Cisco SmartNet FAQ

SMARTnet is a hardware and software maintenance contract for Cisco equipment, supplied directly from Cisco. The contract may be sold by authorised Cisco Partners, and is normally an annual contract; longer term contracts are available, please contact us for more details.

Quite simply: It's a maintenance contract for Cisco equipment.

If your hardware breaks, Cisco replace it.

If you need support for any of your equipment, you get the right to call the Cisco Technical Assistance Centre.

You also get the right to download and install software updates for your Cisco equipment.

If Cisco products are important to your business you need SMARTnet.

If your Cisco product is Internet facing, it is vital that you update the software when new versions are released, this protects you from software bugs and security holes.

If you are using Cisco products to connect remote sites over a VPN, what would be the cost to your business should one of the boxes fail? With SMARTnet, your downtime can be limited to 4 hours (or 2 hours if 4 hours is too long - please contact us).

A SMARTnet contract entitles you to telephone support from Cisco`s Experts at the Technical Assistance Centre (TAC), according to Cisco, over 95% of all calls received by the TAC help customers handle complex network operation and management issues such as:

  • Advanced software configuration
  • Interoperability and upgrade questions
  • Hardware and software information

SMARTnet is available as:

  • SMB Support Assistant
  • Software Only
  • SMARTnet
  • SMARTnet Onsite

When you purchase a SMARTnet contract from ITHSC, we will request various details from you regarding the equipment to be covered. These are:

  • Site Details - Where the covered equipment resides
  • Contact Name and Telephone Number
  • Cisco Product and Serial Number of item to cover
  • Any Modules or cards that are installed.

We will verify the contract with Cisco, to ensure that you have the correct product and that cover is available at your location, then the contract will go live within two weeks.

SMB Support assistant can be described as SMARTnet lite, it provides assistance and support targeted at the needs of Small and Medium business.

Online Network Management Tools designed specifically for SMB`s.

Provides support for Routing, Switching, Wireless, Security, Voice and VPN.

Provides minor software updates as necessary.

24 x 7 Fault Reporting, SMB TAC Engineers will respond within one business day.

Next Business Day Hardware Replacement where available, otherwise Same Day Ship.

SMB Support Assistant provides an easy, affordable way to help businesses quickly resolve routine problems that can arise when using Cisco SMB class products.

With SMARTnet Software only (CON-SW part numbers) you get:

24 hour x 7 days a week x 365 days a year access to Cisco Technical Assistance Centre (TAC)

Major and maintenance releases of Cisco IOS software 24 hour x 7 days a week x 365 days a year access to Cisco.com

The minimum SMARTnet contract entitles you to obtain and legally install the latest software upgrades for your covered device. This is essential if your Cisco hardware is important to your business or is connected in any way to the Internet, as the software upgrades will fix bugs and security holes. We are aware that IOS upgrades can be downloaded from various sites on the Internet, but doubt if they will be the latest version, and could possibly have been modified.

Also included is telephone support from the Cisco Technical Assistance Centre and increased access to Cisco.com, this provides you with wealth of expertise, both online and via the telephone.

Should you experience a fault with contracted hardware, your first point of contact will the Cisco TAC (Technical Assistance Centre) who will decide if the problem is Hardware, Configuration or IOS software issue.

If the hardware is at fault, a replacement will be sent within the contractual period, this is termed an advance replacement.

The faulty hardware must then be returned to Cisco.

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