SmartNet II - How deep the rabbit hole goes...

In my previous post, I began to describe differences between SmartNet and my previous experiences with server hardware support coverage as a systems architect. Now, we will continue the exposition.

A contract number is used to tie Cisco hardware or software to you. Ideally, then, you don’t want too many - which of my 300 switches was on which contract number? When does it renew? When I buy new hardware, which contract do I put it on?

That last one is the bugger - as I mentioned previously, a contract is bound to a given Cisco Partner. It’s real easy to buy two switches (identical models) from two different partners and end up with two contract numbers (for identical coverage).

And, each coverage level (24x7x4 or 24x7x2 or 9x5x4 or 9x5xNBD) for a given SmartNet type (SmartNet or UCS or Software or Telepresence…) also requires a different contract number. Just with the examples I’ve provided, that’s 16 different contract numbers! Per Cisco Partner!

As they say on the informercials, “But wait, there’s more!” If you have a large enterprise, you have likely leased equipment or financed it. Within those hardware leases, you’ve likely pre-purchased the SmartNet for that equipment.

Well, the combination of Cisco Partner and Financing Agent essentially functions as a new “Partner” to Cisco with respect to SmartNet. Yes, you guessed it, yet another set of Cisco SmartNet contract numbers are needed.

Even if you’ve always bought SmartNet through the same Partner… since it’s bundled in the lease, it’s now different.

Now, there are some strategies to help mitigate these features. You can always separate your hardware/software purchases from your SmartNet purchase for that hardware/software. You can purchase all of your SmartNet with a single Cisco Partner, regardless of where it was purchased and/or through whom it was financed.

Obviously, there’s some overhead - you have to collect the inventory information and provide it to the SmartNet Partner. The upside though is that you pick when the coverage starts - since you have to collect the information and send it to the SmartNet Partner. Typically, the coverage will start fairly close to when the switch ships from Cisco or the Partner).

And, as you all know, it’s always sitting in the boxes for 3-6 months after it arrives because you’ve got two other projects at higher priority. So, a month or two saved could add up to real money.

Another idea is to standardize your coverages as much as you can and minimize the number of Cisco Partners. Okay, I admit, that is not really a strategy. However, you get the feeling from the system that Cisco and/or the partners kind of expect that to naturally happen!

The real solution is that Cisco has to make this better. Period. While all of this is a headache on paper, the other shoe to drop is the actual continuity of coverage for your equipment. You have to go to each Partner, pull contract reports that list your equipment and the coverage periods, and ensure nothing has expired.

Administrative staff should be able to do this but (a) they really shouldn’t have to, and (b) the scale of the problem and attention to detail required is quickly overwhelming. Naturally, that only leaves one person to make sure it gets done correctly. And you know who that is.