for accessing the online training

A No The online training is free to all Cisco partners

Q How do I complete the Cisco Smart Care training Is it web based In person Do I have to pass a written test

A You may access training in two ways (1) Complete the training online at your own pace (2) There may be live trainings offered by the Cisco channel sales team The training should be completed to prepare for the required online test to become a Cisco Smart Care Service registered partner

Q What type of web-based training is available to me

A There are four role-based learning paths available for partners They are as follows

For OwnerManagers 30 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

Q If I acquire new certifications or specializations when should I expect to get an email regarding my change of access level

A Afterapartnerrsquosprofilehasbeenupdatedwiththenewlyacquiredspecialization in the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo the next time someone from your company logs into the Cisco Smart Care portal the access level will be automatically increased You will receive an email notifying you of this change

Q Why would I have trouble registering for Cisco Smart Care Service if I meet the minimum eligibility

A The majority of issues with registration involve partner certifications levels per the Partner Self-Service tool You can verify that you have the right certification or specialization level to qualify by visiting httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo

Q How many employees need to pass the Smart Care Exam to register the program

A One employee needs to pass COLT

Q Does an employee who will take the Smart Care Exam need to hold any kind of Cisco certification such as a Cisco CCNAreg

A No

Q What languages are available for the Smart Care Exam

A English only

Q If my companyrsquos attorney has questions about a certain clause in the terms and conditions to whom should these questions be directed

A For questions regarding the terms and conditions for Cisco contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

12This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q There are two different Cisco Smart Care Service tests How do I know which test to take

A When you go to the URL to take the test you will have two choices eitherldquoSmartCareBaserdquoorldquoSmartCareBase+VoicerdquoIfyourcompanyhas a Cisco Express or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts you will have access tothevoicetoolsandshouldtaketheBase+Voicetest

Q Is there a fee for taking the test

A No The Cisco Smart Care Service online test is free to partners Only one partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass the exam

Q How long does the test take

A The test should take no more than 60 minutes to complete The test will time out and score the test at 60 minutes

Q What score do I need to get to pass the test

A The passing score for the Cisco Smart Care Service online test is 70 percent correct

Q How long before I can retake the test if I do not pass it on the first try

A You may retake the test within minutes of receiving your email passfail notification There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test

Q How often do I have to take the test to remain eligible (for example once annually)

A You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) need to take the test only one time

For Account Managers 1 Hour 15 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 34 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 17 minutes

For Systems Engineers 2 Hours 36 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 56 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

AdministratorsOperations 2 Hours

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 25 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

Q Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Before you can register to offer Smart Care one person from your staff needs to take and pass the appropriate online test The online test is based on the sales or systems engineer learning path content (see above)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 6: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

4

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Note The estimate of 50 to 1000 network users represents the number of active concurrent users on the network In some industries such as manufacturing or healthcare many employees access the network only occasionally The number of employees in a business could be much higher This could translate to up to 1000 users

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service a good option for businesses that want to add voice to their network

A Yes Successful IP voice implementation requires more than simply deploying an IP call processing solution and IP phones A company needs a network that prioritizes voice services provides the necessary bandwidth and processing resources and is protected from common networking issues that have negligible effects on other services but that significantly impact voice quality

Q How does Cisco define network coverage

A Network coverage means that the customer covers Cisco devices in the network with a service level contract that includes proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics and software repairs in addition to technical support delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner The customer gets the same high level of service across the network

Since this service is designed to serve the needs of medium-sized customers coverage is limited to products that those businesses typically purchase The customer may not purchase Cisco Smart Care Service if some of their network equipment is considered to be high-end enterprise or service provider-class devices

Most commercial-class and some enterprise-class Cisco products are eligible to be covered by Cisco Smart Care Service For more information about eligible products refer to the Products section

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract on some devices such as Cisco SMARTnetreg Service or Shared Support can they get Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes The customer can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Cisco Smart Care Service will be applied to the uncovered products and at the renewal time for the other service contracts they will be converted to Cisco Smart Care Service For more information see the Pricing section As these other Cisco service contracts expire the devices will migrate over on the Smart Care contract and the price will be adjusted as part of the true-up process

Q Is there a limit to the number of network users Cisco Smart Care Service can support on any one network

A No Since Cisco Smart Care Service is sold based on the number and class of Cisco devices are on the network the actual number of network users will vary

5

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Next-business-day(NBD)advancehardwarereplacementtothe end user for the entire network with the option to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour coverage software updatesupgrades and ESW equivalence (onsite service is not included)

bull Simplifiedadditionofnewtechnologiesandapplicationsovertimewith assessment and preparation services

bull AsinglecontractthatcoversallqualifiedCiscodevicesonthenetwork

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (for example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract lets partners provide NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility to upgrade individual devices to a premium 4-hour hardware replacement option (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will behonoredforthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpires it will automatically be migrated to a partner offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet Service contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

SecurityNoteForinformationonhowyourcustomerrsquosdataissecurewithSmartCare go to wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_security_wppdf

Q What steps are taken to help ensure that network data sent to Cisco is secure

A A network appliance or software application on the network continuously collects data about the health of the network This data is

With a support plan based on the Cisco Smart Care Service a qualified Cisco partnermdashbacked by extensive tools and in-depth training from Ciscomdashprovides a comprehensive analysis to determine whether the network meets these requirements before the customer invests in IP voice technologies The assessment tools include voice traffic injection capabilities and detailed measurements of the delay jitter and loss in the customer network The assessment also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) for the customer networkmdashthe industry-standard scoring criteria for IP voice circuits

Through this evaluation the Cisco partner provides detailed information about everything the network requires (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and helps create a smoother more successful implementation According to a 2005 Cisco survey of companies with IP voice solutions nearly 90 percent ofcustomersthatperformedapresalesassessmentoftheirnetworkrsquosvoice capabilities reported that they were pleased with the solution Alternativelyapproximately 80 percent of those companies that did not perform such assessments were dissatisfied

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service different from other services

A Unlike traditional maintenance services Cisco Smart Care Service provides you with a proactive services platform that provides tools to deliver both traditional maintenance and proactive services including

bull Proactiveremotemonitoringforvisibilityintothehealthsecurityand availability of the network

bull Assessmentandrepairservices

bull Customizablealertservices

bull Disasterrecoverycapabilities

bull Technicalsupporttothepartnerforlevel2+issues(partnerstakeall calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

6

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What are the disaster recovery capabilities in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes service capabilities that partners can use to help their customers ensure business continuance in the event of a major outage The Cisco Smart Care appliance automatically backsupconfigurationinformationforallofthecustomerrsquosCiscoroutersswitchesandsecuritydevicesrunningtheCiscoCatalystregOSCiscoIOS Software and Cisco Security Device Manager These configuration files are always stored on the appliance locally and can be retrieved and viewed from the Smart Care portal on-demand Storing configuration filesallowspartnerstoquicklyrestorethecustomerrsquosnetworktoitspriorworking order in the event of a major disaster

Availability and Localization

Q Where is Cisco Smart Care Service available

A Currently Smart Care is available in Europe the United States and Canada and in select countries in emerging markets In other regions globally it will be available in phases Refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q If a customer has multiple international sites will these international locations or branches be supported by Smart Care

A Yes There is no problem in supporting international sites with Smart Care

Q What components of the Cisco Smart Care Service will be localized

A The intention is to localize the support experience for partners and customers Cisco is currently working with its local contacts and functional groups to determine the optimized localization solution for each market The service is currently available in English and Spanish

sent to Cisco over a highly secure HTTPS connection and is analyzed Cisco communicates network performance and security assessments to the customer and authorized partner over a secure HTTPS connection

Q How does Cisco use information from customer networks

A Cisco uses device information from customer networks to provide the customerandthecustomerrsquosauthorizedpartnerwiththeinformationtheyneed to assess the health security and availability of the network and make repairs Cisco also uses this information to improve future software and hardware offerings Neither Cisco nor the partner has access to the data that passes through the network

Q How does Cisco protect the confidentiality of sensitive customer information

A Cisco has access only to the device information needed to perform its services and never has access to the information that passes throughthecustomerrsquosnetworkCiscokeepsonlytheinformationabout customer networks necessary to fulfill its service obligations Information used for assessment repair and preparation services is held in temporary memory and discarded immediately following the service

Q Can the Smart Care dashboard alertnotification be integrated with our existing network management platform (for example Whatrsquos Up Gold Solarwinds and so on) using something like Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) alert notification

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a customizable emailtext message alerting feature This feature can be customized to integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) platforms and trouble- ticket systems that support email case input capability

Q Which versions of the SNMP are supported by Smart Care

A SNMP V1 and SNMP V2 are supported by Smart Care SNMP V3 is not supported by Smart Care

7

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

There is no need to request exclusions for the following devices

bull TheSmartCareappliance

bull Third-partydevices

bull DevicesnolongerintheSmartCareinventory

bull Personalcomputers

Q Can a nonqualifying product on a network be covered with another service and the rest of the network be covered with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes Nonqualifying products on a network may be covered with another service while the rest of the network is covered with Smart Care However the smart service features and coverage offered by Smart Care will not apply to nonqualifying products

Q Will older Cisco devices be supported for example a Cisco 2503 Router

A This depends on the device When an end-of-support notice is issued affected devices will no longer be covered Talk to your Cisco service account manager about replacement strategies

Q If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product what happens to the network-level support contract

A If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product that customer still remains eligible for a partner support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service to continue to cover qualified devices on their network

Products

Q What products does Cisco Smart Care Service support

A Cisco Smart Care Service supports a broad range of products for mid-sized business networks which are organized into six technology groups This list is continually updated as Cisco introduces new products into this market segment For the most up-to-date product list refer to the Cisco Service Quote Upload and Estimates Tool which is found on the Smart Care Partner Central website under Resources then Tools section (direct link httptoolsciscocomcacacspapplicationindexjsp)

Q Why are some products excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A Since this service is designed for midsize businesses coverage is limited to products that those companies typically purchase Cisco has included products that are commonly used by businesses of all sizes such as Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches However most enterprise-class products are excluded from this service

Q What devices are excluded

A Generallyanydevicedetectedwillbeaddedtothecustomerrsquoscontract will be eligible for entitlement and will be considered during the quarterly pricing reviews It is reasonable to anticipate that customers will have devices in their networks that might need to be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract Reasons for the exclusions may include but are not limited to

bull Ciscoorpartner-providedtestlabordemogear

bull Serviceprovider-ownedgear

The partner may request that these devices be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract through the Service Support Center (SSC) The request will be reviewed by a Cisco Smart Care Service administrator and if approved excluded devices will be marked on the inventory as excluded and if appropriate removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

8This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Partners

Partner Qualification and Certification

Q What qualifications do partners need to sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service

A At a minimum you must be a Cisco Select Premier Silver or Gold Certified Partner and must have passed the Cisco Smart Care Service exam If you meet these requirements you can sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service for networks that contain basic Cisco routing switching security and storage technology products For networks with basic voice technology a Cisco Express Unified Communications Specialization is required from the partner For networks with advanced voice technology products an Advanced Unified Communications Specialization is required Specialization requirements may vary depending on country and theater Contact your Cisco representative for more information Additionally you must be able to provide 8x5 support to your customers

Q May Global Service Alliance (GSA) and Regional Service Alliance (RSA) partners offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A GSA and RSA partners can qualify to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service if they meet the minimum partner eligibility requirements If a GSA or RSA partner chooses to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service the GSA or RSA benefits will not be applied to Cisco Smart Care Service Cisco Smart Care Service does not include rebates or discounts GSA and RSA partners will not be able to apply the strategic alliance benefits they receive to Cisco Smart Care Service

Q What if it says I am not qualified to register

A There are specific eligibility criteria that your partner company needs to meet before registering for the Cisco Smart Care program Visit the program homepage (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) to review those criteria If you think that your company meets the criteria visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to validate if the appropriate certificationsspecializations are in place

It is also possible that your company does not reside in one of the countries in which the Cisco Smart Care program is currently available VisitthePartnerSelf-Servicetooltovalidateyourcompanyrsquosaddressinformation and refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q What if the portal does not recognize or show all the certifications and specializations my company has

A If you have recently acquired a new certification or specialization it might not have been updated on your profile To verify visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to view your certifications and specializations and to report any issues

Q How do increased specializationcertification levels affect my registration with Smart Care

A If your company acquires one of the higher specializations that make you eligible for a higher Cisco Smart Care access level your Cisco Smart Care access level will automatically be increased This will allow you to support and sell Cisco Smart Care for more complex customer networks To see the eligibility requirements for Smart Care visit wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareofferhtml

Q What is meant by ldquoIn the event the partner is not recertified within the 90-day grace period the customerrsquos Smart Care Service contract will be supported until it expires rdquo

A Partners will still have access to the Smart Care Service Portal but will be unable to run any services Customer networks are still covered by the Smart Care Service contract and partners can access support for the customer networks

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

9This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How do I become eligible to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Each geographic region may have additional requirements but the following are the general steps to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

Step 1 Review Minimum Partner Eligibility Requirements

1 Confirm theater availability for your partner location

2 Hold a Select Premier Silver or Gold Cisco partner certification

3 Agree to provide technical support (8x5 business hoursmdashself-certify)

4 Complete live or online training (self-certify)

5 Pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online test (free to partners one person from partnership needs to pass)

Step 2 Get Trained and Take the Online Test

The Cisco Smart Care Service e-learning contains several role-based training paths (including ownermanager account manager systems engineer and sales operationsadministrative) It is available to you at no cost To view the entire range of training offered view the training map wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare training_maphtml

Partner eligibility to participate in the Cisco Smart Care Service program requires a partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent to pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online eligibility test This test is focused on the installation configuration and use of the Cisco Smart Care Service delivery tools Only one member of your partner organization is required to pass the test to meet eligibility The test must be passed before your organization can successfully register for the Cisco Smart Care Service program You can access the Smart Care tests through the registration tab in the e-learning course

Partner Registration

Q How can I familiarize myself with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Go to wwwciscocomgosmartcare for details on Cisco Smart Care Service This site includes data sheets at-a-glance documents a demo overview of the program and all of the tools overviews of the network health security and voice assessments and much more

Q Where should I go when deciding to offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A The ldquoOffer the Servicerdquo section on the Smart Care website (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) will take you through a five-phase decision-making process The five phases are

bull UnderstandingtheSmartCarevalueproposition

bull Buildingyourbusinesscase

bull Buildingyourservicesoffering

bull Incorporatingintoyourbusinessmodel

bull SellinganddeliveringaplanbasedonCiscoSmartCareService

Included in these five phases are the relevant documentation and tools to guide you through the decision-making stage

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

10This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why does it say my Cisco com user ID is no longer associated with the partner company

A Your Ciscocom user ID might no longer be associated with the company with which you were originally registered for Cisco Smart Care Service If you have switched companies recently or if you believe this message has been received in error visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to correct the information

Q Does everyone from the partner organization need to sign up and create a separate Cisco Smart Care account

A Every user should have a separate Ciscocom user ID and should be registered on the Cisco Smart Care portal by the designated Smart Care administrator at your company

Q If I am already registered how do I become a registered user for my company

A You will need to contact the designated Smart Care administrator at you company to get access

Q Does everyone from the partner organization have to com-plete the Cisco Smart Care registration click-to-accept terms

A No only the person authorized to accept the Cisco terms and conditions will be required to sign at the time of registration

Q When registering it says I need to self-certify that I am capable of providing 8x5 business hours technical support What does this mean

A This is a requirement to sell Cisco Smart Care Service You should check this box only if you are able to provide technical support during business hours (8 hours a day 5 days a week) to customers

There are two different tests associated with the systems engineering training path modules The systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass onlythetestthatmatchesthepartnerorganizationrsquosservicelevel(Seenotes following each test title) The tests are

bull Cisco Smart Care Base + Voice Pass this test to sell level 3 and level 4 of Smart Care (unified communications)

bull Cisco Smart Care Base Pass this test to sell level 1 and level 2 of Smart Care (foundation technology and security)

Step 3 Register to Begin Offering a Support Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care Service

When your systems engineer has passed the online test and you meet the other eligibility requirements described in step 1 you may register to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care by filling out a simple registration form

Step 4 Begin Selling a Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care

Now that you are officially registered to start offering a support plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service you can begin using all of the online marketing selling and delivery tools through the Cisco Smart Care control panel

Q What is the URL to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A The URL is httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare All requirements must be met before you can register

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page

A Visit httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID for logging into the portal

Q What if my Cisco com user ID is not working

A It might not exist in which case you will need to create one at httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo Or you might need to reset the password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

11This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Training and Testing

Q Where do I go to get training for Cisco Smart Care Service

A ForinternalsalesandbusinesstrainingonSmartCareandCiscorsquosportfolio of technical services visit Accelerate wwwciscocomgoaccelerateCiscorsquospartnerportaldedicatedtoservicestrainingandeducation For all the tools and resources required to help you position and sell Smart Care to your customers visit wwwciscocomgosmartcare

To gain a more technical experience of Cisco Smart Care Service the Partner Education Connection e-learning resources are available at wwwciscocomgopec

Q Is there a fee for accessing the online training

A No The online training is free to all Cisco partners

Q How do I complete the Cisco Smart Care training Is it web based In person Do I have to pass a written test

A You may access training in two ways (1) Complete the training online at your own pace (2) There may be live trainings offered by the Cisco channel sales team The training should be completed to prepare for the required online test to become a Cisco Smart Care Service registered partner

Q What type of web-based training is available to me

A There are four role-based learning paths available for partners They are as follows

For OwnerManagers 30 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

Q If I acquire new certifications or specializations when should I expect to get an email regarding my change of access level

A Afterapartnerrsquosprofilehasbeenupdatedwiththenewlyacquiredspecialization in the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo the next time someone from your company logs into the Cisco Smart Care portal the access level will be automatically increased You will receive an email notifying you of this change

Q Why would I have trouble registering for Cisco Smart Care Service if I meet the minimum eligibility

A The majority of issues with registration involve partner certifications levels per the Partner Self-Service tool You can verify that you have the right certification or specialization level to qualify by visiting httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo

Q How many employees need to pass the Smart Care Exam to register the program

A One employee needs to pass COLT

Q Does an employee who will take the Smart Care Exam need to hold any kind of Cisco certification such as a Cisco CCNAreg

A No

Q What languages are available for the Smart Care Exam

A English only

Q If my companyrsquos attorney has questions about a certain clause in the terms and conditions to whom should these questions be directed

A For questions regarding the terms and conditions for Cisco contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

12This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q There are two different Cisco Smart Care Service tests How do I know which test to take

A When you go to the URL to take the test you will have two choices eitherldquoSmartCareBaserdquoorldquoSmartCareBase+VoicerdquoIfyourcompanyhas a Cisco Express or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts you will have access tothevoicetoolsandshouldtaketheBase+Voicetest

Q Is there a fee for taking the test

A No The Cisco Smart Care Service online test is free to partners Only one partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass the exam

Q How long does the test take

A The test should take no more than 60 minutes to complete The test will time out and score the test at 60 minutes

Q What score do I need to get to pass the test

A The passing score for the Cisco Smart Care Service online test is 70 percent correct

Q How long before I can retake the test if I do not pass it on the first try

A You may retake the test within minutes of receiving your email passfail notification There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test

Q How often do I have to take the test to remain eligible (for example once annually)

A You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) need to take the test only one time

For Account Managers 1 Hour 15 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 34 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 17 minutes

For Systems Engineers 2 Hours 36 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 56 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

AdministratorsOperations 2 Hours

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 25 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

Q Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Before you can register to offer Smart Care one person from your staff needs to take and pass the appropriate online test The online test is based on the sales or systems engineer learning path content (see above)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 7: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

5

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Next-business-day(NBD)advancehardwarereplacementtothe end user for the entire network with the option to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour coverage software updatesupgrades and ESW equivalence (onsite service is not included)

bull Simplifiedadditionofnewtechnologiesandapplicationsovertimewith assessment and preparation services

bull AsinglecontractthatcoversallqualifiedCiscodevicesonthenetwork

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (for example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract lets partners provide NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility to upgrade individual devices to a premium 4-hour hardware replacement option (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will behonoredforthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpires it will automatically be migrated to a partner offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet Service contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

SecurityNoteForinformationonhowyourcustomerrsquosdataissecurewithSmartCare go to wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_security_wppdf

Q What steps are taken to help ensure that network data sent to Cisco is secure

A A network appliance or software application on the network continuously collects data about the health of the network This data is

With a support plan based on the Cisco Smart Care Service a qualified Cisco partnermdashbacked by extensive tools and in-depth training from Ciscomdashprovides a comprehensive analysis to determine whether the network meets these requirements before the customer invests in IP voice technologies The assessment tools include voice traffic injection capabilities and detailed measurements of the delay jitter and loss in the customer network The assessment also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) for the customer networkmdashthe industry-standard scoring criteria for IP voice circuits

Through this evaluation the Cisco partner provides detailed information about everything the network requires (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and helps create a smoother more successful implementation According to a 2005 Cisco survey of companies with IP voice solutions nearly 90 percent ofcustomersthatperformedapresalesassessmentoftheirnetworkrsquosvoice capabilities reported that they were pleased with the solution Alternativelyapproximately 80 percent of those companies that did not perform such assessments were dissatisfied

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service different from other services

A Unlike traditional maintenance services Cisco Smart Care Service provides you with a proactive services platform that provides tools to deliver both traditional maintenance and proactive services including

bull Proactiveremotemonitoringforvisibilityintothehealthsecurityand availability of the network

bull Assessmentandrepairservices

bull Customizablealertservices

bull Disasterrecoverycapabilities

bull Technicalsupporttothepartnerforlevel2+issues(partnerstakeall calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls)

6

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What are the disaster recovery capabilities in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes service capabilities that partners can use to help their customers ensure business continuance in the event of a major outage The Cisco Smart Care appliance automatically backsupconfigurationinformationforallofthecustomerrsquosCiscoroutersswitchesandsecuritydevicesrunningtheCiscoCatalystregOSCiscoIOS Software and Cisco Security Device Manager These configuration files are always stored on the appliance locally and can be retrieved and viewed from the Smart Care portal on-demand Storing configuration filesallowspartnerstoquicklyrestorethecustomerrsquosnetworktoitspriorworking order in the event of a major disaster

Availability and Localization

Q Where is Cisco Smart Care Service available

A Currently Smart Care is available in Europe the United States and Canada and in select countries in emerging markets In other regions globally it will be available in phases Refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q If a customer has multiple international sites will these international locations or branches be supported by Smart Care

A Yes There is no problem in supporting international sites with Smart Care

Q What components of the Cisco Smart Care Service will be localized

A The intention is to localize the support experience for partners and customers Cisco is currently working with its local contacts and functional groups to determine the optimized localization solution for each market The service is currently available in English and Spanish

sent to Cisco over a highly secure HTTPS connection and is analyzed Cisco communicates network performance and security assessments to the customer and authorized partner over a secure HTTPS connection

Q How does Cisco use information from customer networks

A Cisco uses device information from customer networks to provide the customerandthecustomerrsquosauthorizedpartnerwiththeinformationtheyneed to assess the health security and availability of the network and make repairs Cisco also uses this information to improve future software and hardware offerings Neither Cisco nor the partner has access to the data that passes through the network

Q How does Cisco protect the confidentiality of sensitive customer information

A Cisco has access only to the device information needed to perform its services and never has access to the information that passes throughthecustomerrsquosnetworkCiscokeepsonlytheinformationabout customer networks necessary to fulfill its service obligations Information used for assessment repair and preparation services is held in temporary memory and discarded immediately following the service

Q Can the Smart Care dashboard alertnotification be integrated with our existing network management platform (for example Whatrsquos Up Gold Solarwinds and so on) using something like Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) alert notification

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a customizable emailtext message alerting feature This feature can be customized to integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) platforms and trouble- ticket systems that support email case input capability

Q Which versions of the SNMP are supported by Smart Care

A SNMP V1 and SNMP V2 are supported by Smart Care SNMP V3 is not supported by Smart Care

7

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

There is no need to request exclusions for the following devices

bull TheSmartCareappliance

bull Third-partydevices

bull DevicesnolongerintheSmartCareinventory

bull Personalcomputers

Q Can a nonqualifying product on a network be covered with another service and the rest of the network be covered with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes Nonqualifying products on a network may be covered with another service while the rest of the network is covered with Smart Care However the smart service features and coverage offered by Smart Care will not apply to nonqualifying products

Q Will older Cisco devices be supported for example a Cisco 2503 Router

A This depends on the device When an end-of-support notice is issued affected devices will no longer be covered Talk to your Cisco service account manager about replacement strategies

Q If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product what happens to the network-level support contract

A If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product that customer still remains eligible for a partner support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service to continue to cover qualified devices on their network

Products

Q What products does Cisco Smart Care Service support

A Cisco Smart Care Service supports a broad range of products for mid-sized business networks which are organized into six technology groups This list is continually updated as Cisco introduces new products into this market segment For the most up-to-date product list refer to the Cisco Service Quote Upload and Estimates Tool which is found on the Smart Care Partner Central website under Resources then Tools section (direct link httptoolsciscocomcacacspapplicationindexjsp)

Q Why are some products excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A Since this service is designed for midsize businesses coverage is limited to products that those companies typically purchase Cisco has included products that are commonly used by businesses of all sizes such as Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches However most enterprise-class products are excluded from this service

Q What devices are excluded

A Generallyanydevicedetectedwillbeaddedtothecustomerrsquoscontract will be eligible for entitlement and will be considered during the quarterly pricing reviews It is reasonable to anticipate that customers will have devices in their networks that might need to be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract Reasons for the exclusions may include but are not limited to

bull Ciscoorpartner-providedtestlabordemogear

bull Serviceprovider-ownedgear

The partner may request that these devices be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract through the Service Support Center (SSC) The request will be reviewed by a Cisco Smart Care Service administrator and if approved excluded devices will be marked on the inventory as excluded and if appropriate removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

8This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Partners

Partner Qualification and Certification

Q What qualifications do partners need to sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service

A At a minimum you must be a Cisco Select Premier Silver or Gold Certified Partner and must have passed the Cisco Smart Care Service exam If you meet these requirements you can sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service for networks that contain basic Cisco routing switching security and storage technology products For networks with basic voice technology a Cisco Express Unified Communications Specialization is required from the partner For networks with advanced voice technology products an Advanced Unified Communications Specialization is required Specialization requirements may vary depending on country and theater Contact your Cisco representative for more information Additionally you must be able to provide 8x5 support to your customers

Q May Global Service Alliance (GSA) and Regional Service Alliance (RSA) partners offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A GSA and RSA partners can qualify to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service if they meet the minimum partner eligibility requirements If a GSA or RSA partner chooses to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service the GSA or RSA benefits will not be applied to Cisco Smart Care Service Cisco Smart Care Service does not include rebates or discounts GSA and RSA partners will not be able to apply the strategic alliance benefits they receive to Cisco Smart Care Service

Q What if it says I am not qualified to register

A There are specific eligibility criteria that your partner company needs to meet before registering for the Cisco Smart Care program Visit the program homepage (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) to review those criteria If you think that your company meets the criteria visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to validate if the appropriate certificationsspecializations are in place

It is also possible that your company does not reside in one of the countries in which the Cisco Smart Care program is currently available VisitthePartnerSelf-Servicetooltovalidateyourcompanyrsquosaddressinformation and refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q What if the portal does not recognize or show all the certifications and specializations my company has

A If you have recently acquired a new certification or specialization it might not have been updated on your profile To verify visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to view your certifications and specializations and to report any issues

Q How do increased specializationcertification levels affect my registration with Smart Care

A If your company acquires one of the higher specializations that make you eligible for a higher Cisco Smart Care access level your Cisco Smart Care access level will automatically be increased This will allow you to support and sell Cisco Smart Care for more complex customer networks To see the eligibility requirements for Smart Care visit wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareofferhtml

Q What is meant by ldquoIn the event the partner is not recertified within the 90-day grace period the customerrsquos Smart Care Service contract will be supported until it expires rdquo

A Partners will still have access to the Smart Care Service Portal but will be unable to run any services Customer networks are still covered by the Smart Care Service contract and partners can access support for the customer networks

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

9This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How do I become eligible to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Each geographic region may have additional requirements but the following are the general steps to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

Step 1 Review Minimum Partner Eligibility Requirements

1 Confirm theater availability for your partner location

2 Hold a Select Premier Silver or Gold Cisco partner certification

3 Agree to provide technical support (8x5 business hoursmdashself-certify)

4 Complete live or online training (self-certify)

5 Pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online test (free to partners one person from partnership needs to pass)

Step 2 Get Trained and Take the Online Test

The Cisco Smart Care Service e-learning contains several role-based training paths (including ownermanager account manager systems engineer and sales operationsadministrative) It is available to you at no cost To view the entire range of training offered view the training map wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare training_maphtml

Partner eligibility to participate in the Cisco Smart Care Service program requires a partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent to pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online eligibility test This test is focused on the installation configuration and use of the Cisco Smart Care Service delivery tools Only one member of your partner organization is required to pass the test to meet eligibility The test must be passed before your organization can successfully register for the Cisco Smart Care Service program You can access the Smart Care tests through the registration tab in the e-learning course

Partner Registration

Q How can I familiarize myself with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Go to wwwciscocomgosmartcare for details on Cisco Smart Care Service This site includes data sheets at-a-glance documents a demo overview of the program and all of the tools overviews of the network health security and voice assessments and much more

Q Where should I go when deciding to offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A The ldquoOffer the Servicerdquo section on the Smart Care website (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) will take you through a five-phase decision-making process The five phases are

bull UnderstandingtheSmartCarevalueproposition

bull Buildingyourbusinesscase

bull Buildingyourservicesoffering

bull Incorporatingintoyourbusinessmodel

bull SellinganddeliveringaplanbasedonCiscoSmartCareService

Included in these five phases are the relevant documentation and tools to guide you through the decision-making stage

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

10This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why does it say my Cisco com user ID is no longer associated with the partner company

A Your Ciscocom user ID might no longer be associated with the company with which you were originally registered for Cisco Smart Care Service If you have switched companies recently or if you believe this message has been received in error visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to correct the information

Q Does everyone from the partner organization need to sign up and create a separate Cisco Smart Care account

A Every user should have a separate Ciscocom user ID and should be registered on the Cisco Smart Care portal by the designated Smart Care administrator at your company

Q If I am already registered how do I become a registered user for my company

A You will need to contact the designated Smart Care administrator at you company to get access

Q Does everyone from the partner organization have to com-plete the Cisco Smart Care registration click-to-accept terms

A No only the person authorized to accept the Cisco terms and conditions will be required to sign at the time of registration

Q When registering it says I need to self-certify that I am capable of providing 8x5 business hours technical support What does this mean

A This is a requirement to sell Cisco Smart Care Service You should check this box only if you are able to provide technical support during business hours (8 hours a day 5 days a week) to customers

There are two different tests associated with the systems engineering training path modules The systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass onlythetestthatmatchesthepartnerorganizationrsquosservicelevel(Seenotes following each test title) The tests are

bull Cisco Smart Care Base + Voice Pass this test to sell level 3 and level 4 of Smart Care (unified communications)

bull Cisco Smart Care Base Pass this test to sell level 1 and level 2 of Smart Care (foundation technology and security)

Step 3 Register to Begin Offering a Support Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care Service

When your systems engineer has passed the online test and you meet the other eligibility requirements described in step 1 you may register to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care by filling out a simple registration form

Step 4 Begin Selling a Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care

Now that you are officially registered to start offering a support plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service you can begin using all of the online marketing selling and delivery tools through the Cisco Smart Care control panel

Q What is the URL to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A The URL is httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare All requirements must be met before you can register

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page

A Visit httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID for logging into the portal

Q What if my Cisco com user ID is not working

A It might not exist in which case you will need to create one at httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo Or you might need to reset the password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

11This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Training and Testing

Q Where do I go to get training for Cisco Smart Care Service

A ForinternalsalesandbusinesstrainingonSmartCareandCiscorsquosportfolio of technical services visit Accelerate wwwciscocomgoaccelerateCiscorsquospartnerportaldedicatedtoservicestrainingandeducation For all the tools and resources required to help you position and sell Smart Care to your customers visit wwwciscocomgosmartcare

To gain a more technical experience of Cisco Smart Care Service the Partner Education Connection e-learning resources are available at wwwciscocomgopec

Q Is there a fee for accessing the online training

A No The online training is free to all Cisco partners

Q How do I complete the Cisco Smart Care training Is it web based In person Do I have to pass a written test

A You may access training in two ways (1) Complete the training online at your own pace (2) There may be live trainings offered by the Cisco channel sales team The training should be completed to prepare for the required online test to become a Cisco Smart Care Service registered partner

Q What type of web-based training is available to me

A There are four role-based learning paths available for partners They are as follows

For OwnerManagers 30 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

Q If I acquire new certifications or specializations when should I expect to get an email regarding my change of access level

A Afterapartnerrsquosprofilehasbeenupdatedwiththenewlyacquiredspecialization in the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo the next time someone from your company logs into the Cisco Smart Care portal the access level will be automatically increased You will receive an email notifying you of this change

Q Why would I have trouble registering for Cisco Smart Care Service if I meet the minimum eligibility

A The majority of issues with registration involve partner certifications levels per the Partner Self-Service tool You can verify that you have the right certification or specialization level to qualify by visiting httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo

Q How many employees need to pass the Smart Care Exam to register the program

A One employee needs to pass COLT

Q Does an employee who will take the Smart Care Exam need to hold any kind of Cisco certification such as a Cisco CCNAreg

A No

Q What languages are available for the Smart Care Exam

A English only

Q If my companyrsquos attorney has questions about a certain clause in the terms and conditions to whom should these questions be directed

A For questions regarding the terms and conditions for Cisco contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

12This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q There are two different Cisco Smart Care Service tests How do I know which test to take

A When you go to the URL to take the test you will have two choices eitherldquoSmartCareBaserdquoorldquoSmartCareBase+VoicerdquoIfyourcompanyhas a Cisco Express or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts you will have access tothevoicetoolsandshouldtaketheBase+Voicetest

Q Is there a fee for taking the test

A No The Cisco Smart Care Service online test is free to partners Only one partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass the exam

Q How long does the test take

A The test should take no more than 60 minutes to complete The test will time out and score the test at 60 minutes

Q What score do I need to get to pass the test

A The passing score for the Cisco Smart Care Service online test is 70 percent correct

Q How long before I can retake the test if I do not pass it on the first try

A You may retake the test within minutes of receiving your email passfail notification There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test

Q How often do I have to take the test to remain eligible (for example once annually)

A You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) need to take the test only one time

For Account Managers 1 Hour 15 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 34 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 17 minutes

For Systems Engineers 2 Hours 36 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 56 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

AdministratorsOperations 2 Hours

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 25 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

Q Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Before you can register to offer Smart Care one person from your staff needs to take and pass the appropriate online test The online test is based on the sales or systems engineer learning path content (see above)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 8: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

6

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What are the disaster recovery capabilities in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes service capabilities that partners can use to help their customers ensure business continuance in the event of a major outage The Cisco Smart Care appliance automatically backsupconfigurationinformationforallofthecustomerrsquosCiscoroutersswitchesandsecuritydevicesrunningtheCiscoCatalystregOSCiscoIOS Software and Cisco Security Device Manager These configuration files are always stored on the appliance locally and can be retrieved and viewed from the Smart Care portal on-demand Storing configuration filesallowspartnerstoquicklyrestorethecustomerrsquosnetworktoitspriorworking order in the event of a major disaster

Availability and Localization

Q Where is Cisco Smart Care Service available

A Currently Smart Care is available in Europe the United States and Canada and in select countries in emerging markets In other regions globally it will be available in phases Refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q If a customer has multiple international sites will these international locations or branches be supported by Smart Care

A Yes There is no problem in supporting international sites with Smart Care

Q What components of the Cisco Smart Care Service will be localized

A The intention is to localize the support experience for partners and customers Cisco is currently working with its local contacts and functional groups to determine the optimized localization solution for each market The service is currently available in English and Spanish

sent to Cisco over a highly secure HTTPS connection and is analyzed Cisco communicates network performance and security assessments to the customer and authorized partner over a secure HTTPS connection

Q How does Cisco use information from customer networks

A Cisco uses device information from customer networks to provide the customerandthecustomerrsquosauthorizedpartnerwiththeinformationtheyneed to assess the health security and availability of the network and make repairs Cisco also uses this information to improve future software and hardware offerings Neither Cisco nor the partner has access to the data that passes through the network

Q How does Cisco protect the confidentiality of sensitive customer information

A Cisco has access only to the device information needed to perform its services and never has access to the information that passes throughthecustomerrsquosnetworkCiscokeepsonlytheinformationabout customer networks necessary to fulfill its service obligations Information used for assessment repair and preparation services is held in temporary memory and discarded immediately following the service

Q Can the Smart Care dashboard alertnotification be integrated with our existing network management platform (for example Whatrsquos Up Gold Solarwinds and so on) using something like Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) alert notification

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a customizable emailtext message alerting feature This feature can be customized to integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) platforms and trouble- ticket systems that support email case input capability

Q Which versions of the SNMP are supported by Smart Care

A SNMP V1 and SNMP V2 are supported by Smart Care SNMP V3 is not supported by Smart Care

7

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

There is no need to request exclusions for the following devices

bull TheSmartCareappliance

bull Third-partydevices

bull DevicesnolongerintheSmartCareinventory

bull Personalcomputers

Q Can a nonqualifying product on a network be covered with another service and the rest of the network be covered with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes Nonqualifying products on a network may be covered with another service while the rest of the network is covered with Smart Care However the smart service features and coverage offered by Smart Care will not apply to nonqualifying products

Q Will older Cisco devices be supported for example a Cisco 2503 Router

A This depends on the device When an end-of-support notice is issued affected devices will no longer be covered Talk to your Cisco service account manager about replacement strategies

Q If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product what happens to the network-level support contract

A If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product that customer still remains eligible for a partner support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service to continue to cover qualified devices on their network

Products

Q What products does Cisco Smart Care Service support

A Cisco Smart Care Service supports a broad range of products for mid-sized business networks which are organized into six technology groups This list is continually updated as Cisco introduces new products into this market segment For the most up-to-date product list refer to the Cisco Service Quote Upload and Estimates Tool which is found on the Smart Care Partner Central website under Resources then Tools section (direct link httptoolsciscocomcacacspapplicationindexjsp)

Q Why are some products excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A Since this service is designed for midsize businesses coverage is limited to products that those companies typically purchase Cisco has included products that are commonly used by businesses of all sizes such as Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches However most enterprise-class products are excluded from this service

Q What devices are excluded

A Generallyanydevicedetectedwillbeaddedtothecustomerrsquoscontract will be eligible for entitlement and will be considered during the quarterly pricing reviews It is reasonable to anticipate that customers will have devices in their networks that might need to be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract Reasons for the exclusions may include but are not limited to

bull Ciscoorpartner-providedtestlabordemogear

bull Serviceprovider-ownedgear

The partner may request that these devices be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract through the Service Support Center (SSC) The request will be reviewed by a Cisco Smart Care Service administrator and if approved excluded devices will be marked on the inventory as excluded and if appropriate removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

8This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Partners

Partner Qualification and Certification

Q What qualifications do partners need to sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service

A At a minimum you must be a Cisco Select Premier Silver or Gold Certified Partner and must have passed the Cisco Smart Care Service exam If you meet these requirements you can sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service for networks that contain basic Cisco routing switching security and storage technology products For networks with basic voice technology a Cisco Express Unified Communications Specialization is required from the partner For networks with advanced voice technology products an Advanced Unified Communications Specialization is required Specialization requirements may vary depending on country and theater Contact your Cisco representative for more information Additionally you must be able to provide 8x5 support to your customers

Q May Global Service Alliance (GSA) and Regional Service Alliance (RSA) partners offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A GSA and RSA partners can qualify to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service if they meet the minimum partner eligibility requirements If a GSA or RSA partner chooses to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service the GSA or RSA benefits will not be applied to Cisco Smart Care Service Cisco Smart Care Service does not include rebates or discounts GSA and RSA partners will not be able to apply the strategic alliance benefits they receive to Cisco Smart Care Service

Q What if it says I am not qualified to register

A There are specific eligibility criteria that your partner company needs to meet before registering for the Cisco Smart Care program Visit the program homepage (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) to review those criteria If you think that your company meets the criteria visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to validate if the appropriate certificationsspecializations are in place

It is also possible that your company does not reside in one of the countries in which the Cisco Smart Care program is currently available VisitthePartnerSelf-Servicetooltovalidateyourcompanyrsquosaddressinformation and refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q What if the portal does not recognize or show all the certifications and specializations my company has

A If you have recently acquired a new certification or specialization it might not have been updated on your profile To verify visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to view your certifications and specializations and to report any issues

Q How do increased specializationcertification levels affect my registration with Smart Care

A If your company acquires one of the higher specializations that make you eligible for a higher Cisco Smart Care access level your Cisco Smart Care access level will automatically be increased This will allow you to support and sell Cisco Smart Care for more complex customer networks To see the eligibility requirements for Smart Care visit wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareofferhtml

Q What is meant by ldquoIn the event the partner is not recertified within the 90-day grace period the customerrsquos Smart Care Service contract will be supported until it expires rdquo

A Partners will still have access to the Smart Care Service Portal but will be unable to run any services Customer networks are still covered by the Smart Care Service contract and partners can access support for the customer networks

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

9This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How do I become eligible to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Each geographic region may have additional requirements but the following are the general steps to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

Step 1 Review Minimum Partner Eligibility Requirements

1 Confirm theater availability for your partner location

2 Hold a Select Premier Silver or Gold Cisco partner certification

3 Agree to provide technical support (8x5 business hoursmdashself-certify)

4 Complete live or online training (self-certify)

5 Pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online test (free to partners one person from partnership needs to pass)

Step 2 Get Trained and Take the Online Test

The Cisco Smart Care Service e-learning contains several role-based training paths (including ownermanager account manager systems engineer and sales operationsadministrative) It is available to you at no cost To view the entire range of training offered view the training map wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare training_maphtml

Partner eligibility to participate in the Cisco Smart Care Service program requires a partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent to pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online eligibility test This test is focused on the installation configuration and use of the Cisco Smart Care Service delivery tools Only one member of your partner organization is required to pass the test to meet eligibility The test must be passed before your organization can successfully register for the Cisco Smart Care Service program You can access the Smart Care tests through the registration tab in the e-learning course

Partner Registration

Q How can I familiarize myself with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Go to wwwciscocomgosmartcare for details on Cisco Smart Care Service This site includes data sheets at-a-glance documents a demo overview of the program and all of the tools overviews of the network health security and voice assessments and much more

Q Where should I go when deciding to offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A The ldquoOffer the Servicerdquo section on the Smart Care website (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) will take you through a five-phase decision-making process The five phases are

bull UnderstandingtheSmartCarevalueproposition

bull Buildingyourbusinesscase

bull Buildingyourservicesoffering

bull Incorporatingintoyourbusinessmodel

bull SellinganddeliveringaplanbasedonCiscoSmartCareService

Included in these five phases are the relevant documentation and tools to guide you through the decision-making stage

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

10This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why does it say my Cisco com user ID is no longer associated with the partner company

A Your Ciscocom user ID might no longer be associated with the company with which you were originally registered for Cisco Smart Care Service If you have switched companies recently or if you believe this message has been received in error visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to correct the information

Q Does everyone from the partner organization need to sign up and create a separate Cisco Smart Care account

A Every user should have a separate Ciscocom user ID and should be registered on the Cisco Smart Care portal by the designated Smart Care administrator at your company

Q If I am already registered how do I become a registered user for my company

A You will need to contact the designated Smart Care administrator at you company to get access

Q Does everyone from the partner organization have to com-plete the Cisco Smart Care registration click-to-accept terms

A No only the person authorized to accept the Cisco terms and conditions will be required to sign at the time of registration

Q When registering it says I need to self-certify that I am capable of providing 8x5 business hours technical support What does this mean

A This is a requirement to sell Cisco Smart Care Service You should check this box only if you are able to provide technical support during business hours (8 hours a day 5 days a week) to customers

There are two different tests associated with the systems engineering training path modules The systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass onlythetestthatmatchesthepartnerorganizationrsquosservicelevel(Seenotes following each test title) The tests are

bull Cisco Smart Care Base + Voice Pass this test to sell level 3 and level 4 of Smart Care (unified communications)

bull Cisco Smart Care Base Pass this test to sell level 1 and level 2 of Smart Care (foundation technology and security)

Step 3 Register to Begin Offering a Support Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care Service

When your systems engineer has passed the online test and you meet the other eligibility requirements described in step 1 you may register to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care by filling out a simple registration form

Step 4 Begin Selling a Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care

Now that you are officially registered to start offering a support plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service you can begin using all of the online marketing selling and delivery tools through the Cisco Smart Care control panel

Q What is the URL to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A The URL is httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare All requirements must be met before you can register

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page

A Visit httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID for logging into the portal

Q What if my Cisco com user ID is not working

A It might not exist in which case you will need to create one at httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo Or you might need to reset the password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

11This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Training and Testing

Q Where do I go to get training for Cisco Smart Care Service

A ForinternalsalesandbusinesstrainingonSmartCareandCiscorsquosportfolio of technical services visit Accelerate wwwciscocomgoaccelerateCiscorsquospartnerportaldedicatedtoservicestrainingandeducation For all the tools and resources required to help you position and sell Smart Care to your customers visit wwwciscocomgosmartcare

To gain a more technical experience of Cisco Smart Care Service the Partner Education Connection e-learning resources are available at wwwciscocomgopec

Q Is there a fee for accessing the online training

A No The online training is free to all Cisco partners

Q How do I complete the Cisco Smart Care training Is it web based In person Do I have to pass a written test

A You may access training in two ways (1) Complete the training online at your own pace (2) There may be live trainings offered by the Cisco channel sales team The training should be completed to prepare for the required online test to become a Cisco Smart Care Service registered partner

Q What type of web-based training is available to me

A There are four role-based learning paths available for partners They are as follows

For OwnerManagers 30 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

Q If I acquire new certifications or specializations when should I expect to get an email regarding my change of access level

A Afterapartnerrsquosprofilehasbeenupdatedwiththenewlyacquiredspecialization in the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo the next time someone from your company logs into the Cisco Smart Care portal the access level will be automatically increased You will receive an email notifying you of this change

Q Why would I have trouble registering for Cisco Smart Care Service if I meet the minimum eligibility

A The majority of issues with registration involve partner certifications levels per the Partner Self-Service tool You can verify that you have the right certification or specialization level to qualify by visiting httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo

Q How many employees need to pass the Smart Care Exam to register the program

A One employee needs to pass COLT

Q Does an employee who will take the Smart Care Exam need to hold any kind of Cisco certification such as a Cisco CCNAreg

A No

Q What languages are available for the Smart Care Exam

A English only

Q If my companyrsquos attorney has questions about a certain clause in the terms and conditions to whom should these questions be directed

A For questions regarding the terms and conditions for Cisco contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

12This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q There are two different Cisco Smart Care Service tests How do I know which test to take

A When you go to the URL to take the test you will have two choices eitherldquoSmartCareBaserdquoorldquoSmartCareBase+VoicerdquoIfyourcompanyhas a Cisco Express or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts you will have access tothevoicetoolsandshouldtaketheBase+Voicetest

Q Is there a fee for taking the test

A No The Cisco Smart Care Service online test is free to partners Only one partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass the exam

Q How long does the test take

A The test should take no more than 60 minutes to complete The test will time out and score the test at 60 minutes

Q What score do I need to get to pass the test

A The passing score for the Cisco Smart Care Service online test is 70 percent correct

Q How long before I can retake the test if I do not pass it on the first try

A You may retake the test within minutes of receiving your email passfail notification There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test

Q How often do I have to take the test to remain eligible (for example once annually)

A You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) need to take the test only one time

For Account Managers 1 Hour 15 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 34 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 17 minutes

For Systems Engineers 2 Hours 36 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 56 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

AdministratorsOperations 2 Hours

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 25 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

Q Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Before you can register to offer Smart Care one person from your staff needs to take and pass the appropriate online test The online test is based on the sales or systems engineer learning path content (see above)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 9: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

7

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

There is no need to request exclusions for the following devices

bull TheSmartCareappliance

bull Third-partydevices

bull DevicesnolongerintheSmartCareinventory

bull Personalcomputers

Q Can a nonqualifying product on a network be covered with another service and the rest of the network be covered with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Yes Nonqualifying products on a network may be covered with another service while the rest of the network is covered with Smart Care However the smart service features and coverage offered by Smart Care will not apply to nonqualifying products

Q Will older Cisco devices be supported for example a Cisco 2503 Router

A This depends on the device When an end-of-support notice is issued affected devices will no longer be covered Talk to your Cisco service account manager about replacement strategies

Q If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product what happens to the network-level support contract

A If a customer purchases a non-eligible Cisco product that customer still remains eligible for a partner support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service to continue to cover qualified devices on their network

Products

Q What products does Cisco Smart Care Service support

A Cisco Smart Care Service supports a broad range of products for mid-sized business networks which are organized into six technology groups This list is continually updated as Cisco introduces new products into this market segment For the most up-to-date product list refer to the Cisco Service Quote Upload and Estimates Tool which is found on the Smart Care Partner Central website under Resources then Tools section (direct link httptoolsciscocomcacacspapplicationindexjsp)

Q Why are some products excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A Since this service is designed for midsize businesses coverage is limited to products that those companies typically purchase Cisco has included products that are commonly used by businesses of all sizes such as Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches However most enterprise-class products are excluded from this service

Q What devices are excluded

A Generallyanydevicedetectedwillbeaddedtothecustomerrsquoscontract will be eligible for entitlement and will be considered during the quarterly pricing reviews It is reasonable to anticipate that customers will have devices in their networks that might need to be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract Reasons for the exclusions may include but are not limited to

bull Ciscoorpartner-providedtestlabordemogear

bull Serviceprovider-ownedgear

The partner may request that these devices be excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract through the Service Support Center (SSC) The request will be reviewed by a Cisco Smart Care Service administrator and if approved excluded devices will be marked on the inventory as excluded and if appropriate removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

8This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Partners

Partner Qualification and Certification

Q What qualifications do partners need to sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service

A At a minimum you must be a Cisco Select Premier Silver or Gold Certified Partner and must have passed the Cisco Smart Care Service exam If you meet these requirements you can sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service for networks that contain basic Cisco routing switching security and storage technology products For networks with basic voice technology a Cisco Express Unified Communications Specialization is required from the partner For networks with advanced voice technology products an Advanced Unified Communications Specialization is required Specialization requirements may vary depending on country and theater Contact your Cisco representative for more information Additionally you must be able to provide 8x5 support to your customers

Q May Global Service Alliance (GSA) and Regional Service Alliance (RSA) partners offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A GSA and RSA partners can qualify to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service if they meet the minimum partner eligibility requirements If a GSA or RSA partner chooses to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service the GSA or RSA benefits will not be applied to Cisco Smart Care Service Cisco Smart Care Service does not include rebates or discounts GSA and RSA partners will not be able to apply the strategic alliance benefits they receive to Cisco Smart Care Service

Q What if it says I am not qualified to register

A There are specific eligibility criteria that your partner company needs to meet before registering for the Cisco Smart Care program Visit the program homepage (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) to review those criteria If you think that your company meets the criteria visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to validate if the appropriate certificationsspecializations are in place

It is also possible that your company does not reside in one of the countries in which the Cisco Smart Care program is currently available VisitthePartnerSelf-Servicetooltovalidateyourcompanyrsquosaddressinformation and refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q What if the portal does not recognize or show all the certifications and specializations my company has

A If you have recently acquired a new certification or specialization it might not have been updated on your profile To verify visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to view your certifications and specializations and to report any issues

Q How do increased specializationcertification levels affect my registration with Smart Care

A If your company acquires one of the higher specializations that make you eligible for a higher Cisco Smart Care access level your Cisco Smart Care access level will automatically be increased This will allow you to support and sell Cisco Smart Care for more complex customer networks To see the eligibility requirements for Smart Care visit wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareofferhtml

Q What is meant by ldquoIn the event the partner is not recertified within the 90-day grace period the customerrsquos Smart Care Service contract will be supported until it expires rdquo

A Partners will still have access to the Smart Care Service Portal but will be unable to run any services Customer networks are still covered by the Smart Care Service contract and partners can access support for the customer networks

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

9This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How do I become eligible to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Each geographic region may have additional requirements but the following are the general steps to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

Step 1 Review Minimum Partner Eligibility Requirements

1 Confirm theater availability for your partner location

2 Hold a Select Premier Silver or Gold Cisco partner certification

3 Agree to provide technical support (8x5 business hoursmdashself-certify)

4 Complete live or online training (self-certify)

5 Pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online test (free to partners one person from partnership needs to pass)

Step 2 Get Trained and Take the Online Test

The Cisco Smart Care Service e-learning contains several role-based training paths (including ownermanager account manager systems engineer and sales operationsadministrative) It is available to you at no cost To view the entire range of training offered view the training map wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare training_maphtml

Partner eligibility to participate in the Cisco Smart Care Service program requires a partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent to pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online eligibility test This test is focused on the installation configuration and use of the Cisco Smart Care Service delivery tools Only one member of your partner organization is required to pass the test to meet eligibility The test must be passed before your organization can successfully register for the Cisco Smart Care Service program You can access the Smart Care tests through the registration tab in the e-learning course

Partner Registration

Q How can I familiarize myself with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Go to wwwciscocomgosmartcare for details on Cisco Smart Care Service This site includes data sheets at-a-glance documents a demo overview of the program and all of the tools overviews of the network health security and voice assessments and much more

Q Where should I go when deciding to offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A The ldquoOffer the Servicerdquo section on the Smart Care website (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) will take you through a five-phase decision-making process The five phases are

bull UnderstandingtheSmartCarevalueproposition

bull Buildingyourbusinesscase

bull Buildingyourservicesoffering

bull Incorporatingintoyourbusinessmodel

bull SellinganddeliveringaplanbasedonCiscoSmartCareService

Included in these five phases are the relevant documentation and tools to guide you through the decision-making stage

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

10This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why does it say my Cisco com user ID is no longer associated with the partner company

A Your Ciscocom user ID might no longer be associated with the company with which you were originally registered for Cisco Smart Care Service If you have switched companies recently or if you believe this message has been received in error visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to correct the information

Q Does everyone from the partner organization need to sign up and create a separate Cisco Smart Care account

A Every user should have a separate Ciscocom user ID and should be registered on the Cisco Smart Care portal by the designated Smart Care administrator at your company

Q If I am already registered how do I become a registered user for my company

A You will need to contact the designated Smart Care administrator at you company to get access

Q Does everyone from the partner organization have to com-plete the Cisco Smart Care registration click-to-accept terms

A No only the person authorized to accept the Cisco terms and conditions will be required to sign at the time of registration

Q When registering it says I need to self-certify that I am capable of providing 8x5 business hours technical support What does this mean

A This is a requirement to sell Cisco Smart Care Service You should check this box only if you are able to provide technical support during business hours (8 hours a day 5 days a week) to customers

There are two different tests associated with the systems engineering training path modules The systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass onlythetestthatmatchesthepartnerorganizationrsquosservicelevel(Seenotes following each test title) The tests are

bull Cisco Smart Care Base + Voice Pass this test to sell level 3 and level 4 of Smart Care (unified communications)

bull Cisco Smart Care Base Pass this test to sell level 1 and level 2 of Smart Care (foundation technology and security)

Step 3 Register to Begin Offering a Support Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care Service

When your systems engineer has passed the online test and you meet the other eligibility requirements described in step 1 you may register to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care by filling out a simple registration form

Step 4 Begin Selling a Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care

Now that you are officially registered to start offering a support plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service you can begin using all of the online marketing selling and delivery tools through the Cisco Smart Care control panel

Q What is the URL to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A The URL is httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare All requirements must be met before you can register

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page

A Visit httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID for logging into the portal

Q What if my Cisco com user ID is not working

A It might not exist in which case you will need to create one at httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo Or you might need to reset the password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

11This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Training and Testing

Q Where do I go to get training for Cisco Smart Care Service

A ForinternalsalesandbusinesstrainingonSmartCareandCiscorsquosportfolio of technical services visit Accelerate wwwciscocomgoaccelerateCiscorsquospartnerportaldedicatedtoservicestrainingandeducation For all the tools and resources required to help you position and sell Smart Care to your customers visit wwwciscocomgosmartcare

To gain a more technical experience of Cisco Smart Care Service the Partner Education Connection e-learning resources are available at wwwciscocomgopec

Q Is there a fee for accessing the online training

A No The online training is free to all Cisco partners

Q How do I complete the Cisco Smart Care training Is it web based In person Do I have to pass a written test

A You may access training in two ways (1) Complete the training online at your own pace (2) There may be live trainings offered by the Cisco channel sales team The training should be completed to prepare for the required online test to become a Cisco Smart Care Service registered partner

Q What type of web-based training is available to me

A There are four role-based learning paths available for partners They are as follows

For OwnerManagers 30 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

Q If I acquire new certifications or specializations when should I expect to get an email regarding my change of access level

A Afterapartnerrsquosprofilehasbeenupdatedwiththenewlyacquiredspecialization in the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo the next time someone from your company logs into the Cisco Smart Care portal the access level will be automatically increased You will receive an email notifying you of this change

Q Why would I have trouble registering for Cisco Smart Care Service if I meet the minimum eligibility

A The majority of issues with registration involve partner certifications levels per the Partner Self-Service tool You can verify that you have the right certification or specialization level to qualify by visiting httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo

Q How many employees need to pass the Smart Care Exam to register the program

A One employee needs to pass COLT

Q Does an employee who will take the Smart Care Exam need to hold any kind of Cisco certification such as a Cisco CCNAreg

A No

Q What languages are available for the Smart Care Exam

A English only

Q If my companyrsquos attorney has questions about a certain clause in the terms and conditions to whom should these questions be directed

A For questions regarding the terms and conditions for Cisco contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

12This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q There are two different Cisco Smart Care Service tests How do I know which test to take

A When you go to the URL to take the test you will have two choices eitherldquoSmartCareBaserdquoorldquoSmartCareBase+VoicerdquoIfyourcompanyhas a Cisco Express or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts you will have access tothevoicetoolsandshouldtaketheBase+Voicetest

Q Is there a fee for taking the test

A No The Cisco Smart Care Service online test is free to partners Only one partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass the exam

Q How long does the test take

A The test should take no more than 60 minutes to complete The test will time out and score the test at 60 minutes

Q What score do I need to get to pass the test

A The passing score for the Cisco Smart Care Service online test is 70 percent correct

Q How long before I can retake the test if I do not pass it on the first try

A You may retake the test within minutes of receiving your email passfail notification There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test

Q How often do I have to take the test to remain eligible (for example once annually)

A You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) need to take the test only one time

For Account Managers 1 Hour 15 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 34 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 17 minutes

For Systems Engineers 2 Hours 36 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 56 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

AdministratorsOperations 2 Hours

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 25 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

Q Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Before you can register to offer Smart Care one person from your staff needs to take and pass the appropriate online test The online test is based on the sales or systems engineer learning path content (see above)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 10: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

8This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Partners

Partner Qualification and Certification

Q What qualifications do partners need to sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service

A At a minimum you must be a Cisco Select Premier Silver or Gold Certified Partner and must have passed the Cisco Smart Care Service exam If you meet these requirements you can sell and support Cisco Smart Care Service for networks that contain basic Cisco routing switching security and storage technology products For networks with basic voice technology a Cisco Express Unified Communications Specialization is required from the partner For networks with advanced voice technology products an Advanced Unified Communications Specialization is required Specialization requirements may vary depending on country and theater Contact your Cisco representative for more information Additionally you must be able to provide 8x5 support to your customers

Q May Global Service Alliance (GSA) and Regional Service Alliance (RSA) partners offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A GSA and RSA partners can qualify to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service if they meet the minimum partner eligibility requirements If a GSA or RSA partner chooses to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service the GSA or RSA benefits will not be applied to Cisco Smart Care Service Cisco Smart Care Service does not include rebates or discounts GSA and RSA partners will not be able to apply the strategic alliance benefits they receive to Cisco Smart Care Service

Q What if it says I am not qualified to register

A There are specific eligibility criteria that your partner company needs to meet before registering for the Cisco Smart Care program Visit the program homepage (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) to review those criteria If you think that your company meets the criteria visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to validate if the appropriate certificationsspecializations are in place

It is also possible that your company does not reside in one of the countries in which the Cisco Smart Care program is currently available VisitthePartnerSelf-Servicetooltovalidateyourcompanyrsquosaddressinformation and refer to the Theater Availability table at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaretheater_availabilityhtml for updates on availability

Q What if the portal does not recognize or show all the certifications and specializations my company has

A If you have recently acquired a new certification or specialization it might not have been updated on your profile To verify visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to view your certifications and specializations and to report any issues

Q How do increased specializationcertification levels affect my registration with Smart Care

A If your company acquires one of the higher specializations that make you eligible for a higher Cisco Smart Care access level your Cisco Smart Care access level will automatically be increased This will allow you to support and sell Cisco Smart Care for more complex customer networks To see the eligibility requirements for Smart Care visit wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareofferhtml

Q What is meant by ldquoIn the event the partner is not recertified within the 90-day grace period the customerrsquos Smart Care Service contract will be supported until it expires rdquo

A Partners will still have access to the Smart Care Service Portal but will be unable to run any services Customer networks are still covered by the Smart Care Service contract and partners can access support for the customer networks

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

9This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How do I become eligible to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Each geographic region may have additional requirements but the following are the general steps to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

Step 1 Review Minimum Partner Eligibility Requirements

1 Confirm theater availability for your partner location

2 Hold a Select Premier Silver or Gold Cisco partner certification

3 Agree to provide technical support (8x5 business hoursmdashself-certify)

4 Complete live or online training (self-certify)

5 Pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online test (free to partners one person from partnership needs to pass)

Step 2 Get Trained and Take the Online Test

The Cisco Smart Care Service e-learning contains several role-based training paths (including ownermanager account manager systems engineer and sales operationsadministrative) It is available to you at no cost To view the entire range of training offered view the training map wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare training_maphtml

Partner eligibility to participate in the Cisco Smart Care Service program requires a partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent to pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online eligibility test This test is focused on the installation configuration and use of the Cisco Smart Care Service delivery tools Only one member of your partner organization is required to pass the test to meet eligibility The test must be passed before your organization can successfully register for the Cisco Smart Care Service program You can access the Smart Care tests through the registration tab in the e-learning course

Partner Registration

Q How can I familiarize myself with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Go to wwwciscocomgosmartcare for details on Cisco Smart Care Service This site includes data sheets at-a-glance documents a demo overview of the program and all of the tools overviews of the network health security and voice assessments and much more

Q Where should I go when deciding to offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A The ldquoOffer the Servicerdquo section on the Smart Care website (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) will take you through a five-phase decision-making process The five phases are

bull UnderstandingtheSmartCarevalueproposition

bull Buildingyourbusinesscase

bull Buildingyourservicesoffering

bull Incorporatingintoyourbusinessmodel

bull SellinganddeliveringaplanbasedonCiscoSmartCareService

Included in these five phases are the relevant documentation and tools to guide you through the decision-making stage

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

10This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why does it say my Cisco com user ID is no longer associated with the partner company

A Your Ciscocom user ID might no longer be associated with the company with which you were originally registered for Cisco Smart Care Service If you have switched companies recently or if you believe this message has been received in error visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to correct the information

Q Does everyone from the partner organization need to sign up and create a separate Cisco Smart Care account

A Every user should have a separate Ciscocom user ID and should be registered on the Cisco Smart Care portal by the designated Smart Care administrator at your company

Q If I am already registered how do I become a registered user for my company

A You will need to contact the designated Smart Care administrator at you company to get access

Q Does everyone from the partner organization have to com-plete the Cisco Smart Care registration click-to-accept terms

A No only the person authorized to accept the Cisco terms and conditions will be required to sign at the time of registration

Q When registering it says I need to self-certify that I am capable of providing 8x5 business hours technical support What does this mean

A This is a requirement to sell Cisco Smart Care Service You should check this box only if you are able to provide technical support during business hours (8 hours a day 5 days a week) to customers

There are two different tests associated with the systems engineering training path modules The systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass onlythetestthatmatchesthepartnerorganizationrsquosservicelevel(Seenotes following each test title) The tests are

bull Cisco Smart Care Base + Voice Pass this test to sell level 3 and level 4 of Smart Care (unified communications)

bull Cisco Smart Care Base Pass this test to sell level 1 and level 2 of Smart Care (foundation technology and security)

Step 3 Register to Begin Offering a Support Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care Service

When your systems engineer has passed the online test and you meet the other eligibility requirements described in step 1 you may register to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care by filling out a simple registration form

Step 4 Begin Selling a Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care

Now that you are officially registered to start offering a support plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service you can begin using all of the online marketing selling and delivery tools through the Cisco Smart Care control panel

Q What is the URL to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A The URL is httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare All requirements must be met before you can register

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page

A Visit httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID for logging into the portal

Q What if my Cisco com user ID is not working

A It might not exist in which case you will need to create one at httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo Or you might need to reset the password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

11This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Training and Testing

Q Where do I go to get training for Cisco Smart Care Service

A ForinternalsalesandbusinesstrainingonSmartCareandCiscorsquosportfolio of technical services visit Accelerate wwwciscocomgoaccelerateCiscorsquospartnerportaldedicatedtoservicestrainingandeducation For all the tools and resources required to help you position and sell Smart Care to your customers visit wwwciscocomgosmartcare

To gain a more technical experience of Cisco Smart Care Service the Partner Education Connection e-learning resources are available at wwwciscocomgopec

Q Is there a fee for accessing the online training

A No The online training is free to all Cisco partners

Q How do I complete the Cisco Smart Care training Is it web based In person Do I have to pass a written test

A You may access training in two ways (1) Complete the training online at your own pace (2) There may be live trainings offered by the Cisco channel sales team The training should be completed to prepare for the required online test to become a Cisco Smart Care Service registered partner

Q What type of web-based training is available to me

A There are four role-based learning paths available for partners They are as follows

For OwnerManagers 30 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

Q If I acquire new certifications or specializations when should I expect to get an email regarding my change of access level

A Afterapartnerrsquosprofilehasbeenupdatedwiththenewlyacquiredspecialization in the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo the next time someone from your company logs into the Cisco Smart Care portal the access level will be automatically increased You will receive an email notifying you of this change

Q Why would I have trouble registering for Cisco Smart Care Service if I meet the minimum eligibility

A The majority of issues with registration involve partner certifications levels per the Partner Self-Service tool You can verify that you have the right certification or specialization level to qualify by visiting httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo

Q How many employees need to pass the Smart Care Exam to register the program

A One employee needs to pass COLT

Q Does an employee who will take the Smart Care Exam need to hold any kind of Cisco certification such as a Cisco CCNAreg

A No

Q What languages are available for the Smart Care Exam

A English only

Q If my companyrsquos attorney has questions about a certain clause in the terms and conditions to whom should these questions be directed

A For questions regarding the terms and conditions for Cisco contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

12This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q There are two different Cisco Smart Care Service tests How do I know which test to take

A When you go to the URL to take the test you will have two choices eitherldquoSmartCareBaserdquoorldquoSmartCareBase+VoicerdquoIfyourcompanyhas a Cisco Express or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts you will have access tothevoicetoolsandshouldtaketheBase+Voicetest

Q Is there a fee for taking the test

A No The Cisco Smart Care Service online test is free to partners Only one partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass the exam

Q How long does the test take

A The test should take no more than 60 minutes to complete The test will time out and score the test at 60 minutes

Q What score do I need to get to pass the test

A The passing score for the Cisco Smart Care Service online test is 70 percent correct

Q How long before I can retake the test if I do not pass it on the first try

A You may retake the test within minutes of receiving your email passfail notification There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test

Q How often do I have to take the test to remain eligible (for example once annually)

A You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) need to take the test only one time

For Account Managers 1 Hour 15 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 34 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 17 minutes

For Systems Engineers 2 Hours 36 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 56 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

AdministratorsOperations 2 Hours

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 25 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

Q Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Before you can register to offer Smart Care one person from your staff needs to take and pass the appropriate online test The online test is based on the sales or systems engineer learning path content (see above)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 11: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

9This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How do I become eligible to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Each geographic region may have additional requirements but the following are the general steps to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

Step 1 Review Minimum Partner Eligibility Requirements

1 Confirm theater availability for your partner location

2 Hold a Select Premier Silver or Gold Cisco partner certification

3 Agree to provide technical support (8x5 business hoursmdashself-certify)

4 Complete live or online training (self-certify)

5 Pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online test (free to partners one person from partnership needs to pass)

Step 2 Get Trained and Take the Online Test

The Cisco Smart Care Service e-learning contains several role-based training paths (including ownermanager account manager systems engineer and sales operationsadministrative) It is available to you at no cost To view the entire range of training offered view the training map wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare training_maphtml

Partner eligibility to participate in the Cisco Smart Care Service program requires a partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent to pass the Cisco Smart Care Service online eligibility test This test is focused on the installation configuration and use of the Cisco Smart Care Service delivery tools Only one member of your partner organization is required to pass the test to meet eligibility The test must be passed before your organization can successfully register for the Cisco Smart Care Service program You can access the Smart Care tests through the registration tab in the e-learning course

Partner Registration

Q How can I familiarize myself with Cisco Smart Care Service

A Go to wwwciscocomgosmartcare for details on Cisco Smart Care Service This site includes data sheets at-a-glance documents a demo overview of the program and all of the tools overviews of the network health security and voice assessments and much more

Q Where should I go when deciding to offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A The ldquoOffer the Servicerdquo section on the Smart Care website (wwwciscocomgosmartcare) will take you through a five-phase decision-making process The five phases are

bull UnderstandingtheSmartCarevalueproposition

bull Buildingyourbusinesscase

bull Buildingyourservicesoffering

bull Incorporatingintoyourbusinessmodel

bull SellinganddeliveringaplanbasedonCiscoSmartCareService

Included in these five phases are the relevant documentation and tools to guide you through the decision-making stage

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

10This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why does it say my Cisco com user ID is no longer associated with the partner company

A Your Ciscocom user ID might no longer be associated with the company with which you were originally registered for Cisco Smart Care Service If you have switched companies recently or if you believe this message has been received in error visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to correct the information

Q Does everyone from the partner organization need to sign up and create a separate Cisco Smart Care account

A Every user should have a separate Ciscocom user ID and should be registered on the Cisco Smart Care portal by the designated Smart Care administrator at your company

Q If I am already registered how do I become a registered user for my company

A You will need to contact the designated Smart Care administrator at you company to get access

Q Does everyone from the partner organization have to com-plete the Cisco Smart Care registration click-to-accept terms

A No only the person authorized to accept the Cisco terms and conditions will be required to sign at the time of registration

Q When registering it says I need to self-certify that I am capable of providing 8x5 business hours technical support What does this mean

A This is a requirement to sell Cisco Smart Care Service You should check this box only if you are able to provide technical support during business hours (8 hours a day 5 days a week) to customers

There are two different tests associated with the systems engineering training path modules The systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass onlythetestthatmatchesthepartnerorganizationrsquosservicelevel(Seenotes following each test title) The tests are

bull Cisco Smart Care Base + Voice Pass this test to sell level 3 and level 4 of Smart Care (unified communications)

bull Cisco Smart Care Base Pass this test to sell level 1 and level 2 of Smart Care (foundation technology and security)

Step 3 Register to Begin Offering a Support Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care Service

When your systems engineer has passed the online test and you meet the other eligibility requirements described in step 1 you may register to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care by filling out a simple registration form

Step 4 Begin Selling a Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care

Now that you are officially registered to start offering a support plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service you can begin using all of the online marketing selling and delivery tools through the Cisco Smart Care control panel

Q What is the URL to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A The URL is httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare All requirements must be met before you can register

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page

A Visit httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID for logging into the portal

Q What if my Cisco com user ID is not working

A It might not exist in which case you will need to create one at httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo Or you might need to reset the password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

11This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Training and Testing

Q Where do I go to get training for Cisco Smart Care Service

A ForinternalsalesandbusinesstrainingonSmartCareandCiscorsquosportfolio of technical services visit Accelerate wwwciscocomgoaccelerateCiscorsquospartnerportaldedicatedtoservicestrainingandeducation For all the tools and resources required to help you position and sell Smart Care to your customers visit wwwciscocomgosmartcare

To gain a more technical experience of Cisco Smart Care Service the Partner Education Connection e-learning resources are available at wwwciscocomgopec

Q Is there a fee for accessing the online training

A No The online training is free to all Cisco partners

Q How do I complete the Cisco Smart Care training Is it web based In person Do I have to pass a written test

A You may access training in two ways (1) Complete the training online at your own pace (2) There may be live trainings offered by the Cisco channel sales team The training should be completed to prepare for the required online test to become a Cisco Smart Care Service registered partner

Q What type of web-based training is available to me

A There are four role-based learning paths available for partners They are as follows

For OwnerManagers 30 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

Q If I acquire new certifications or specializations when should I expect to get an email regarding my change of access level

A Afterapartnerrsquosprofilehasbeenupdatedwiththenewlyacquiredspecialization in the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo the next time someone from your company logs into the Cisco Smart Care portal the access level will be automatically increased You will receive an email notifying you of this change

Q Why would I have trouble registering for Cisco Smart Care Service if I meet the minimum eligibility

A The majority of issues with registration involve partner certifications levels per the Partner Self-Service tool You can verify that you have the right certification or specialization level to qualify by visiting httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo

Q How many employees need to pass the Smart Care Exam to register the program

A One employee needs to pass COLT

Q Does an employee who will take the Smart Care Exam need to hold any kind of Cisco certification such as a Cisco CCNAreg

A No

Q What languages are available for the Smart Care Exam

A English only

Q If my companyrsquos attorney has questions about a certain clause in the terms and conditions to whom should these questions be directed

A For questions regarding the terms and conditions for Cisco contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

12This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q There are two different Cisco Smart Care Service tests How do I know which test to take

A When you go to the URL to take the test you will have two choices eitherldquoSmartCareBaserdquoorldquoSmartCareBase+VoicerdquoIfyourcompanyhas a Cisco Express or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts you will have access tothevoicetoolsandshouldtaketheBase+Voicetest

Q Is there a fee for taking the test

A No The Cisco Smart Care Service online test is free to partners Only one partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass the exam

Q How long does the test take

A The test should take no more than 60 minutes to complete The test will time out and score the test at 60 minutes

Q What score do I need to get to pass the test

A The passing score for the Cisco Smart Care Service online test is 70 percent correct

Q How long before I can retake the test if I do not pass it on the first try

A You may retake the test within minutes of receiving your email passfail notification There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test

Q How often do I have to take the test to remain eligible (for example once annually)

A You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) need to take the test only one time

For Account Managers 1 Hour 15 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 34 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 17 minutes

For Systems Engineers 2 Hours 36 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 56 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

AdministratorsOperations 2 Hours

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 25 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

Q Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Before you can register to offer Smart Care one person from your staff needs to take and pass the appropriate online test The online test is based on the sales or systems engineer learning path content (see above)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 12: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

10This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why does it say my Cisco com user ID is no longer associated with the partner company

A Your Ciscocom user ID might no longer be associated with the company with which you were originally registered for Cisco Smart Care Service If you have switched companies recently or if you believe this message has been received in error visit the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to correct the information

Q Does everyone from the partner organization need to sign up and create a separate Cisco Smart Care account

A Every user should have a separate Ciscocom user ID and should be registered on the Cisco Smart Care portal by the designated Smart Care administrator at your company

Q If I am already registered how do I become a registered user for my company

A You will need to contact the designated Smart Care administrator at you company to get access

Q Does everyone from the partner organization have to com-plete the Cisco Smart Care registration click-to-accept terms

A No only the person authorized to accept the Cisco terms and conditions will be required to sign at the time of registration

Q When registering it says I need to self-certify that I am capable of providing 8x5 business hours technical support What does this mean

A This is a requirement to sell Cisco Smart Care Service You should check this box only if you are able to provide technical support during business hours (8 hours a day 5 days a week) to customers

There are two different tests associated with the systems engineering training path modules The systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass onlythetestthatmatchesthepartnerorganizationrsquosservicelevel(Seenotes following each test title) The tests are

bull Cisco Smart Care Base + Voice Pass this test to sell level 3 and level 4 of Smart Care (unified communications)

bull Cisco Smart Care Base Pass this test to sell level 1 and level 2 of Smart Care (foundation technology and security)

Step 3 Register to Begin Offering a Support Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care Service

When your systems engineer has passed the online test and you meet the other eligibility requirements described in step 1 you may register to offer a plan based on Cisco Smart Care by filling out a simple registration form

Step 4 Begin Selling a Plan Based on Cisco Smart Care

Now that you are officially registered to start offering a support plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service you can begin using all of the online marketing selling and delivery tools through the Cisco Smart Care control panel

Q What is the URL to register for Cisco Smart Care Service

A The URL is httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare All requirements must be met before you can register

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page

A Visit httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID for logging into the portal

Q What if my Cisco com user ID is not working

A It might not exist in which case you will need to create one at httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo Or you might need to reset the password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

11This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Training and Testing

Q Where do I go to get training for Cisco Smart Care Service

A ForinternalsalesandbusinesstrainingonSmartCareandCiscorsquosportfolio of technical services visit Accelerate wwwciscocomgoaccelerateCiscorsquospartnerportaldedicatedtoservicestrainingandeducation For all the tools and resources required to help you position and sell Smart Care to your customers visit wwwciscocomgosmartcare

To gain a more technical experience of Cisco Smart Care Service the Partner Education Connection e-learning resources are available at wwwciscocomgopec

Q Is there a fee for accessing the online training

A No The online training is free to all Cisco partners

Q How do I complete the Cisco Smart Care training Is it web based In person Do I have to pass a written test

A You may access training in two ways (1) Complete the training online at your own pace (2) There may be live trainings offered by the Cisco channel sales team The training should be completed to prepare for the required online test to become a Cisco Smart Care Service registered partner

Q What type of web-based training is available to me

A There are four role-based learning paths available for partners They are as follows

For OwnerManagers 30 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

Q If I acquire new certifications or specializations when should I expect to get an email regarding my change of access level

A Afterapartnerrsquosprofilehasbeenupdatedwiththenewlyacquiredspecialization in the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo the next time someone from your company logs into the Cisco Smart Care portal the access level will be automatically increased You will receive an email notifying you of this change

Q Why would I have trouble registering for Cisco Smart Care Service if I meet the minimum eligibility

A The majority of issues with registration involve partner certifications levels per the Partner Self-Service tool You can verify that you have the right certification or specialization level to qualify by visiting httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo

Q How many employees need to pass the Smart Care Exam to register the program

A One employee needs to pass COLT

Q Does an employee who will take the Smart Care Exam need to hold any kind of Cisco certification such as a Cisco CCNAreg

A No

Q What languages are available for the Smart Care Exam

A English only

Q If my companyrsquos attorney has questions about a certain clause in the terms and conditions to whom should these questions be directed

A For questions regarding the terms and conditions for Cisco contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

12This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q There are two different Cisco Smart Care Service tests How do I know which test to take

A When you go to the URL to take the test you will have two choices eitherldquoSmartCareBaserdquoorldquoSmartCareBase+VoicerdquoIfyourcompanyhas a Cisco Express or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts you will have access tothevoicetoolsandshouldtaketheBase+Voicetest

Q Is there a fee for taking the test

A No The Cisco Smart Care Service online test is free to partners Only one partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass the exam

Q How long does the test take

A The test should take no more than 60 minutes to complete The test will time out and score the test at 60 minutes

Q What score do I need to get to pass the test

A The passing score for the Cisco Smart Care Service online test is 70 percent correct

Q How long before I can retake the test if I do not pass it on the first try

A You may retake the test within minutes of receiving your email passfail notification There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test

Q How often do I have to take the test to remain eligible (for example once annually)

A You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) need to take the test only one time

For Account Managers 1 Hour 15 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 34 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 17 minutes

For Systems Engineers 2 Hours 36 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 56 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

AdministratorsOperations 2 Hours

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 25 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

Q Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Before you can register to offer Smart Care one person from your staff needs to take and pass the appropriate online test The online test is based on the sales or systems engineer learning path content (see above)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 13: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

11This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Training and Testing

Q Where do I go to get training for Cisco Smart Care Service

A ForinternalsalesandbusinesstrainingonSmartCareandCiscorsquosportfolio of technical services visit Accelerate wwwciscocomgoaccelerateCiscorsquospartnerportaldedicatedtoservicestrainingandeducation For all the tools and resources required to help you position and sell Smart Care to your customers visit wwwciscocomgosmartcare

To gain a more technical experience of Cisco Smart Care Service the Partner Education Connection e-learning resources are available at wwwciscocomgopec

Q Is there a fee for accessing the online training

A No The online training is free to all Cisco partners

Q How do I complete the Cisco Smart Care training Is it web based In person Do I have to pass a written test

A You may access training in two ways (1) Complete the training online at your own pace (2) There may be live trainings offered by the Cisco channel sales team The training should be completed to prepare for the required online test to become a Cisco Smart Care Service registered partner

Q What type of web-based training is available to me

A There are four role-based learning paths available for partners They are as follows

For OwnerManagers 30 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

Q If I acquire new certifications or specializations when should I expect to get an email regarding my change of access level

A Afterapartnerrsquosprofilehasbeenupdatedwiththenewlyacquiredspecialization in the Partner Self-Service tool at httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo the next time someone from your company logs into the Cisco Smart Care portal the access level will be automatically increased You will receive an email notifying you of this change

Q Why would I have trouble registering for Cisco Smart Care Service if I meet the minimum eligibility

A The majority of issues with registration involve partner certifications levels per the Partner Self-Service tool You can verify that you have the right certification or specialization level to qualify by visiting httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo

Q How many employees need to pass the Smart Care Exam to register the program

A One employee needs to pass COLT

Q Does an employee who will take the Smart Care Exam need to hold any kind of Cisco certification such as a Cisco CCNAreg

A No

Q What languages are available for the Smart Care Exam

A English only

Q If my companyrsquos attorney has questions about a certain clause in the terms and conditions to whom should these questions be directed

A For questions regarding the terms and conditions for Cisco contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

12This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q There are two different Cisco Smart Care Service tests How do I know which test to take

A When you go to the URL to take the test you will have two choices eitherldquoSmartCareBaserdquoorldquoSmartCareBase+VoicerdquoIfyourcompanyhas a Cisco Express or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts you will have access tothevoicetoolsandshouldtaketheBase+Voicetest

Q Is there a fee for taking the test

A No The Cisco Smart Care Service online test is free to partners Only one partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass the exam

Q How long does the test take

A The test should take no more than 60 minutes to complete The test will time out and score the test at 60 minutes

Q What score do I need to get to pass the test

A The passing score for the Cisco Smart Care Service online test is 70 percent correct

Q How long before I can retake the test if I do not pass it on the first try

A You may retake the test within minutes of receiving your email passfail notification There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test

Q How often do I have to take the test to remain eligible (for example once annually)

A You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) need to take the test only one time

For Account Managers 1 Hour 15 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 34 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 17 minutes

For Systems Engineers 2 Hours 36 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 56 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

AdministratorsOperations 2 Hours

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 25 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

Q Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Before you can register to offer Smart Care one person from your staff needs to take and pass the appropriate online test The online test is based on the sales or systems engineer learning path content (see above)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 14: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

12This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q There are two different Cisco Smart Care Service tests How do I know which test to take

A When you go to the URL to take the test you will have two choices eitherldquoSmartCareBaserdquoorldquoSmartCareBase+VoicerdquoIfyourcompanyhas a Cisco Express or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts you will have access tothevoicetoolsandshouldtaketheBase+Voicetest

Q Is there a fee for taking the test

A No The Cisco Smart Care Service online test is free to partners Only one partner sales or systems engineer or equivalent needs to pass the exam

Q How long does the test take

A The test should take no more than 60 minutes to complete The test will time out and score the test at 60 minutes

Q What score do I need to get to pass the test

A The passing score for the Cisco Smart Care Service online test is 70 percent correct

Q How long before I can retake the test if I do not pass it on the first try

A You may retake the test within minutes of receiving your email passfail notification There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test

Q How often do I have to take the test to remain eligible (for example once annually)

A You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) need to take the test only one time

For Account Managers 1 Hour 15 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 34 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 17 minutes

For Systems Engineers 2 Hours 36 Minutes

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 56 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

AdministratorsOperations 2 Hours

bullLesson 1 Cisco Smart Care Service Overview 20 minutes

bullLesson 2 Partner Registration 10 minutes

bullLesson 3 Quoting and Ordering 48 minutes

bullLesson 4 Managing Cisco Smart Care Service Contracts 14 minutes

bullLesson 5 Using the Cisco Smart Care Service Tools 25 minutes

bullLesson 6 Cisco Smart Care Service Support Model 7 minutes

Q Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart Care Service

A Before you can register to offer Smart Care one person from your staff needs to take and pass the appropriate online test The online test is based on the sales or systems engineer learning path content (see above)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 15: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

13This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Quoting Ordering and Billing

General

Q What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution

A The quoting and ordering process is the same for Cisco 2-Tier and 1-Tier Partners All partners use the Cisco Smart Care Service network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network They request the initial quote through the Smart Care portal and their selected distributor will contact the partner once the quote is ready The partner may check the status of the quote at every step of the process through the Cisco Smart Care Service portal

Q What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment

A The Cisco Smart Care Service inventory process detects all the devices on the network including those of other manufacturers Uncovered Cisco equipment will be discovered All devices will be sent through a scrubbing process to validate and make sure all Cisco devices are included for entitlement and billing purposes

Q If a Smart Care partner found a device that is covered by another partnerrsquos active service contract in the discovery and inventory process what information on that contract will be shown on the control panel Can the Smart Care partner see the information such as service contract type owner of that contract and when it expires

A No If a non-Smart Care partner currently provides the support for the customer the Smart Care partner will not get the contract information on those devices

Q Does everyone who accesses Cisco Smart Care and delivers the service need to pass the test or just one person the sales or systems engineer (or equivalent)

A Only one person at a given partner company is required to pass the appropriate Cisco Smart Care test

Q How long does it take between the time I take the Smart Care Service eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care

A You may start the Cisco Smart Care registration process immediately

Q I am having a problem launching the e-learning What could the problem be

A You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser For example in Internet Explorer go to tools mdashgt Pop-up Blockers mdashgt Turn off Pop-up Blockers Also if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google you will need to disable the pop-up blocker in there as well After you have done this try launching the e-learning again

Q I am having a problem going through the e-learning What should I do

A Use the following link to find help httpciscopartnerelearningcompeclmslang-enmanagementLMS_TheaterContentaspxPageName= CiscoOnlineSupporthtmlampPageType=JumpampShowSideBar=0 If you are unable to find the answer open a case using the link on the bottom of the page

Q The exam is not available What can I do

A Send an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Q What if I do not pass the test How often can I take it

A If you do not pass the test the first time you may retake the test immediately There is no limit to the number of retakes

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 16: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

14This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q If a customer already has another Cisco service contract such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support on some devices can they purchase a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires

A Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet Shared Support or another Cisco service Devices already covered by another service are excluded from the Cisco Smart Care Service price charged to the partner until their service plan expires The initial customer quote includes up-front prorated costs for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term

Then when the other service contracts expire those devices would automatically migrate over to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract and the price to the partner for the Smart Care Service would be adjusted at that time It is anticipated that the partner would adjust their price to the customer as well

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A The Cisco Smart Care Service and Cisco SMARTnet Service are very different offers and share only some elements in common Cisco expects the types of services that a partner ultimately wraps around Cisco Smart Care Service to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services Cisco Smart Care Service assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform plus non-maintenance services such as assessments and monitoring Therefore the total costs considered as well as the value delivered are very different and make it very difficult to make a comparison Cisco Smart Care Service pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network Considering those two factors will determine the network-wide service price to be in one of 60 different total price points

Pricing Framework

Q How is Cisco Smart Care Service priced

A Cost is determined by two factors (1) the number of devices on the network (categorized across 10 fixed pricing bands) and (2) the types of applications and devices that reside on the network The number of devices on the network is a combination of those automatically discovered and inventoried along with any manual additions made by you This may increase over time because of the weekly discovery process

Q Can an end customer purchase directly from Cisco

A No

Q Can 1-Tier partners buy Smart Care

A Yes but exclusively through Cisco authorized Smart Care distributors

Q Does Cisco set the customer price for partner plans based on Cisco Smart Care Service

A No You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the customer determined

A You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform based onthedevicesandapplicationsinthecustomerrsquosentirenetworkYouthenestablishthepricetothecustomertakingintoaccounteachcustomerrsquosunique requirements and the value-added services you are providing For instance the price to the customer may take into account not only Ciscodevicesandapplicationsonthecustomerrsquosnetworkbutalsothefrequency of assessments and additional services that you provide

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 17: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

15This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

To help ensure that Cisco Smart Care Service is priced fairly the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier

Q How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced Can they be purchased as standalone products

A The Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance are part of the service offering and are not available for a standalone purchase The cost of either the software client or hardware appliance is built into the price of the annually renewable contract

Q Do Cisco IP phones count as devices

A No Phones are covered but are not counted in the number of devices One goal of the Cisco Smart Care Service is to simplify network-level pricing By eliminating the number of phones and the number of users Cisco makes it easy for you to determine your cost for each network you support

Q What percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service

A More than 95 percent of commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart Care Service coverage In some cases there may be a time lag between when a new commercial product is launched and when it is available for the full suite of service in Cisco Smart Care Service

Q Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance Why isnrsquot the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client

A The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service A core design criterion for this service is simplicity By including the appliance in the cost of the service you need to perform only one transaction Further the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service

Cisco SMARTnet in contrast has a discrete service price for each individual device and application on the network The price of Cisco SMARTnet is based on the sum of the prices for each covered device and application on the network Since the required coverage model and the pricing calculation are so different Cisco Smart Care Service pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet Service pricing

Cisco Smart Care Service Price to Partner

Q How is the Cisco Smart Care Service price to the partner determined

A The price to you is determined by two factors the number of devices on the network and the types of applications and devices that reside on the network You can simply and quickly determine what their cost will be by asking a few questions and running the Cisco Smart Care Service discoverytoolonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThediscoverytoolwilllocatemost of the devices on the network and automatically add them to the service contract reducing the operational costs associated with contract ordering and administration

To simplify pricing there are 20 pricing bands that cover eligible networks which can have as many as 200 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered but do not count as devices) Plus there are three technologypricelevelsThismeansthatthepartnerrsquospricechangesonlywhenthenumberofdevicesinthecustomerrsquosnetworkcrossesinto a new price band or a new type of technology is added So most minor additions to a network will not result in a price increase unless the number of devices crosses into the next band of pricing The following link shows the Smart Care pricing framework httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_Pricing_QRGpdf

Q What is device count weighting Why do some devices count as more than one device

A Many complex high-value devices can replace multiple simpler devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 18: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

16This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q I did a manual quote Now when I run the discovery it shows ldquoNew devices found even though these devices are already covered under the contract What should I do

A First you need to add the automatically-discovered devices to the inventory then run inventory Next exclude the manually added devices and click on ldquoSave and continuerdquo

Q I have manually added a device to the inventory How long does it take for the contract to be updated with the device SN

A 48 hours

Q How do I get access to the SC portal for the employee of the SC registered partner company

A Access can be given by the CCO ID of the employee who registered to SC Advise the caller to refer to the partner company administrator If the requestor is the partner company administrator and needs to know how to add new users the requestor needs to sign into the portal Administration gt Users gt Add new

Ultimate Contract Value

Q Release 1 7 of Cisco Smart Care Service now includes Ultimate Contract Value (UCV) where upfront prorated service costs are included for devices that will be covered by Cisco Smart Care later in the contract term Do partners need to re-install QUE to take advantage of this feature

A No this feature is included as part of the Smart Care Service application update 17

Q If devices are covered under a pre-existing Cisco SMARTnet contract how are terms and renewal handled upon expiration Are customers forced to renew their Cisco SMARTnet contracts for a limited time Do they know what the price will be ahead of time

A If there is a preexisting contract the product will be marked as ldquodo not renewrdquo in the contract management system and its pro-rated service cost will be included as part of the initial Cisco Smart Care Service quote When the device is up for renewal it will be discovered during the Cisco Smart Care true-up process and the product will be covered for the remaining period of the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco equipment during the year and has fewer devices

A The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal

Q How do renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a new quote through distribution However Cisco Smart Care Service does not provide automatic renewals or automatic invoicing You may work with your distributor to purchase a renewal within 90 days of receipt of the quote

Q Are multiyear contracts and discounts available

A Smart Care allows for terms of 1 2 or 3 years The corresponding discount will apply

Q If the customer reduces the number of devices on their network does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear or mid-contract

A At present Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are not renegotiated for a device count decrease until the annual renewal period Cisco does not accommodate midyear or midcontract ldquotrue-downsrdquo

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 19: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

17This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Final Quote

Q Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by Cisco

A The pricing on the quote reflects the price of the Smart Care Service The price the reseller would be charged is negotiated between reseller and distributor

Q How can I make changes to a pending quote

A Changes cannot be made to quotes once submitted However you may request additional quotes by making changes in the Inventory or Request for Quote pages and resubmitting your quote request to your Cisco authorized distributor

Q Once I submit the request for a quote how long will it take to get revised quotes

A You should receive responses within 24 to 48 hours

Q What difference is there between the NBD and the 4-hour contract price

A NBD is next-business-day delivery in areas where there is no coverage for part replacements Four-hour coverage is available in available in select areas

Q Do partners need to recalculate estimates created by the previous version of QUE to create a UCV price

A Smart Care Service release 17 will migrate existing estimates and all existingoriginal estimates ultimate price will be converted to a Provisional Estimated Price (UCV price)

For quote requests that are created before 17 release partners can order these quotes (without the UCV price) and the DWC devices will be true-up and invoice at the quarter when the device rolls into Smart Care Or they can resubmit a quote request to create a new quote that will include the UCV price

Q Do partners still need to include at least one DNC device on their quote request

A Yes this rule still applies

Initial Price Estimate

Q What is the difference between an estimate and a quote

A The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a price to the customer while selling the program After you and your customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service then you will need to request a final quote The customer data is then sent to Cisco for further data scrubbing and validations The final quote that is received may differ from the initial estimate Some examples might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has existing contracts covering a specific device

Q Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update the estimate before I can request a quote

A Yes you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant questionsonyourcustomersrsquonetworkThiswillhelpensurethatthecorrect network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 20: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

18This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What happens to the appliance when the contract is terminated

A Following a termination the Cisco Smart Care appliance is the property of Cisco and remains the property of Cisco even after installed atthecustomerrsquossiteThereturnpolicyis10dayspostcontract termination

Q How do I return the appliance

A To return the appliance send an email with the subject line SMART CARE RETURN-ONLY ORDER ndash [Partner Name] ndash Contract to SmartCareApplianceReturnciscocom and you will be informed of the information to include with the return

Contract Management

Q What happens if customers do not have a physical location For example they may be currently in the process of moving or setting up their offices What can partners do to create Smart Care quotes for them

A A valid physical address (street city and zip code) is needed in order to add a customer to Smart Care Partners may use any valid address (wesuggestenteringthecustomerownerrsquoshomeaddress)Thenoncethe customer office is established partners may change the address to the new address All devices will be moved to this new location The changes would be made in the background through the move process

Please note if the addresses are not in the same zip code and the newaddressisoutsideadepotsitersquosrange=premiumrequestsmaybecome invalid

Ordering

Q I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to execute the purchase However when I log into Smart Care the quote is not found What happened to the quote

A If this email notification has not yet been received by the distributor it is possible that the device data is causing an error Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an rdquoissuerdquo If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago it might not be visible because it has expired

Billing and Payment

Q What if there is an error on my invoice Whom should I contact

A For any invoicing questions contact your distributor

Q We are having trouble collecting payments from our customer Are we still obligated to make our payments

A Yes You are still obligated to provide payments on time per your agreed upon contract with your distributor

Quarterly True-UpsAnnual Renewals

Q How are we notified when a payment is due

A You will receive a notification that the end of the quarter is coming up This will be an indication to expect an invoice from your distributor in response to your order or if a price band or technology level has been crossed during that quarter

Q How do annual renewals work

A The Cisco Smart Care Service automatically generates a renewal quote 30 days prior to the contract end-date unless the customer cancels

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 21: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

19This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I order more than one Smart Care Service for the same customer network

A Eachcustomerrsquosnetworkcanhavedifferentservicelevels(nextbusiness day (NBD) and premium 4-hour service) which results in separate contracts However they are part of a single Smart Care Service

Contract Updates

Q How can a new device get added to an existing Smart Care contract

A After a new device has been plugged into the network you have two options The first option is that you may run the discovery and inventory services manually in order to add the device onto the Cisco Smart Care Service contract The other option is that the automatic weekly discovery will detect the device after it is plugged in and send an alert You should log in to run the inventory service and provide the device passwords After this is completed the devices will be added to the Cisco Smart Care Services contract

Q How do I enable SNMP on Cisco devices

A Information on enabling SNMP on Cisco devices can be found at httpwwwciscocomenUStechtk648tk362technologies_tech_note09186a0080094aa4shtmlsnmpcommstrings

Q What happens if customers upgrade from lower-end devices to higher-end devices

A When customers upgrade to higher-end devices the service contract will need to be upgraded to a higher contract level Partners will be notified when their contracts have been upgraded and when they have access to more services in the Smart Care control panel At the end of the contract quarter partners need to submit a quote to their distributors negotiating the price of the true-up quote They will then receive an invoice from their distributor for this technology level change and for any device weight band changes that were made during the quarter

Q What is PICA and why is it important for customers who have purchased a plan based on Cisco Smart Care Services

A Partner-Initiated Customer Access (PICA) is a global program that allows qualified Cisco partners to selectively entitle their customers to have registered use of Ciscocom where they are able to download software and review support cases logged against their contracts Customers will need to be sponsored in advance in order to register on Ciscocom To learn more about the Partner-Initiated Customer Access tool go to wwwciscocom webapplicatpicaadmnapplications_overview_partnerhtml

Q Does PICA work with Smart Care Service contracts

A Yes

Q Can partners get credit for the one-time assessment services applied to a one-year Smart Care Service contract

A No not at this time

Contract Creation

Q Why do I have to fill out a customer network questionnaire What is it for

A The customer network questionnaire is used to further refine the customer network complexity that has been discovered by the Cisco Smart Care appliance The results of the questionnaire will help you to modify the contract type that is appropriate for your customer

Q Is there a boilerplate Smart Care contract that I can use as a template for building my own Smart Care proposal for the customer

A Yes the Smart Care Proposal Template can be found at httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmart_care_proposal_templatedoc

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 22: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

20This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My customer called and said they want to switch to another partner What happens to the Cisco Smart Care Service contract the customer has through us Do I need to go remove the appliance

A In order to process switching partners on an existing Cisco Smart Care Service contract contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc The SSC will work with the appropriate Cisco Smart Care Service contacts to initiate the cancellation of the original contract Customers will need to provide documentation of the change in partners and work with their new partner to complete a discovery and inventory and the creation of a new contract New partners should not request a final Cisco Smart Care Service quote until the old contract is canceled or the system will find that there is existing coverage on customer devices

Q My customer has removed a device from the network How do we remove this from the service contract so they will not be billed for it

A You will either need to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery service proactively or the Cisco mandated discovery service will run weekly to detect that the device has been unplugged Once this has been detected the device will show up as ldquoMissingrdquo on the device inventory page You must confirm that the device should really be removed from the contract by selecting that device and using the delete function Then click the ldquoSubmit Changesrdquo button so that the device will be removed from the Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q I want to make changes to one of my customerrsquos Cisco Smart Care Service contracts How do I get into the contract to make changes

A In order to make contract changes you need to log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Select the customer for which you want to make changes and search for what you want to change Location changes device additions and device terminations can all be managed from the Cisco Smart Care portal

Q When changes are made to an existing contract when will billing be affected

A Dates of when devices are added onto existing Cisco Smart Care Service contracts are tracked This information will be used during the quarterly true-ups If changes have occurred during a particular quarter this information will be gathered and used to calculate if any price bands have been crossed If price bands have been crossed partners will be expected to purchase the true-up quote that will have been generated by the end of the contract quarter

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 23: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

21This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q My Cisco certificationspecialization has lapsed and I no longer have access to certain Cisco Smart Care Service capabilities What should I do How will this affect my ability to service my existing contracts

A You need to renew your Cisco certificationspecialization to regain access to those capabilities Temporary exceptions can be requested for continuity

If your Cisco certification expires you will be given 90 days to regain the certification If it is not renewed in those 90 days you will lose the ability to sell any new Cisco Smart Care Service contracts for new customers You will still be able to support the existing customer contracts but the contracts will not auto-renew at the respective anniversary dates

If your Cisco specializations expire you will also be given 90 days to regain them If the necessary specializations are not renewed you will be downgraded in access level and will not be able to sell the contract types that were associated with the higher specialization If you have existing contracts at the higher level you will continue to be able to support them but the contracts will not auto-renew at the end of the year

Q How do I assign administrative rights to another user at my company

A First if you have administrative privileges log in to the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare After you log in in the left column find the Administration section and then select User Next select the user who needs more administrative rights and then click Edit Change the access type on the profile page of that user

Q We have just increased our specialization and should have access to sell voice (CNL3 or CNL4 contracts) How long will it take before these tools are turned on for us

A When you log into the Cisco Smart Care portal if the specialization has been associated with your partner profile it will automatically increase your access level You should receive an email notification letting you know that this has happened within 24 hours If you do not receive

Contract Cancellations

Q How do I cancel a contract

A If canceling a Cisco Smart Care Service contract is warranted contact the SSC by sending an email to ask-smart-servicesciscocom or open a case at wwwciscocomgossc

Access Management

Q What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page What login and password should I be using

A A user must have a Ciscocom user ID and password in order to access the Cisco Smart Care portal Verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocomRPFregisterregisterdo In addition the user needs to be linked to the partner account in the Partner Self-Service tool Verify this by visiting httptoolsciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo

Q I cannot remember my Cisco Smart Care Service login or password or my Cisco com user ID is not working What should I do

A First you need to verify that you have a valid Ciscocom user ID If you do not obtain one by visiting httptoolsciscocom RPFregisterregisterdo If you are sure you have a valid Ciscocom user ID you might need to reset your password by sending an email to cco-locksmithciscocom If you are still experiencing issues with your Ciscocom account go to wwwciscocommsgssorry-pwhtml and follow the instructions on the bottom of the page

Q I do not have access to the correct tools in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A If your company does not have the appropriate certificationsspecializations you will not be able to access the respective services If you are sure your company has the correct certificationsspecializations visit httptoolsciscocomwwchannelsgetlogwelcomedo to make sure they show up in your partner profile

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 24: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

22This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull FinancialModelingToolcreatescustomizablescenariosthatprovide a snapshot of the financial business benefits a partner might experience by offering Cisco Smart Care Services It can be found on the Smart Care page of Partner Central on the Tools tab under Resources

bull LabOpsdemonstratescommonCiscoSmartCareServicetaskspartners might perform in a real-world customer environment

Q How does Steps to Success work

A The Steps to Success portal is divided into technology areas with each technology related to a Cisco Lifecycle Services phase (prepare plan design implement operate or optimize) Within each phase partners can view specific tasks and download associated resources You can also perform content searches browse process flows and customize content and news

Metrics

Q What are the Cisco Smart Care Service performance metrics

A Cisco Smart Care Service is aligned with the worldwide Cisco channel certifications and specializations to help ensure simplicity for the partner

Following is the impact on existing metrics

bull AttachrateTheattachrateisapartner-levelmetricfortheserviceattached to a new product at the point of sale There will be no change to the attach rate at the time of contract migration As new products are added to the network they are covered automatically which will increase your attach rate metric

bull RenewalrateTherenewalrateisapartner-levelmetricthatiscalculated at the time of service renewal Therefore 100 percent of the products added to the network will be included in your renewal rate when the annual contract is renewed

an email go to the Partner Self-Service tool at httptools ciscocomWWChannelsGETLOGwelcomedo to check if your new specialization shows up there

Q My customer is having trouble viewing the customer dashboard in the Cisco Smart Care portal What could be the problem

A ConfirmthatyouhavesetupthecustomerrsquosCiscocomuserIDin the User Management screen by navigating to Customer name -gt Administration -gt Users The customer must have a valid Ciscocom user ID to access the Smart Care portal

Partner Enablement

Q What does Cisco provide to help partners to be more successful in selling and supporting Cisco Smart Care Service

A Cisco provides numerous resources including Steps to Success training and demand generation tools

bull StepstoSuccessprovidesCiscopartnerswithastep-by-stepresource for selling and delivering service and support throughout the network lifecycle It is based on proven Cisco research and development as well as on knowledge gathered from successful Cisco solution engagements

bull Trainingincludesacomprehensivesuiteoftrainingresourcesdelivered through a combination of instructor-led training e-learning and supporting documentation

bull PartnerMarketingCentralallowspartnerstobuildtheirownmarketing campaigns On Partner Marketing Central partners can create their own email blasts postcards ads flyers and more The feature is not available in all countries To access Cisco Partner Marketing Central go to httpswwwciscopartnermarketingcom Search ldquoSmart Carerdquo under Campaigns

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 25: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

23This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Will Cisco TAC cases and RMAs count against Cisco Shared Support metrics How do attach rate and return rate count toward Cisco Shared Support metrics

A Attach rate conversion rate (where applicable) and renewal rate are measured at the partner level As a result partners that are in programs such as Cisco Shared Support or Pay for Performance will benefit on their sales metrics At the same time delivery metrics such as the service request and RMA request are measured at the program level As a result there will be no impact on other service program performance metrics as a result of Cisco Smart Care Service support

Q How are phones handled in the Cisco Smart Care Service

A Under Cisco Smart Care Service the partner does not pay for service on the phones although they are covered Phones get automatic coverage under Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager and Cisco Unified Communication Manager Unified Communication Manager Express

Role of Distributor

Q What is the role of the distributor

A Distribution services may compliment the Smart Care service product from an operational support and opportunity identification perspective in addition to a portfolio of professional services that will help accelerate your brand of Smart Care Service

bull ServicerequestsandRMAmetricsarecalculatedattheprogramlevel and therefore the Cisco Smart Care Service would have no effect on other program service requestRMA metrics

Following are some new performance metrics for Cisco Smart Care Service

bull Operationalexcellenceindicators(reports)forCiscoSmartCareService partners are available with Performance Metrics Central (PMC) at wwwciscocomgppmc

bull Renewalrateandcustomersatisfaction(CSAT)metricswillbeavailable in the PMC

Q If a partner sells a product without service to a Cisco Smart Care Service customer will that negatively affect the partner metrics

A No Cisco Smart Care Service is a network-level service all products are covered When the product is added to the network the system will discover the product and the product will be covered in your metrics according to the business rules of the service

Q Will partner Cisco Smart Care Service sales qualify for rebates and discounts in other programs

A Cisco Smart Care Service bookings will be included in Pay for Performance rebate calculations where available Additionally you will benefit from the attach rate and return rate metrics for your other programs

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 26: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

24This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Features and Tools

Discovery and Inventory

Q What information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

A The following information is gathered during the discovery and inventory

bull IPaddress

bull Devicename

bull Configurationinfo

bull ProductID

bull Serialnumber

bull Card

Q What is the difference between the discovery and inventory processes

A The discovery process discovers what devices are installed on the customer network and under which IP address The inventory process requires the partner and customer to enter the device-level passwords This allows for much more information to be extracted from each device

Only after the inventory process is run will the device be included in the other services offered under a Cisco Smart Care Service contract

Q Are existing devices that are covered by other partners visible in discovery and inventory

A Devices with existing coverage are displayed in the Network Inventory page

Note The devices will be displayed in the ldquoExisting Coveragerdquo section and will not be included in the network weight calculation

Q Where do we get the passwords needed for each device in order to complete the inventory process

A Youwillneedtoworkwithyourcustomerrsquossystemadministratorstodetermine the device passwords

Q My Discovery Process button says Enter instead of Run What is wrong How do I start a new discovery

A This occurs when you exited your browser without closing out of the previous session first Click the Enter button and use the Terminate Session feature Then run the discovery again

Q What if I am having problems running the discovery on a customerrsquos network

A There are a variety of options for obtaining assistance with Cisco Smart Care Service technical issues Review the Smart Care Contact information (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadssmartcare_contact_infopdf) to find online and telephone-based support information

Q I lost my connection when running the discovery Do I have to start over again

A No You do not have to start over again You can continue from the point where you were in the discovery automated program (known as a wizard) It will continue to run if the service was already instantiated by following through the steps in the wizard

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 27: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

25This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Discovery and inventory have detected a device that is not owned by my customer and should not be included for contract pricing How do we exclude that device

A Log into the Cisco Smart Care portal at httpstoolsciscocomsmartcare Navigate on the left side of the page to the correct customer then select Discovered Devices Here you can submit a device for manual exclusion by checking the box next to the device and adding a reason code

Q Why does inventory not identify devices

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) should be enabled on the network Read-only would be preferred as read-write opens more security issues For security purposes if you are enabling SNMP you should set the community string to something other than ldquopublicrdquo (which would then need to be specified during discovery) Also if there are any intrusion prevention (IPS) or intrusion detection (IDS) systems in place you will get alerts from the discovery action This could be also possible because the credentials of the devices might not be known

Q I have device mismatch with some devices in device inventory What should I do

A Re-run DampI by re-entering the correct credentials (device user names passwords and admin password) of devices in device inventory

Q What protocols are used during discovery and inventory

A Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and SNMP are used during discovery Inventory uses Telnet Secure Shell (SSH) SNMP and HTTPHTTPS

Q What ports are used for each protocol

A ICMP uses port 8 SNMP uses UDP port 161 Telnet port 23 SSH port 22 HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443

Q The discovery process is taking a very long time to complete What can be causing this Is there a way to speed this up

A There are a number of reasons why a service might take a long time

bull Sizeofthenetwork

bull Numberofdevicesinthenetwork

bull Networklatencyissues

bull Unavailabledevices

bull Anissuewiththesoftwareclient

One possible remedy is to narrow the size of the network and search for specific IP addresses or specific IP address ranges

However if the client appears to be working normally and the network size is not large contact the Cisco TAC for additional support

Q I have run a discovery but I am sure there are devices on the network that did not show up How do I make sure these devices are added to the contract and are covered Can I still create the inventory

A You can add those missing devices manually First go to the Cisco Smart Care portal Choose the customer for which you want to add the device click Discovered Devices click the button that says Add by IP Address and enter the required information

Q Can I download andor export inventory data

A Yes Inventory data can be exported to PRD Excel or a Word document

Q Can I upload andor import inventory data manually

A Yes you can do this via the QUE tool interface

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 28: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

26This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What kind of information is collected for Cisco devices and third-party products that Smart Care does not support

A Devices that are not supported by Smart Care are collected We use sysObjectID for device identification using SNMP as a protocol

Q Has the Smart Care application been tested with all supported devices

A The Smart Care application has been tested with several devices in each product family within the list of supported devices Each individual device model may not have been tested as compatible with Smart Care

Q Why do I get a ldquoThere are no inventory run devicesdevices that support the servicerdquo message

A You will need to check the list of supported devices and services supported for the device in the partner dashboard under Support The inventory service for the devices must be completed before running any other services

Q What is discovery doing in the network

A Discovery uses ICMP and SNMP to determine if there is an entity at the IP addresses specified

Q What is inventory doing in the network

A The process varies depending on the device type but during inventory the following commands are typically being run on the routers and switches

bull showversion

bull showsystem

bull showmodule

bull showinventory

bull Showdiag

bull showflash

bull showbootflash

Q How many times does the appliance ping a device during a discovery

A In the current engine the device is pinged twice as long as a reply is received from the device otherwise the client will ping the device two more times So a total of two ping requests if the device is alive and four times if a device is not alive

Q Is the timeout configurable

A SNMP timeouts and retry parameters are not configurable however you would use different set of parameters during the discovery process (Medium Slow Fast)

Q What MIB objects are gathered during discovery

A All routers switches and other network devices are queried for sysObjectID only Windows servers (with SNMP enabled) are queried fortheenterprisersquosMIBThesysObjectIDisshortforldquoSystemObjectIdentifierrdquo and is an industry-standard SNMP data element that network equipment manufacturers support when providing SNMP in operating systems

The sysObjectID includes a unique ldquoIANA Enterprise Numberrdquo value assigned to each network equipment manufacturer The manufacturer assigns the unique hardware model value to each product they manufactureCiscorsquosIANAEnterpriseNumberis9

Q Is Cisco Smart Care Service capable of importing IP address information from a spreadsheet or other network management workstations

A This is supported and can be added Talk to your Cisco service account manager or your Smart Care administrator

Q Can a partner have customer access to the portal with the same partner CCO ID

A No The partner cannot log into the portal as a partner and customer with the same CCO ID You must create a new user ID to access the portal as a customer

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 29: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

27This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What support does Smart Care provide with customer-supplied media convergence server (MCS) server equivalents

A Neither Smart Care nor Cisco will support customer-supplied MCS server equivalents Partners can however add voice applications that run on these non Cisco appliances and get support for them

Q What are the dimensions of the hardware appliance

1U

Dimensions (H x W x D) (with bezel)

170 x 1678 x 240 in (432 x 4262 x 6096 cm)

GEN2

1U

Dimensions without packing

1496 x 1693 x 17 in (380 x 430 x 434 mm)

Q Is there a possibility that multiple appliances can be deployed to support more than 200 device units

A Yes but you need to have separate networks and customer contracts for each appliance This also may require Cisco approval to exceed the upper limit of 200 weighted devices

Q What is the Smart Care Virtual Appliance

A The virtual appliance is a software option to the hardware appliance The virtual appliance support gives partners the option to remotely deploy andmanagethenewSmartCarevirtualapplianceinthecustomerrsquosnetwork saving them a trip to the customer site This support simplifies and accelerates deployment tasks for partners to help reduce operational costs The virtual appliance is completely in parity with the features and capabilities of the hardware appliance

Q How are phones discovered How are they getting classified as the appropriate phone type

A IP phones are discovered when the call processor (Unified Communication ManagerUnified Communication Manager Express) is inventoried

bull Hostname

bull ApploadID(asOSrelease)

bull Version

bull Hardwarerevision

bull Serialnumber(asprocessorboardID)

bull Modelnumber(asPID)

bull MACaddress

bull Interfaceinfo

Q Does Cisco Smart Care Service capture any network traffic (actual data) for any of the reports

A No Cisco Smart Care Service does not read packet contents It only cares about traffic to calculate percentage utilization for LANWAN analysis

Q How does Smart Care deal with signature file updates

A Smart Care does not provide IPS signature updates Partners who need IPS signatures for their devices should exclude these devices from Smart Care and get an alternate service coverage

Device Support

Q Does Smart Care support Cisco Small Business Pro devices

A Smart Care does not support Cisco Small Business Pro devices This is a deliberate portfolio decision as a different service is planned for Small Business Pro devices

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 30: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

28This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the partner communicate with the appliance Does the appliance connect back to the portal dynamically or does the customer need to create firewall rules or Network Address Translations (NATs) for it

A The partner always uses a Ciscocom login and password to access the portal The partner also uses Ciscocom login and password to register the appliance to the Ciscocom portal Alerts are sent back every 10 minutes or more depending on how you define your requirements The appliance connects back to the Ciscocom portal using a secured SSL connection Specific firewall configurations may be required For details reference the configuration guide (httpwwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsSCS_Firewall_Configuration_Guide_WP_v1bpdf)

Q What volume of calls can I tell my network operations center (NOC) manager to expect based on the device count

A It is hard to say due to the proactive nature of the service Usually partners see phone calls decrease as engineers take action prior to a point that a customer needs to call your help desk

Q What if any special access to TAC is required for my NOC engineers How do they open a case with TAC if required

A Ciscocom login and ID are needed This follows the SMARTnet process the partner will have 24x7 access to TAC Customers will call the partner not Cisco TAC

Q We are already well versed in selling and renewing SMARTnet contracts are we trying to replace that or augment it

A SmartCareaugmentsyourcustomerrsquosenvironmentNotallSMARTnet contracts would be financially feasible under Smart Care pricing Partners have a blended support environment with Smart Care and SMARTnet

Q What is the program policy around the Smart Care appliance

A The program policy is as follows

bull SmartCarepartnersarerequiredtodeploytheapplianceatthecustomerrsquosnetworkafterthecontractissigned

bull Theapplianceextractsmaximumvalueoutoftheservice

bull Thepolicystatesthatapartnermustdeploythehardwareappliance within 45 days of ordering it

Q What is the minimum or maximum contract length we can or should be offering

A Contract terms are a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years Multiyear discounts are available

Q What toolsaccess do my technical consultants and inside sales representatives need to quote Smart Care on a bill of materials (BOM)

A The QUE tool is provided for initial estimates other quotes are produced by a request for quote (RFQ) process through the customer portal Device available for Smart Care coverage are shown in a support matrix included with the Portal

Q How does a customer-signed order go from signature to delivery of the appliance and turn-up of service

A You would issue a PO to the distributor who processes with Cisco to book the contract You order the appliance through the customer portal and assign it to the customer Installation is handled by your engineering staff

Q Where does the appliance sit in the client environment

A The hardware appliance sits inside the firewall connected to the customerrsquosnetworkInformationflowstoCiscothroughahighlysecureconnection no public data is shared

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 31: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

29This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

In this Fast Lab all services have been run allowing you to demonstrate all functionality of the Smart Care Service in a compressed timeframe

bull Fast Demo Lab

Note If you want to access more than one lab in succession you must completely close your browser in between (to avoid a browser error)

Q Where can I go to collaborate with my peers and customers on Smart Care and find additional resources

A The Smart Care Support Community provides registered Smart Care partners with additional tools resources and best practices and the opportunity to work together with peers and customers more efficiently and solve their own issues supportforumsciscocomcommunitynetprosolutionssmartcare

Marketing Support

Q Where can I find sales and product literature

A Smart Care literature is available at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~collateral

Q Where might I see an example of how a successful partner went to market with Smart Care

A There are case studies in PDF and video format that detail how a partner solved customer problems with a plan based on the Smart Care Service Also there are partner strategy success stories in PDF format These stories illuminate how a particular partner made and manages the sale of their support offering based on Cisco Smart Care Service including personal strategies thoughts and tips Both can be found at wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcare resourceshtml

Q Is there an upper limit to the number of users the portal can work with

A The portal has no limitation on users but there could be instances where different users could see different data in the portal based on when a service was last run and when that user refreshed their portal view

Q What are the failoverdisaster recovery capabilities of the Smart Care appliance

A Smart Care appliance currently does not support redundancy We only support one appliance per customers network The hardware appliance configuration can be backed up and loaded back on to another hardware appliance

Smart Care provides a virtual appliance which can be loaded onto a VMware virtualization platform

Q Where can I view a demo or work with a demo version of Smart Care

A The Smart Care demonstration may be viewed at httpwwwciscocomassetsservicessmartcaredemoindexhtml You can also review the service at this online lab site wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcareresourceshtml~training

Labs

Read Me First Training Lab Instructions (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDF - 102 MB)

Reinforce what you learned in the e-learning course by experimenting with the Smart Care Service feature and functionality

bull Training Lab

Read Me First Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdashLatin America) (PDFmdash643 MB)

In this robust lab you can demonstrate to potential customers the proactive network care features that the Smart Care Service provides This lab is focused on a technical audience

bull Demo Lab

Read Me First Fast Demo Lab Guide (English | Spanish mdash Latin America) (PDFmdash513 KB)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 32: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

30This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

If the part ID starts with

bull CISCOorC=Router

bull WS-C=Switch

bull MCS=MCSServer

bull SW=Software(mayormaynotneedtobeincluded)

bull CP=Phone

OtherModulesandComponents(donrsquotneedtobeonestimates)

If the part ID starts with

bull CON=SMARTnetoranotherservicecoveragelevel

bull MEM=Additionalmemoryforarouterorswitchetc

bull VWIC=VoiceWANinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull VIC=Voiceinterfacecardusuallysitsinsidearouter

bull CP-PWR=Poweradapter

bull UCSS=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull CUWL=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

bull ESW=Doesnrsquotneedtobeadded

Q What type of experience or Cisco certifications should a ldquotypicalrdquo Smart Care help-desk engineer have

A As a recommended but not currently required stipulation the Smart Care service should be supported by someone with a Cisco CCNA certification or above

Q Does the Smart Care hardware appliance require its own monitor to display the portal to the help desk personnel

A If the partner help desk software application can run multiple windows the Smart Care dashboard can be run on a single monitor it does not require a dedicated display

Q My customer has multiple locations with Cisco products installed and they would like to have them on the Smart Care contract Do we need separate hardware appliances for each location

A No only one Smart Care hardware appliance is necessary for all combined locations provided that the combination is less than 200 weighted devices

Q What is the command to get the serial number of the hardware appliance

A You can get the serial number of the hardware appliance by using the ldquodmidecoderdquo command-line interface (CLI) command in enabled mode

Q Where can I find a comparison of the warranty versus Smart Care

A The URL is wwwciscocomenUSprodcisco_serv_to_warranty_comp_0509pdf

Q Is there a simple view of what Cisco devices would be quoted with Smart Care

A CHASSIS and Software (include these on BOMs)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 33: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

31This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The Single-Use Network Health and Security Assessment allows partners to offer a single-use network health assessment to provide assessments as a one-time professional service and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Partners can purchase a single-use assessment for basic network health and security or basic network health security and voice performance and monitor a prospective customerrsquosnetworkforupto60daysTheseone-timeassessmentsgenerate project-based revenues while providing a powerful sales tool to highlight the value of the annual service By pointing out the security vulnerabilitiesuncovereddevicesandotherissuesinthecustomerrsquosactual network partners can demonstrate exactly the kind of network visibility and peace of mind the customer will realize with the full service

Q How can a voice assessment be used

A The primary use of the voice assessment is to help a business prepare for the addition of VoIP technologies to the network Using the Cisco Smart Care voice assessment tools partners can provide a comprehensive analysistodeterminewhetherthecustomerrsquosnetworkmeetsthebandwidthquality-of-service processing power and other requirements necessary to effectively deliver voice services before they invest in IP voice technologies The assessment provides automated tools to perform voice traffic injection on the customer network and measure the delay jitter and loss The tool also provides a mean opinion score (MOS) Through this comprehensive evaluation partners can provide detailed information about everything the network might require (including any devices or links that must be replaced and any operating systems that must be upgraded) to successfully support IP voice and help ensure a smooth successful implementation

Q What can a security assessment reveal

A Security assessments examine the configuration of the network in multiple areas including

bull Passwordencryptionandmanagementtopreventunauthorizedaccess to network devices

bull Floodmanagementtohelpensurethatdistributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks cannot overrun network devices and paralyze the network

Assessments and Remote Repairs

Q How can Cisco Smart Care Service help partners and customers verify that the network is secure reliable and functioning optimally

A Partnersperformperiodicassessmentsofthecustomerrsquosnetworkhealth and availability to proactively identify potential issues and help ensure that all qualified Cisco devices are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices

The customer has dashboard visibility into the performance of the network Graphical displays show the status of security voice and overall network health allowing the customer to foresee potential problems and you the partner to make remote repairs as needed

Partners get the same dashboard information as your customer plus the more detailed information you need to make recommendations to your customer with confidence

Q What assessments are available

A Three types of assessment services are available

bull AssessandRepair

bull AssessandPrepare

bull Single-UseNetworkHealthandSecurityAssessment

The Assess and Repair service encompasses a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally according to Cisco best practices The assessment also verifies security configurations against 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC and 80 rules for security best practices from the US National SecurityAgencyDependingonthecustomerrsquosrequirementspartnersmay offer a basic network health assessment andor security assessment

The Assess and Prepare services are a pre-purchase assessment to determinethenetworkrsquosreadinesstoaddadvancedtechnologiessuchas voice over IP (VoIP)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 34: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

32This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Is device-level network monitoring supported by Cisco Smart Care

A Yes Smart Call Home-enabled and registered devices perform proactive diagnostics and deliver proactive alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected Partners can log into the Smart Call Home Portal to review diagnostic messages recommendations and inventory information to identify and resolve issues faster and deliver a superior support experience to customers

Q Is the customerrsquos client access information secure

A Yes To enable partners to run the Cisco Smart Care discovery and other services your customer must provide client access information This information is encrypted and then passed over HTTPS to the softwareorhardwareapplianceclientonthecustomerrsquosnetworkThe client is the only place that device access information is stored

Q How often are assessments done

A The frequency of ongoing health and security assessments is determined by you and your customer after a discussion of your customerrsquosneeds

Q If the Assess and Repair assessment report reveals potential problems how can these be resolved

A When the assessment is finished the report will show any supported devices that have issues Partners can view details about these issues as well as a list of recommended repairs You can fix many Cisco IOS Software configuration issues by selecting the ldquofix these vulnerabilitiesrdquo option on the report in the web portal and then review the results of these actions

Q Can fixes be backed out

A A backup version of the previous configuration is maintained during the active session if necessary you can revert to the original configuration during that session However after the session is ended you cannot restore the original configuration

bull Accesscontroltohelpensurethatunauthorizeduserscannotgaincontrol of the network devices

bull Securityofremotenetworkmanagementservicesoperatingoverthe Internet or other untrusted networks

bull Loggingofnetworkandsecurityevents

bull SecureIProuting

bull Unnecessaryservicesthatmightberunningonnetworkdevicesthat could be exploited by attackers

If a security assessment reveals that the network is not configured optimally partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely This enables partners to help their customers proactively address potential security flaws before they cause damage

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service help me assess whether my customerrsquos network is highly available

A Partners have access to assessment tools that allow them to conduct a thorough evaluation of every Cisco router switch and other device in the network to help ensure that all device ports and routing protocols are configured optimally and that all devices are available The availability dashboard provides a percentage of aggregated uptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime If availability issues exist partners can alert their customer to the problem and remediate it often remotely

Q What discovery information is available through Cisco Smart Care Service

A After the discovery service is run the report shows all the network devicesdiscoveredonthecustomerrsquosnetworkincludingthird-partydevices The IP address type of device and configuration details are shown Partners can also enter the location of each device to speed parts replacement in the future if needed

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 35: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

33This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

The hardware client is software that is preinstalled on a Linux machine and delivered to you to install at the customer site after there is a contractAfteritisplacedonthecustomerrsquosnetworkitisreadyforthe registration process

Q Do Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades as well as major upgrades

A Smart Care contracts provide minor upgrades only (eg from 61 to 69) To obtain major upgrades (for example from 61 to 75) the partner will have to buy a different type of contract such as Software Application Upgrade (SAU)

Q Can Cisco or partners see the data that passes a customerrsquos network

A No Neither you nor Cisco can see the information that is passing over thecustomerrsquosnetworkYouandCiscocanseeinformationaboutwhatdevices are on the network and their health security and availability The network hardware appliance is the only place this data is retained and all sensitive data such as device access passwords are stored on the hardware appliance not at Cisco

Q How does the information collected by the network hardware appliance flow to Cisco and partners

A The network hardware appliance collects data on a scheduled basis about all the supported devices in the network and securely communicates that information to Cisco Then Cisco uses its extensive knowledge base to analyze the data Cisco proactively notifies you about any identified risks or issues and in many cases provides a specific fix as well as the ability to remotely apply that fix to a device in the customer network

Q What information does the customer receive

A Customers have access to a snapshot of the overall health availability and security of all the devices in the network through an easy-to-use service dashboard The portal also provides alerts about any identified issues as well as reports and analyses of network health and availability trends

Q Does the Cisco Smart Care Service provide any means to make manual remote repairs outside of preconfigured Assess and Repair services

A Cisco Smart Care Service includes a failsafe feature that supports manual interaction with and remote repair of network devices using Telnet or SSH

Network Appliance (Hardware or Software Client)

Q What is the Cisco Smart Care network appliance

A The Cisco Smart Care network appliance is a hardware-based or software-based virtual appliance that resides on the customer network to enable the proactive services capabilities of the Cisco Smart Care ServiceTheappliancecollectsaninventoryofthecustomerrsquosCiscodevices continuously collecting data about the health of the network Through this appliance you can conduct periodic network health and security assessments expedite fixes remotely and perform readiness assessmentstogaugethenetworkrsquosabilitytosupportnewtechnologiessuch as advanced security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications IP voice systems

Q Are the software client and the hardware-based network appliance available as a package for customers wanting to cover both

A A single network will require either a software-based or a hardware- based network appliance There will be only one appliance running on a single network as a result there is no need to package hardware and software together

Q What is the difference between the software client and the hardware client or appliance

A The software client is a Windows-based application that must be downloaded and installed on a standard Windows XP device such as a laptop or a Windows 2003 server It is designed to be primarily a presales tool In addition to installation users must go through the registration process

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 36: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

34This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What is the difference between assigning the client and enabling the client

A Assigning the client is the first step and maps a specific client to a specific customer Enabling that client allows it to start performing services for that customer

Q When I installed the software client I entered my customerrsquos information but it does not seem to be working Is there something else I need to do to configure the software client for my customerrsquos network

A You need to help ensure that the software client has been assigned tothecustomerrsquosnetworkYoumustlogintotheSmartCareportalandthen navigate to the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquo menu option in the left navigation window Here you will be able to create a site for the given customer

Q When installing the software client does ldquoclient namerdquo refer to my customer or does it refer to the software client What can or cannot go into each of these fields including character or space limitations

A ldquoClient namerdquo just refers to the Ciscocom ID of the customer It is not a required field

Q Can I have a software client assigned to more than one customer

A You may have only one client per customer and only one customer per client If a client has multiple sites the remote networks must be reachable from a single client When doing a discovery make sure that the range of the network includes remote sites

Q What information does the hardware appliance monitor in the customer network

A The hardware appliance continually monitors every device in the network to provide

bull InventoryandconfigurationincludingtypeofdeviceIPaddressserial number and detailed configuration information

bull Availabilityofeachdeviceincludingapercentageofaggregateduptime and downtime as well as information about the devices that are the top contributors to downtime

bull Thestatusofsecuritydevicesonthenetwork

bull ThestatusofCiscoVoIPsolutionsonthenetwork

bull Basicstabilityandperformanceofcorenetworkdevices

Q What impact will the hardware appliance have on the network performance

A The hardware appliance monitoring should have minimal impact on network performance Customers and partners can determine the schedule and frequency of ongoing monitoring as well as network health and security assessments

Software Client

Q What are the system requirements for installing the software client

A Any contemporary PC that is capable of running Windows XP and Windows 7 and has at least 1 GB of free disk space should be sufficient

Q Do I have to add customer opportunities before I can download and install the software client

A The software client may be downloaded and installed at any time However a customer must be registered within the Smart Care portal before the software client may be run against the network

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 37: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

35This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Who owns the hardware appliance after it is installed at the customer site

A Cisco actually owns the hardware device however the partner is responsibleforitsincetheyinstallitontheendcustomerrsquosnetwork

Q Where do I place the hardware appliance in my customerrsquos network

A The hardware appliance should be placed somewhere in the customer network where it can access (via ping SNMP Telnet HTTP HTTPS and so on) all the devices in the network As for physical location a rack mount is provided so it can be rack-mounted with the other Cisco equipment

Q What is the link that forms between the hardware appliance and Cisco

A The link between the hardware appliance and Cisco is a secure HTTPS connection

Q After I have installed and enabled the software client for one customer site can it be reconfigured to use on another customer site How do I do this

A Yes The software client can be reconfigured to be used on another customer site You can accomplish this by logging into the Smart Care portal Under the Administration mdashgt Assessment Appliances menu option aclientmaybeunassignedfromonecustomerrsquossiteandassignedtothesecondcustomerrsquossite

Hardware Appliance

Q How do I order the hardware appliance or the virtual appliance

A After a contract has been ordered and created for your customer you will have the option under the ldquoAdministration -gt Assessment Appliancesrdquomenutoorderahardwareapplianceforyourcustomerrsquossite Within this ordering process you will select the shipping address and the type of power cord You will receive an order acknowledgment and shipment notifications as the order is processed

Q What are the system requirements for installing the hardware appliance

A This is not applicable The hardware appliance is provided by Cisco You are not allowed to install the software on a different machine

Q Where can I have the hardware appliance shipped

A ThehardwareappliancemaybeshippedtoanyofyourcustomerrsquosaddresslocationsthathavebeenenteredunderthecustomerrsquosSmartCare profile or to the registered partner address

Q Who can install the hardware appliance

A Any of your users who have administrative privileges can install the hardware appliance

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 38: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

36This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q How does the hardware appliance integrate with third-party network management systems (NMS)

A Smart Care notifications can be configured to email alerts to NMS applications that have the capability

Customer Network

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom should the customer contact

A The customer calls you and you do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and level 1 service requests If you are unabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyouaretheentitledpartyandwillopen a service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q Can my customers call Cisco directly for technical support if I am unable to answer their questions

A No You are the entitled party and the only party authorized to contact Cisco for technical support

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support if you need Cisco TAC support you can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC support am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer me support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week to the partner

Q How much bandwidth is Smart Care using when it is not running a service

A Traffic between client and server will be minimal for an average-sized network and under normal operating conditions Below are typical figures for client polling the server

Duration of 20 minutes with no major activity

Average number of packets per second 1414

Average packet size 204 bytes

Total number of bytes 347403

Average number of bytes per second 289

Average number of megabits per second 0002

Note Minimum bandwidth used is 289 bytessec (~03 Kbytessec)

The following are the figures for running discovery and inventory for a medium network with a one subnet having more than 130 discovered devices and more than 70 inventoried devices

Duration of 28 minutes with a discovery and inventory service running

Average number of packets per second 4109

Average packet size 346 bytes

Total number of bytes 2392075

Average number of bytes per second 1422944

Average number of megabits per second 0011

Note Approximate maximum bandwidth used is 1500 bytessec (~15 KBsec)

Recommended bandwidth required along with other commercial traffic is 256 Kbps

Q What about redundancy for the hardware appliance

A The hardware appliance has a backup capability so that should it fail you can restore the information and appliance to its previous state See the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide for more information Also partners should back up hardware appliances manually from time to time

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 39: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

37This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

hostname duplicate IP address devices running an interim release image) slot IDs card types card families firmware versions and other network and inventory information as deemed appropriate by Cisco

Q What information is stored on the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) and does not go to Cisco

A Information such as logins passwords and configuration files is stored only on the network appliance or network client and is not transmitted to Cisco

Q How do I cover the modules in a chassis

A You do not have to cover child parts If the chassis is covered then all the child parts will be covered and with the same service level

Q How do I discover the modules in a chassis

A Modules cannot be discovered if they do not have IPs However you can discover the chassis If you click on the IP of the chassis in device inventory you should see all its modules

Note this applies only if the device has been automatically discovered not by a manual add

Q How do I get confirmation on what I am sending to Cisco

A You do not receive confirmations from Smart Care However if you wouldliketoseewhatrsquosgoingonyoucanlogintothenetworkhardwareappliance and enable traces (gt trace enable) and then run an inventory You will be able to see in the traces what commands are being run and what variables are being sent to Cisco Go into gt trace view and then select the day and device you would like to see Within the trace you can see the commands run and then at the end which variables are being filled Be aware that turning on a trace consumes some overhead and can affect performance

Q How does Cisco Unified Communication Manager work in Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Unified Communication Manager is software and is not counted as a device in Cisco Smart Care However the MCS server used to deploy Cisco Unified Communication Manager is counted as one device (A non-MCS server or third-party service is not counted)

Q Because Cisco Unified Communication Manager is based on a number of servers some of them for backup how is the device counted in pricing

A MCS servers and backup servers are counted as devices so that if a problem occurs with primary or secondary servers they are covered under the network-level coverage

Q How is the Unified Communications Software Subscription (UCSS) service purchased by partners and customers through Cisco Smart Care

A Cisco Certified Partners and our mutual customers may purchase UCSS and combine it with their Cisco Smart Care contract through a process that is similar to how they purchase UCSS with ESW contracts today For more information read the UCSS section in the Cisco Smart Care rules and policy document (wwwciscocomwebpartnersservicesprogramssmartcaredownloadsscs_partner_bus_policiespdf)

Data

Q What data is gathered over the network by Smart Care

A The customer network information that is collected stored and analyzed in connection with the network appliance (hardware) or network client (software) includes the following configurations (including running configurations and startup configurations) product identification numbers serial numbers hostnames equipment locations IP addresses system contacts equipment models feature sets software versions hardware versions installed memory installed flash boot versions chassis series exceptions to such information (for example duplicate

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 40: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

38This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Why doesnrsquot anything happen when I click a button or why donrsquot I see a button For example when assigning a device to a customer I click and nothing happens or when unassigning the hardware appliance there is a Close button instead of OK and Cancel buttons

A Internet Explorer 6 is the only browser currently supported and recommended For the application to work turn off pop-up blockers including any Yahoo or Google toolbars

Q Why are services grayed out for customers

A The network hardware appliance must be assigned and enabled and a valid contract must be in place for services to be available

Q I do not see the Administrator menu in the left navigation pane which is used to add customers request tokens or assign clients How can I authorize other users in my organization (such as a network engineer) to access the Administrator menu

The partner administrator is the person who originally registered for Smart Care So the partner administrator is the individual who will see the Administrator menu If another individual in the organization needs access to the Administrator menu that individual will need to register as well Unfortunately a partner user cannot be deleted permanently unless a request that the user be deleted is submitted through support

Q Whatrsquos the user IDpassword for the network hardware appliance What is the enable password

A The default user ID cisco

Enable password admin

You can (and should) change this access information

Application

Q Are device serial numbers visible from the portal

A Serial numbers are listed in the inventory report The serial number is derived from the electronic information we can get from the device This derived serial number typically matches the serial number that is physically on the device Older models such as the Cisco 2500 and Cisco 2600 have a different electronic serial number from what is physically on the device

Q How do I fix an hardware appliance boot failure when the console is connected to a Telnet port that is not active It fails with a prompt grubgt

A You will need to either power-cycle the hardware appliance while connected to the terminal server line or unplug the serial cable power-cycle wait for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable Alternatively use a PC for the console session

Q Why does hardware registration fail

A Use a static IP assigned using the conf ip command Reboot using the reload command When you use the register command make sure the Ciscocom ID is set up as partner administrator or partner user at the partner portal Also no spaces are allowed in the client name or in site name The Website toolsciscocom must be reachable using port 443 (normal HTTPS port) from the hardware appliance

Q Do I have to add a customer before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client specify thecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)anditwillautomatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 41: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

39This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q While updating the hardware appliance sometimes I get an error stating that the partner does not have access to encrypted SW What should I do

A Simply go to the URL provided by the error message and accept the terms of use there then try the update command again

Q Why do I get an error message saying ldquocannot update client tablesrdquo registration files

A This is a known issue You will need to assign a static IP and reboot the hardware appliance

Q How do I assign and enable a client

A After a client is successfully registered it appears under ldquoAdministratorrdquo in the partner dashboard Add a site to the customer by clicking the Add Site button choosing the customer and entering a site name like city name or location Then click the AssignUnassign button to assign the client to the customer When you are finished the status of the client is shown as Assigned At the far right click View and choose Enable and click Save

Q What should I do when the network hardware appliance status displays ldquoAppliance Status Operation queued in server for remote client processingrdquo and then it just stays in that state and does not complete Eventually partners get a ldquoTimeout Client Failed to respondrdquo message

A Make sure you can ping the devices To do this check the network to determine if the device is reachable by CLI (TelnetSSH) or HTTP HTTPS (in case of the application) If the device is reachable then escalate this problem to support (the partner or Cisco)

Q Whatrsquos the difference between customer site and location

A Site is where the network hardware appliance is installed Locations are addresses where the devices are located In the device inventory the locations can be viewed and updated

Q Do I need customer login information before installing at the customer site

A Before installation it is recommended but not required that you have the customer login

Q Should I add customer information in the dashboard before installing the client

A Adding a customer with a unique login name is recommended but is optional When registering the software or the hardware client you can specifythecustomerloginname(sameascustomerrsquosCiscocomID)and it will automatically associate the customer with the client and add the site This avoids a few extra steps The customer Login Name field in the partner dashboard is matched against the customer login name entered in the network hardware appliance or network client during registration If an exact match is found the client is assigned and a site is created for the customer

Q What is the correct response to ldquoClient reinstallation failed error messagemdash1628 Failed to complete installation on Windows when installing software client (CNAC)rdquo

A This is a bug with Install Shield The solution is

1 Go into Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and kill any msiexecexe processes

2 Clean the Windows temp directories (for example cWindowsTemp)

3 Reboot

4 Restart the installation

Q Can I register the hardware appliance in their lab and move the appliance to the customer network

A Yes However the hardware client needs a new IP address based on the customer network (conf ip command) and a reboot (reload command)

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 42: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

40This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Specifically soft-deleted information includes customer information (name address contact details) customer contract information (contract number type status effective dates) customer user information products and pricing information for customer quotes network name

IP address subnet mask default gateway serial number model name series name hardware version manufacturer firmware version software version assembly number and assembly revision

Specifically hard-deleted information includes device-specific information and username and encrypted password to log into the device (these never leave the customer network)

The following customer information is accessible in other systems even after soft deleting the customer in Smart Care customer quotes and contract details in Contract Database customer information in Cisco CA Address Services (CAAS) and customer information in ERP (ordering tool)

Q How often does the hardware applianceclient ping Cisco

A The hardware applianceclient pings Cisco every 10 seconds when there is activity and every 30 seconds when there is no activity

Q What are the duties of the partner administrators in comparison to the partner users

A The difference between the two is that the partner user can do the same as the partner administrator except the administrator can also control partner access and change partner details

Q Are there different user privileges for the client network

A There are different partner users The partner administrator has full privileges within the Cisco Smart Care control panel and the user who has limited abilities does not see the administration links

Q How and where are passwords stored

A The username and passwords that you provide are stored in the network hardware appliance and are encrypted in 32-bit custom

Q What do the services do in the network

A To understand this information go to the partner portal or Smart Care Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcare accelerate) Review the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide

Q How do I delete my customer information from Cisco

A See the section ldquoCustomer Administration gt Users gt Deleting Usersrdquo in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the partner portal or Acceleration Website (wwwciscocompartnerservicessmartcareaccelerate)

In short to erase customer network data on the hardware appliance and in the portal use the unregister command on the network appliance The unregister command removes the association between the network appliance and the user Then manually delete the customer from Smart Care

Q What happens when I delete a customer from the Cisco Smart Care control panel

A When you delete a customer sensitive information such as username password community string and so on is deleted from the Cisco Smart Care client After a customer is deleted the customer data is no longer accessible to any user (partner as well as Smart Care administrator) from the Smart Care Service control panel The customer data is soft deleted (not hard deleted)

Soft delete means the data is not physically deleted but certain attributes are changed (for example the status is changed to inactive) so that the data will not be available to users (including the Smart Care administrator) from the application Authorized users such as database administrators can access the data in the database

Hard delete means the data is physically deletedpurged and will not be accessible to anyone including database administrators

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 43: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

41This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q What version of Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used

A Smart Care uses TLSSecure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 3

IPS Signature Update

Q How can I install or enable the Cisco IOS Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

A For IPS sensor devices and modules the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_logging_inhtml

For the Cisco IOS IPS the information is at wwwciscocomenUSpartnerprodcollateraliosswrelps6537ps6586ps6634prod_white_paper0900aecd805c4ea8html

Q Why should I upgrade to the latest IPS version

A When end of sale is announced for a Cisco IPS software version the replacement software is usually specified in the announcement Maintaining a current active software version on the IPS sensor is a requirement for IPS signature update continuation and essential for keepingthecustomerrsquosnetworkprotectedagainstvulnerabilities

To obtain Cisco IPS software updates visit the Cisco Software Center at httptoolsciscocomsupportdownloadsgoRedirectxmdfid=268438162 and select Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (Login required)

Q How do I obtain and install an IPS license

A Although the sensor functions without the license key you must have a license key to obtain signature updates and use specific IPS features To obtain a license key you must have the following

bull CiscoServicesforIPSservicecontractContactyourresellerCisco Services or product sales to purchase a contract

bull YourIPSdeviceserialnumber

encryption The username passwords and SNMP community strings are stored only in the hardware appliance database and are also encrypted This information is not stored in Cisco (that is the Smart Care server) and will be used to run services that you initiate

Q What are the services provided in Security Assess and Repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q Whatrsquos the difference between Assess and Repair and Assess and Prepare for Voice

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What are some of the services provided in voice assess and repair

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What happens in the syslog service What prerequisites are needed

A Review the details in the Cisco Smart Care Service Partner User Guide in the section ldquoOperating the Cisco Smart Care Application gt Customer Relations gt Smart Care Servicesrdquo

Q What is the availability service and when will the device have less than 100 percent availability

A The availability service is calculated from uptime If the device has never failed from initial installation the availability will be 100 percent

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 44: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

42This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Can I obtain signature updates without a Cisco Services for IPS contract

A No Signature updates are available only to customers with a Cisco Services for IPS service contract Each IPS solution must be under contract in addition to the Smart Care contract

Q Why should IPS signatures be kept up to date

A Cisco IPS signatures are used to identify and block attacks against specific vulnerabilities or certain types of threats Because new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered the signature database needs to be constantly updated to make sure that the protection provided by the IPS stays current

With network security threat levels escalating in severity the scope of damage has grown from individual computers and networks to regional networks and even global infrastructures Vulnerabilities can be exploited within hours Without constant updates the IPS solution cannot provide protection against new threats and attacks The results of undetected uncontained security breaches are well known including expensive repair and restoration lost revenue compromise and loss of vital data disruptionofbusinessanddamagetoyourcompanyrsquosreputation

Q How do I upgrade IPS software on IPS sensors AIM-IPS or AIP-SSM modules

A If you have a relevant IPS contract separate from Smart Care signature file updates can be installed manually or downloaded and installed automatically using native Cisco IPS capabilities or management tools such as Cisco Security Manager Refer to the following links for more information about the proper steps for the upgrade

For sensors running version 6x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips60configurationguideclicliImagehtmlwp1243115

For sensors running version 7x visit wwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70configurationguideclicli_system_imageshtmlwp1142504

To find the IPS device serial number in Cisco IPS Device Manager (IDM) choose Configuration gt Sensor Management gt Licensing For Cisco IPS Manager Express (IME) choose Configuration gt sensor_name gt Sensor Management gt Licensing or in the CLI use the show version command

A valid Ciscocom username and password are required

Trial license keys are also available If you cannot get your sensor licensed because of problems with your contract you can obtain a 60-day trial license that supports signature updates that require licensing

You can obtain a license key from the Ciscocom licensing server which is then delivered to the sensor Or you can update the license key from a license key provided in a local file To apply for a license key go to wwwciscocomgolicense and click IPS Signature Subscription

You can view the status of the license key from the following places

bull IDMHomewindowLicensingsectionontheHealthtab

bull IDMLicensingpane(Configuration gt Licensing)

bull IMEHomepageintheDeviceDetailssectionontheLicensingtab

bull LicenseNoticeatCLIlogin

Whenever you start IDM IME or the CLI you are informed of your license statusmdashwhether you have a trial invalid or expired license key With no license key an invalid license key or an expired license key you can continue to use IDM IME and the CLI but you cannot download signature updates

If you already have a valid license on the sensor you can click Download on the License pane to download a copy of your license key to the computer on which IDM or IME is running and save it to a local file You can then replace a lost or corrupted license or reinstall your license after you have reimaged the sensor

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 45: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

43This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

into the dashboard plus more detailed information about identified issues and recommended fixes This approach provides customers with the high-level network status they want and you with the detailed information you need to understand and remediate issues

Q Why donrsquot the customer reports contain the same information as the partner reports

A The target customer for Cisco Smart Care Service typically has a limited IT staff and wants to rely on a trusted adviser to resolve network issues and protect their network investment This type of customer wants access to high-level reports about the health availability and security of their network without being overwhelmed by the details

Technical Assistance

Q If the customer discovers a network problem whom do they contact

A The customer must contact their Cisco partner as that partner you will do the initial troubleshooting You are responsible for resolving level 0 and1servicerequestsIfyouareunabletoresolvethecustomerrsquosissueyou need to open a service request with the Cisco TAC

Q Who opens the service request

A The partner is the entitled party and opens the service request with the Cisco TAC on behalf of the customer

Q What support does Cisco provide

A Cisco takes calls from partners for first level and above to support you when you cannot resolve an issue by yourself

Q What is the definition for service request levels 0 through 3

A Definition of service request levels

For IPS modules you can use the ldquoshow versionrdquo or ldquoservice-module ids-sensor slotport statusrdquo command from the router CLI to determine which IPS version the module is running

Q How do I upgrade an IPS based on Cisco IOS Software

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocsiossec_data_planeconfigurationguidesec_cfg_ips_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapterhtmlwp1110687

Q How do I configure auto-upgrade

A This information is located at httpwwwciscocomenUSdocssecurityips70releasenotes20115_01htmlwp1063971

Dashboard Reports

Q How do I make my logo appear on my customerrsquos dashboard How can I brand my Smart Care portal

A Go to the Administration page and select Profile Configuration That dashboard has a partner branding section

Q How can the results of the assessments be accessed

A A Web portal gives you and your customer visibility into the ongoing healthavailabilityandsecurityofallthedevicesinyourcustomerrsquosnetwork as well as analyses of network health availability trends and alerts about any identified issues You receive detailed reports and fixes as well as high-level status reports The customer only receives high-level dashboard views however you can make the detailed assessment report available to your customer

Q What information is available to customers To partners

A The customer receives only high-level dashboard visibility into the health availability and security of their network while you have visibility

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 46: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

44This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

bull Determineproductdefects

bull Defineanactionplanfortroubleshootingresolution

bull Useexternalanalyzingtoolswhenappropriate

bull Provideanalysisoftracesanddiagnosticdatawhenappropriate

bull Determinebestinteroperabilityandcompatibilityfornewsoftwareand hardware releases prior to being deployed into production network

bull Performlabsimulationandproblemduplication

bull Performlabtestingbeforedeploymentofpossiblefix

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugs(wherepresent or alternate functionalities allow it) and troubleshooting bugs that were not diagnosed or resolved during level 1 support

bull Providecontactwithcompletestepstoreproduceaprobleminevent of escalation to level 3 support

Level 3 Expert

bull ResolveproblemsreportedtotheCiscoTACforthefirsttimeforwhich no documentation exists relating to the problem on Ciscocom or any other format

bull Resolveproblemsassociatedwithpreviouslyunidentifiedbugsthathave not yet been published on Ciscocom

bull Generateworkaroundsforhardwareandsoftwarebugsandtroubleshoot bugs that require a specialized expertise level beyond level 1 or level 2 support

bull Reproduceissueswithcomplexlabsimulations

bull Provideorinterfacewithproductandorsoftwaredevelopmentengineering support for resolution of product defects

bull Identifyinteroperabilityissuesthatmightbecausedbythird-partysoftwarehardware

Level 0 Procedural

bull Loganend-customercallandassignittothecorrectresourceor technology team noting symptoms affected hardware and software version

bull Verifysupportentitlementandservicelevel

bull Provideinitialproblemcategorization

bull Answergeneralquestionsusingpre-scriptedtext

bull Providereferencesdirectingcustomerstoavailabletoolsordocumentation on Ciscocom

Level 1 Basic

bull Providegeneralproductinformation(presalesandpostsales)

bull Providehardwareandsoftwareconfigurationinstallationandfeature set upgrade support for mature products

bull Resolveobvioushardwareproblems

bull ResolveknownproblemsthroughdocumentationavailableonCiscocom or other local resources

bull Providebasicinternetworkingtroubleshootingexpertise

bull Providebasicsupportonthestandardsoftwareprotocolsand features

bull Collectcapturednetworktracesanddiagnosticdata

bull Provideregularproblemresolutionstatusreportstotheenduser

bull Filternontechnicalproblemsfromtechnicalproblems

bull Performbaseproblemdeterminationandcollectrelevanttechnical information

Level 2 Advanced

bull Resolvethemajorityofcomplexconfigurationproblemsbytroubleshooting and problem simulation (for example re-creates)

bull Resolvemostsoftwareorhardwareproblems

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 47: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

45This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

coverage (Note The 4-hour option does not include onsite service) If customers with an existing 2-hour contract purchase Cisco Smart Care Service their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored forthedurationofthatcontractAseachdevicersquoscontractexpiresitwill automatically be migrated to the Cisco Smart Care Service and the pricing adjusted when applicable Therefore a customer that has a current 2-hour Cisco SMARTnet contract will still be able to get that hardware replacement level until their current Cisco SMARTnet contract expires

Q With base-level NBD coverage are parts always delivered the next day

A Replacements will be delivered the next business day in locations where that service is available In remote or less accessible locations delivery will be made on a best-effort basis

Q Who is responsible for returning defective parts that have been replaced

A The customer is responsible for returning the defective part to Cisco after the replacement has been received

Q How do I get in touch with the Cisco TAC for backup support with customer issues

A After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you might need additional Cisco TAC support The best way to contact the Cisco TAC is by phone or web You can find worldwide contact information for the Cisco TAC at wwwciscocomenussupporttsd_cisco_worldwide_contactshtml

After you complete level 0 and level 1 support you need Cisco TAC support You can contact the Cisco TAC by phone or web using the normal process

Q What type of Cisco TAC am I entitled to as a Cisco Smart Care Service provider

A Level2+support

Q What hours is the Cisco TAC available to offer support

A The Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day seven days a week

Advance Replacement

Q What happens if Cisco hardware needs to be replaced

A You open a service request with the Cisco TAC After the need for a Cisco replacement part has been confirmed the Cisco TAC will send the replacement part directly to the customer using next-business-day delivery The replacement part can be installed by either the customer or you depending on your individualized service agreement

Q What options does a customer have for hardware replacement (example NBD 4-hour 2-hour) How will customers with current 2-hour contracts be supported until their existing contracts expire

A The base-level Cisco Smart Care Service contract provides NBD hardware replacement Partners also have the flexibility however to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour hardware replacement

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 48: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

46This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Comparison to Other Services

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to Cisco SMARTnet Service

A With a partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service customers receive network-wide proactive network health checkups remote monitoring diagnostics software repairs and technical support customized by and delivered through their local Cisco Certified Partner

With Cisco SMARTnet Service customers have direct anytime access to Cisco engineers and award-winning Cisco service tools for technical support flexible device-level coverage and various hardware replacement service level options but do not receive any dashboard visibility into the health and security of their network nor do they have a partner doing remote monitoring as part of their overall service

Collaborative Services

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service fit into Ciscorsquos collaborative services

A CiscoSmartCareServiceispartofCiscorsquosfamilyofCollaborativeServices which combine the strength of Cisco and our certified partners to deliver a superior service experience

Shared Support

Q How does Cisco Smart Care Service compare to the Shared Support program

A Cisco Smart Care Service differs from Shared Support in five key ways

1 A plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service which is part of the Collaborative Services family is delivered jointly by the partner and Cisco as part of a customized solution developed by the

partner for each customer Unlike in the Shared Support Program in the Collaborative Services model Cisco shares accountability for service delivery

2 The Smart Care Service offered to the customer is co-branded and combines the complementary service strengths of Cisco and the partner into one cohesive service that best addresses customer needs With Cisco playing a greater risk-sharing role in service delivery customers gain greater assurance from Cisco for their investments in Cisco technology

3 The Smart Care Service provides the network-level intelligence and tools that a customer needs to proactively plan build and run their networks to receive optimal performance This includes readiness assessments and recommendations for adding advanced technologies to their networks analysis status and recommendations on all individual network devices and other services

4 Partners can differentiate their companies by using the Smart Care Service proactive services platform to develop personalized services for small and medium-sized businesses as well as midmarket customers

5 The Smart Care services platform tools help partners more cost- effectively deliver technical support Plus partners can access the Cisco TAC for help with level 2 or higher calls

Q How can a partner make more profit with Cisco Smart Care Service than through services offered as part of the Shared Support program

A The Cisco family of Collaborative Services provides opportunities for partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability by taking advantageofCiscorsquosinvestmentsinservicecapabilitiesandintellectualcapital And since Cisco Smart Care Service is not sold directly to customers by Cisco it provides partners with the opportunity to bring differentiated and higher-value service offerings to market

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 49: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

47This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Remote Management Service

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and the Remote Management Service

A The differences between Cisco Smart Care Service and Remote Management Services are listed in the table below

Table 2 Cisco Smart Care Service Compared to Remote Management Service

WhatCisco

Smart Care Service Remote Management Service

Where hosted NOC hosted by Cisco NOC hosted by Cisco

Number of network users and devices

50 to 1000 users up to 200 devices

More than 500 users or devices

Key differentiator (affects service-level agreement)

Failure events reported upon scheduled scan (as frequently as every 5 minutes)

Cisco delivered full remote management service (monitoring plus incident problem change release configuration management and reporting)

Network devices monitored

Routers switches firewalls gateways security Unified Communication Manager

Cisco Unified Communication Manager Cisco Unityreg Cisco Unified Contact Center Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express products routers switches gateways security

Delivery model Collaborative Service delivered as an ASP model

Service delivered as a managed service

Purchaser Partner Partner or customer

Maintenance model Yes Includes advance hardware replacement and technical support for all Cisco hardware and software on a customerrsquosnetwork

No Cisco SMARTnet is required on Cisco devices before you can add this service

Q Which partners would likely offer Cisco Smart Care Service

A Partners whose principals have primarily a sales focus and are inclined to use a Cisco Services platform rather than create and host their own NOC and partners that would like to use a Cisco Services platform (NOC hosted by Cisco) even though they use their own 24x7 NOC

Q Which partners would likely offer resale remote management service

A Partners with a systems-integration focus that are inclined to expand their portfolio without developing and hosting their own managed service for Cisco products and a desire to offer a real-time monitoring and management service with SLAs requiring incident monitoring incident management problem management changerelease management configuration management and reporting

Q Why would customers choose one service over the others

A Customers might base their decision on the importance of their networktotheirbusinesscontinuityandtheircompanyrsquosdegreeofITself-sufficiency They will also need to take into consideration the number of users the service can support The partner will ultimately make the decision based on their business model resource allocation and desired delivery of technical remote services

Relation to Other Cisco Partner Programs

Q Does the ldquoStrengthen Your Corerdquo program apply to Cisco Smart Care

A No Strengthen Your Core is an incentive program for US partners and targets very specific network discovery activities and tools This program is well suited for partners who are looking to execute a customer network discovery

Smart Care however is an integrated services platform and infrastructure that provides the ability for partners to build and enhance their services practicesandofferuniqueservicesbasedontheircustomersrsquoneedsSmart Care offers many benefits such as discovery and inventory proactive monitoring the ability to remotely perform security and voice assessment and repair auto attach and renewal capabilities simplified contract management and much more In addition there is currently an introductory promotion for Smart Care called Quick Start For additional details visit wwwciscocom partnerservicessmartcarequickstart

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 50: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Cisco Smart Care Service Partner QampA

48This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates

Q Does the Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) include Smart Care

A Cisco OIP provides deal protection and financial incentives to partners when a new sales opportunity is registered in the program However OIP does not apply to Smart Care opportunities as the Smart Care Service program does not include any discounts or rebates

If a partner you are working with encounters a customer for whom a separate deal has been registered for OIP there is no direct conflict to sell the Smart Care Service The Smart Care sale would be considered a service-only deal and considered a different opportunity altogether

Managed Services

Q What is the difference between Cisco Smart Care Service and a fully managed service

A A partner plan based on Cisco Smart Care Service can include spare parts technical support network monitoring proactive notifications and network health and security checks Although it provides some basic monitoring it is not a network management product or service It is designed to enable Cisco partners to provide a personalized proactive service to their commercial customers

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off
Page 51: Partner Q&A - WordPress.com…2 Cisco Smart Care Service: Partner Q&A This document is Cisco Confidential. For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution. ©2011 Cisco and/or its

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems IncSan Jose CA

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte LtdSingapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide Addresses phone numbers and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at wwwciscocomgooffices

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco andor its affiliates in the US and other countries To view a list of Cisco trademarks go to this URL wwwciscocomgotrademarks Third party trademarks mentioned 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 (1110R)

C67-446444-06 1211

copy2011 Cisco andor its affiliates This document is Cisco Confidential For Channel Partner use only Not for distribution

  1. About Cisco
    1. Page 3 Off
    2. Page 4
    3. Page 5
    4. Page 6
    5. Page 7
    6. Page 8
    7. Page 9
      1. Features
        1. Page 3 Off
        2. Page 4
        3. Page 5
        4. Page 6
        5. Page 7
        6. Page 8
        7. Page 9
          1. Comparison
            1. Page 3 Off
            2. Page 4
            3. Page 5
            4. Page 6
            5. Page 7
            6. Page 8
            7. Page 9
              1. TOC Button
                1. Page 3 Off
                2. Page 4
                3. Page 5
                4. Page 6
                5. Page 7
                6. Page 8
                7. Page 9
                  1. Partners
                    1. Page 3 Off
                    2. Page 4
                    3. Page 5
                    4. Page 6
                    5. Page 7
                    6. Page 8
                    7. Page 9
                      1. TOC Button 2
                        1. Page 10 Off
                        2. Page 11
                        3. Page 12
                        4. Page 13
                        5. Page 14
                        6. Page 15
                        7. Page 16
                        8. Page 17
                        9. Page 18
                        10. Page 19
                        11. Page 20
                        12. Page 21
                        13. Page 22
                        14. Page 23
                        15. Page 24
                        16. Page 25
                          1. About Cisco 2
                            1. Page 10 Off
                            2. Page 11
                            3. Page 12
                            4. Page 13
                            5. Page 14
                            6. Page 15
                            7. Page 16
                            8. Page 17
                            9. Page 18
                            10. Page 19
                            11. Page 20
                            12. Page 21
                            13. Page 22
                            14. Page 23
                            15. Page 24
                            16. Page 25
                              1. Features 2
                                1. Page 10 Off
                                2. Page 11
                                3. Page 12
                                4. Page 13
                                5. Page 14
                                6. Page 15
                                7. Page 16
                                8. Page 17
                                9. Page 18
                                10. Page 19
                                11. Page 20
                                12. Page 21
                                13. Page 22
                                14. Page 23
                                15. Page 24
                                16. Page 25
                                  1. Comparison 2
                                    1. Page 10 Off
                                    2. Page 11
                                    3. Page 12
                                    4. Page 13
                                    5. Page 14
                                    6. Page 15
                                    7. Page 16
                                    8. Page 17
                                    9. Page 18
                                    10. Page 19
                                    11. Page 20
                                    12. Page 21
                                    13. Page 22
                                    14. Page 23
                                    15. Page 24
                                    16. Page 25
                                      1. Partners 2
                                        1. Page 10 Off
                                        2. Page 11
                                        3. Page 12
                                        4. Page 13
                                        5. Page 14
                                        6. Page 15
                                        7. Page 16
                                        8. Page 17
                                        9. Page 18
                                        10. Page 19
                                        11. Page 20
                                        12. Page 21
                                        13. Page 22
                                        14. Page 23
                                        15. Page 24
                                        16. Page 25
                                          1. TOC Button 3
                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                            2. Page 27
                                            3. Page 28
                                            4. Page 29
                                            5. Page 30
                                            6. Page 31
                                            7. Page 32
                                            8. Page 33
                                            9. Page 34
                                            10. Page 35
                                            11. Page 36
                                            12. Page 37
                                            13. Page 38
                                            14. Page 39
                                            15. Page 40
                                            16. Page 41
                                            17. Page 42
                                            18. Page 43
                                            19. Page 44
                                            20. Page 45
                                            21. Page 46
                                            22. Page 47
                                              1. About Cisco 4
                                                1. Page 26 Off
                                                2. Page 27
                                                3. Page 28
                                                4. Page 29
                                                5. Page 30
                                                6. Page 31
                                                7. Page 32
                                                8. Page 33
                                                9. Page 34
                                                10. Page 35
                                                11. Page 36
                                                12. Page 37
                                                13. Page 38
                                                14. Page 39
                                                15. Page 40
                                                16. Page 41
                                                17. Page 42
                                                18. Page 43
                                                19. Page 44
                                                20. Page 45
                                                21. Page 46
                                                22. Page 47
                                                  1. Features 4
                                                    1. Page 26 Off
                                                    2. Page 27
                                                    3. Page 28
                                                    4. Page 29
                                                    5. Page 30
                                                    6. Page 31
                                                    7. Page 32
                                                    8. Page 33
                                                    9. Page 34
                                                    10. Page 35
                                                    11. Page 36
                                                    12. Page 37
                                                    13. Page 38
                                                    14. Page 39
                                                    15. Page 40
                                                    16. Page 41
                                                    17. Page 42
                                                    18. Page 43
                                                    19. Page 44
                                                    20. Page 45
                                                    21. Page 46
                                                    22. Page 47
                                                      1. Comparison 4
                                                        1. Page 26 Off
                                                        2. Page 27
                                                        3. Page 28
                                                        4. Page 29
                                                        5. Page 30
                                                        6. Page 31
                                                        7. Page 32
                                                        8. Page 33
                                                        9. Page 34
                                                        10. Page 35
                                                        11. Page 36
                                                        12. Page 37
                                                        13. Page 38
                                                        14. Page 39
                                                        15. Page 40
                                                        16. Page 41
                                                        17. Page 42
                                                        18. Page 43
                                                        19. Page 44
                                                        20. Page 45
                                                        21. Page 46
                                                        22. Page 47
                                                          1. Partners 4
                                                            1. Page 26 Off
                                                            2. Page 27
                                                            3. Page 28
                                                            4. Page 29
                                                            5. Page 30
                                                            6. Page 31
                                                            7. Page 32
                                                            8. Page 33
                                                            9. Page 34
                                                            10. Page 35
                                                            11. Page 36
                                                            12. Page 37
                                                            13. Page 38
                                                            14. Page 39
                                                            15. Page 40
                                                            16. Page 41
                                                            17. Page 42
                                                            18. Page 43
                                                            19. Page 44
                                                            20. Page 45
                                                            21. Page 46
                                                            22. Page 47
                                                              1. TOC Button 4
                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                  1. About Cisco 6
                                                                    1. Page 48 Off
                                                                    2. Page 49
                                                                    3. Page 50
                                                                      1. Features 6
                                                                        1. Page 48 Off
                                                                        2. Page 49
                                                                        3. Page 50
                                                                          1. Comparison 6
                                                                            1. Page 48 Off
                                                                            2. Page 49
                                                                            3. Page 50
                                                                              1. Partners 6
                                                                                1. Page 48 Off
                                                                                2. Page 49
                                                                                3. Page 50
                                                                                  1. TOC Button 6
                                                                                    1. Page 51 Off