Cisco Smart Care Service

About Cisco Smart Care Cisco Smart Partner Q&A

Care Managed About Cisco Smart Q. What is Cisco Smart? Cisco Smart is a unique, proactive services platform that allows Cisco Certified to build upon Cisco networking expertise, methodologies, technical tools, and service infrastructure to create new, personalized services for their customers. The service provides partners with the capabilities needed to offer the networklevel insight, traditional maintenance, and proactive network services their small and medium-sized business (SMB) and midsize customers require; it also helps partners differentiate their business in the commercial marketplace. With the core capabilities of Cisco Smart Care Service, partners can provide their customers with: Remote monitoring and repair of Cisco devices and software applications* Proactive health checks and periodic assessments of Cisco network foundation, voice, and security technologies to identify potential issues Technical support for all Cisco hardware and software in the network with a single networkwide maintenance contract Next business day (NBD) advance replacement of Cisco devices with an option to upgrade individual devices to 4-hour coverage (onsite service not included) Proactive notifications to simplify the updating of Cisco devices Assessment and preparation services to simplify the addition of new technologies and applications over time Disaster recovery services to back up the customer s routers, switches, and security solutions to a remote location and easily restore the network in the event of a disaster For the end customer, Cisco Smart is a comprehensive networkwide service that offers proactive network monitoring, health checkups, diagnostics, and software repairs in addition to technical support for their entire Cisco network in a single contract. Service is delivered through a local Cisco Certified Partner that works with Cisco to provide a superior service experience. Purchasing Cisco Smart from a Cisco Certified Partner is a way for SMB and 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. Cisco Smart gives customers greater visibility into network performance and greatly reduces the time and effort necessary to help ensure that their networks are running efficiently. Cisco Smart brings together the complementary strengths of Cisco and our qualified partners to deliver a consistently excellent service experience. This joint service offering combines Cisco s networking expertise and best practices together with local partners business knowledge, in-depth understanding of customer needs, and personalized service offerings. * See Table 1 in the section for a list of eligible devices and software applications covered by Cisco Smart. Q. What is included for partners in Cisco Smart? Cisco Smart includes: Dashboard visibility into a customer s network to remotely monitor performance and correct potential problems Periodic assessment and repair services to identify potential network health and security issues Single-use network health and security assessments to provide assessments as a one-time professional service or to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers 1

Care Managed Assess and prepare services to simplify the addition of new technologies and applications over time Next-business-day (NBD) advance hardware replacement to the end user for the entire network, with the option to upgrade individual devices to premium 4-hour coverage (onsite service not included) Customizable alert services to send e-mail or text notifications of any issue in customer networks Proactive notifications of any end-of-life Cisco devices in customer networks Disaster recovery services to remotely back up customer network configurations Partner access to the Cisco Center (TAC) for escalations ( take all calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls.) Software updates and maintenance releases for qualified Cisco applications Cisco IOS Software support, including maintenance releases and patches, minor releases and major releases, and access to Cisco. com and the Cisco Smart portal and tools A single, network-level service contract covering all qualified Cisco devices in the customer s network (See Table 1 in the section for a list of eligible devices and software applications covered by Cisco Smart.) Q. How does Cisco define network coverage? Network coverage means that the customer covers Cisco devices** in the network with a single service contract that includes proactive network health checkups, remote monitoring, diagnostics, and software repairs in addition to technical support delivered through their local Cisco Smart Certified Partner. The customer gets the same high level of service across the network. Since this service is designed to serve the needs of small and medium-sized customers, coverage is limited to SMB-class products that those businesses typically purchase. The customer may not purchase Cisco Smart if some of their network equipment is not SMB-class. ** Most SMB-class and some enterprise-class Cisco products are eligible to be covered by Cisco Smart. For more information about eligible products, see Table 1 in the section. Q. If a customer already has another Cisco service contract on some devices, such as Service or Shared Support, can they get Cisco Smart? Yes. The customer can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with Cisco Smart, even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet, Shared Support, or another Cisco service. Cisco Smart 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. Q. Why should partners sell Cisco Smart? Cisco Smart 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. Cisco Smart Care platform enables partners to: Improve profitability by transitioning to a service-led model, which can result in higher profit margins and predictable, recurring revenue. Differentiate their business by developing personalized services for small and midsize customers. Increase customer loyalty by combining the complementary service advantages of Cisco and the partner to deliver an exceptional service experience to customers. 2

Care Managed Grow their service business through a collaborative go-to-market strategy with Cisco. Benefit from a simpler way of doing business with Cisco. Q. Why should customers buy Cisco Smart? Cisco Smart provides customers the following benefits: The opportunity to choose the level and type of network coverage to best support the size and complexity of their business Increased network visibility with the information partners need to efficiently manage and continually improve customer networks Ongoing monitoring and periodic assessments of network health, availability, and security to protect and optimize essential network applications, communications, and business operations so problems can be addressed before they affect business functionality Enhanced business continuity through disaster recovery capabilities that 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 A single service contract that covers all Cisco devices to simplify contract management and maintenance requirements Combined strengths of Cisco, the industry leader in networking, with a local value-add reseller provides SMB and midsize customers with network care and improvement planning to keep the network efficient and secure Q. Who is the target customer for Cisco Smart? The Cisco Smart is designed for SMB and midsize businesses with between 5 and 105 Cisco network devices on their network (IP phones and software licenses are covered but not counted as devices). 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. Customers whose networks are not within the Cisco Smart supported devices or include any excluded product family at the contract s inception are not eligible for the service. For more information about eligible devices and device weighting, see the Pricing section. Q. Is there a limit to the number of network users Cisco Smart can support on any one network? Cisco Smart is sold based on the number and class of devices on the network. The lower limit of 5 devices is equivalent to about 50 network users; the upper limit of 105 devices is equivalent to a network with about 600 active users. Note: The estimate of 50 to 600 network users range represents the number of active, concurrent users on the network. In some industries, such as manufacturing or healthcare, many employees only occasionally access the network, so the number of employees in a business could be much higher. Q. Is Cisco Smart a good option for businesses that want to add voice to their network? 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. With the Cisco Smart, a qualified Cisco partner backed by extensive tools and in-depth training from Cisco provides 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 network the industry-standard scoring criteria for IP voice circuits. 3

Care Managed 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 of customers that performed a presales assessment of their network s voice capabilities reported that they were pleased with the solution. Alternatively, approximately 80 percent of those companies that did not perform such assessments were dissatisfied. Q. How is Cisco Smart different from other services? Unlike traditional maintenance services, Cisco Smart provides you with a proactive services platform that provides tools to deliver both traditional maintenance and proactive services, including: 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? The base-level Cisco Smart contract provides NBD hardware replacement. 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 Cisco Smart, their existing Cisco SMARTnet contracts will be honored for the duration of that contract. As each device s contract expires, it will be automatically migrated to the Cisco Smart 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. Proactive remote monitoring for visibility into the health, security, and availability of the network Q. What steps are taken to help ensure that network data sent to Cisco is secure? Assessment and repair services Customizable alert services A network appliance or software application on the network continuously collects data about the health of the network. This data is sent to Cisco Disaster recovery capabilities over a secure HTTPS connection and is analyzed. Cisco communicates Technical support to the partner for level 2+ issues ( take all calls from the customer and are required to address level 0 and level 1 calls.) 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? NBD advance hardware replacement for Cisco devices, with the option to upgrade individual devices to 4-hour coverage (onsite service not included) Cisco uses device information from customer networks to provide the customer and the customer s authorized partner with the information they need to assess the health, security, and availability of the network Simplified addition of new technologies and applications over time with assessment and preparation services and make repairs. Cisco also uses this information to improve future software and hardware offerings. Neither Cisco nor the partner has A single contract that covers all qualified Cisco devices on access to the data that passes through the network. the network 4

Care Managed Q. Can the Smart Care dashboard alert/notification be integrated with our existing network management platform (for example, What s Up Gold, Solarwinds, and so on) using something like Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) alert notification? Cisco Smart includes a customizable e-mail/ text message alerting feature. This feature can be customized to integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) platforms and troubleticket systems that support e-mail case input capability. Q. What are the disaster recovery capabilities in the Cisco Smart? Cisco Smart includes service capabilities partners can use to help their customers ensure business continuance in the event of a major outage. The Cisco Smart Care appliance automatically backs up configuration information for all of the customer s Cisco routers, switches, and security devices running Cisco Catalyst OS, Cisco IOS Software, and Cisco Security Device Manager. At the customers discretion, this information can be stored at the partner location or another off-site location, allowing partners to quickly restore the customer s network to its prior working order in the event of a major disaster. Cisco Smart Q. What new service capabilities are available in Cisco Smart Care Service? enhances Cisco Smart with several new capabilities to make the service easier to use and generate even more value to Cisco partners and their customers. New capabilities in include: The ability to offer one-time network health, security, and voice assessments as a professional service both to generate revenues on a per-project basis and to demonstrate the value of the annual service to prospective customers Enhanced voice readiness assessments that support traffic injection to accurately measure jitter, delay, and loss in customer networks, and provide an MOS The ability to upgrade individual devices in the customer network from NBD advance replacement coverage to premium 4-hour parts replacement (onsite service not included) Failsafe capabilities to allow engineers to remotely interact with and debug customer network devices manually using Telnet or Secure Shell (SSH) Protocol, if necessary Customizable e-mail/text message alert notifications that notify partners of any issues in a customer network and can integrate with CRM and trouble-ticket systems that support e-mail-based case input Enhanced security assessment capabilities that evaluate customer networks against 80 rules from the U.S. National Security Agency for security best practices, as well as 30 rules for security best practices from the Cisco TAC Disaster recovery capabilities to remotely back up the configuration of Cisco routers, switches, and security devices running Cisco Catalyst OS, Cisco IOS Software, and Cisco Security Device Manager and restore the customer network to its prior working order in the event of a major disaster Enhanced localization of Cisco Smart, with availability in Spanish as of May 2008 and support for additional languages planned for the future 5

Care Q. Do sales go through Encover in all countries? Managed Q. Where is Cisco Smart available? Currently, Smart Care is generally available in Europe, the United States, and Canada and will be available globally in phases. Refer to the Theater Availability table at www.cisco.com/web/partners/services/programs/ smartcare/theater_availability.html for updates on availability. Q. What components of the Cisco Smart platform will be localized? 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 feasible localization solution for each market. The service is available in English and Spanish as of May 2008. The roadmap includes plans to roll out additional languages in the future. Table 1. Supported by Cisco Smart Technology In some countries, sales will go through distributors. The distributor list for these countries continues to be developed. Currently, the following countries will have sales go through distributors: Argentina, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Q. What products does Cisco Smart support? Cisco Smart supports a broad range of SMB-class products, which are organized into six technology groups. (See Table 1.) This list is continually updated as Cisco introduces new products into this market segment. For the most up-to-date product list, review the Smart Supported Devices document at www.cisco.com/go/smartcare. Go to Smart Care Resources, and look under the Tools section. Routers Cisco SOHO 70 Series Routers; Cisco SOHO 90 Series Secure Broadband Routers; Cisco 800 and 1600 Series Routers; Cisco 1700 Series Modular Access Routers; Cisco 1800, 2800, and 3800 Series Integrated Routers; Cisco 2500 Series Access Servers; Cisco 2600 and 3600 Series Multiservice Platforms; Cisco 3200 Series Wireless and Mobile Routers; Cisco 3700 Series Multiservice Access Routers; Cisco SN 5400 Series Storage Routers; and Cisco 7200 Series VPN Routers Switches Cisco Catalyst Express 500 Series Switches; Cisco Catalyst 2900, 2940, 2950, 2955, 2960, 2970, 3550, 3560, 3750, 4000, 4500, 4900, 5000, and 6500 Series Switches; and Cisco Catalyst 3500 XL Series Switches Voice Technologies Security Technologies Wireless Technologies Cisco CallManager Series, Cisco CallManager Express Series, Cisco MCS Series, Cisco MeetingPlace Express, Cisco IPCC Express, Cisco Unity Series, Cisco Unity Express Series, Cisco Unity Connection Series, Cisco Unity Server Series, Cisco Unity Software Series; Cisco IP Phone Series Cisco ASA Series, Cisco PIX 500 Series Cisco Aironet 1000 Series Lightweight Access Point; Cisco Aironet 1100 Series Access Point; Cisco Aironet 1130 AG, 1200, 1230 AG, 1240 AG Access Point; Cisco Aironet 1300 Series; Cisco Aironet 1300 Series Wireless Bridge: Cisco Aironet 1400 Wireless Bridge; Cisco Aironet 1500 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point; and Cisco Aironet access points 6

Care Managed Q. Why are some products excluded from Cisco Smart Care Service? Since this service is designed for small to 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. For more specific information about what products are included, see the product list in Table 1. Q. What devices are excluded? ly, any device detected will be added to the customer s contract, 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 contract. Reasons for the exclusions may include, but are not limited to: Cisco or partner-provided test, lab, or demo gear Service provider-owned gear The partner may request that these devices be excluded from the Cisco Smart contract through the Service Support Center (SSC). The request will be reviewed by a Cisco Smart administrator, and, if approved, excluded devices will be marked on the inventory as excluded and, if appropriate, removed from the Cisco Smart contract. There is no need to request exclusions for the following devices: The Smart Care appliance Devices no longer in the Smart Care inventory Third-party devices Personal computers network cover that product with another service and cover the rest of their network with Cisco Smart? No. If a customer has a nonqualifying product on the network, that customer is not eligible for Cisco Smart. Q. Will older Cisco devices be supported, for example, a Cisco 2503 Router? 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 nonqualifying Cisco product, what happens to the network-level support contract? If a customer purchases a nonqualifying Cisco product, then that customer will no longer be eligible for Cisco Smart and will have to transition to a different service coverage. Cisco wants to help ensure that customers will be able to continue to get the highquality service they signed up for, and Cisco Smart is not designed to provide support on enterprise-class products. Partner Q. What qualifications do partners need to sell and support Cisco Smart? At a minimum, you must be a Cisco Select, Premier, Silver, or Gold Certified Partner and must have passed the Cisco Smart exam. If you meet these requirements, you can sell and support Cisco Smart for small and medium-sized networks that contain basic Cisco routing, switching, security, and storage technology products. For networks with basic or advanced voice technology products, you must also hold an Express Unified Communications Specialization or Advanced Unified Communications Specialization, respectively. Additionally, you must be able to provide 8x5 support Q. Can a customer that has a nonqualifying product on their 7 to your customers.

Care Managed Q. May Global Service Alliance (GSA) and Regional Service Q. How do increased specialization/certification levels affect my Alliance (RSA) partners offer Cisco Smart? registration with Smart Care? GSA and RSA partners can qualify to offer Cisco Smart Based on the eligibility requirements for Smart Care at www.cisco.com/ if they meet the minimum partner eligibility requirements. If a GSA or web/partners/services/programs/smartcare/offer.html, if your company RSA partner chooses to offer Cisco Smart, the GSA or acquires one of the higher specializations that make you eligible for a RSA benefits will not be applied to Cisco Smart. Cisco higher Cisco Smart Care access level, your Cisco Smart Care access Smart does not include rebates or discounts; GSA and level will be automatically increased. This will allow you to support and RSA partners will not be able to apply the strategic alliance benefits they sell Cisco Smart Care for more complex customer networks. receive to Cisco Smart. Q. Is there a Smart Care specialization or certification? Q. What if it says I am not qualified to register? Yes, there is a Smart Care specialization as well as an SMB Select There are specific eligibility criteria that your partner company needs certification. For more information on the SMB Select certification, visit to have before registering for the Cisco Smart Care program. Visit www.cisco.com/web/partners/program/certifications/select/index.html. the program homepage at www.cisco.com/web/partners/services/ programs/smartcare/offer.html to review those criteria. If you think that your company meets the criteria, visit the Partner Self-Service tool at Q. How can I familiarize myself with Cisco Smart? http://tools.cisco.com/wwchannels/getlog/welcome.do to validate if the appropriate certifications/specializations are in place. You can go to www.cisco.com/go/smartcare for details on Cisco Smart. This site includes data sheets; at-a-glance documents; A second reason could be that your partner company does not reside in a demo overview of the program and all of the tools; overviews of the one of the countries in which the Cisco Smart Care program is currently network health, security, and voice assessments; and much more. The generally available. Visit the Partner Self-Service tool to validate your Offer the Service section of the Website will guide you through a fivephase decision-making process to get you started with offering Cisco company s address information, and refer to the Theater Availability table at www.cisco.com/web/partners/services/programs/smartcare/ Smart, from building your value proposition to delivering theater_availability.html for updates on availability. the service to customers. Interactive tools such as the Financial Q. What if the portal does not recognize/show all the Modeling tool and LabOps allow you to go through various scenarios certifications/specializations my company has? that will help you make more informed decisions. If you have just recently acquired a new certification or specialization, Q. Where should I go when deciding to offer Cisco Smart Care it might not yet have been updated on your profile. To verify, visit the Service? Partner Self-Service tool at http://tools.cisco.com/wwchannels/ The Offer the Service section on the Smart Care Website (www.cisco. GETLOG/welcome.do to view your certifications and specializations and com/go/smartcare) will take you through a five-phase decision-making to report any issues. 8 process. The five phases are: Understanding the Smart Care value proposition Building your business case

Care Managed Building your service offering Incorporating into your business model Selling and delivering Smart Included in these five phases are the relevant documentation and tools to guide you through the decision-making stage. Q. How do I become eligible to register for Cisco Smart? Each geographic region may have additional requirements, but the following are the general steps to register for Cisco Smart : 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 hours self-certify) 4. Complete live or online training (self-certify) 5. Pass the Cisco Smart online test (free to partners; one person from partnership needs to pass) Step 2: Get Trained and Take the Online Test: The Cisco Smart e-learning contains several role-based training paths (including owner/manager, account manager, systems engineer, and sales operations/administrative). It is available to you at no cost. To view the entire range of training offered, visit the Cisco Smart Care e-learning site at http://cisco.partnerelearning.com/pec/direct. asp?url=201785946955.1937. Partner eligibility to participate in the Cisco Smart program requires a partner sales or systems engineer, or equivalent, to pass the Cisco Smart online eligibility test. This test is focused on the installation, configuration, and use of the Cisco Smart 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 program. Testing URL: www.testrac.com/pvuecisco. There are two different tests associated with the systems engineering training path modules. The systems engineer or equivalent only needs to pass the test that matches their partner organization service level. (See notes following each test title.) The tests are: 650-711 Cisco Smart Care Base + Voice: Pass this test to sell level 3 and level 4 of Smart Care (unified communications). 650-716 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 Cisco Smart 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 Cisco Smart Care by filling out a simple registration form. Note: You must wait 72 hours after your systems engineer (or equivalent) has passed the test before attempting to register for Cisco Smart. Step 4: Sign Up for Smart Care Quoting and Ordering Service After being accepted in the Cisco Smart program, you will be invited by e-mail to register with the Cisco Smart quoting and ordering service. Step 5: Begin Selling Smart Care Now that you are officially registered to start offering Cisco Smart Care Service, you can begin using all of the online marketing, selling, and delivery tools through the Cisco Smart Care control panel. 9

Care Managed Q. What is the URL to register for Cisco Smart? The URL is https://tools.cisco.com/smartcare. All requirements must be met before you can register. Q. What if I cannot get to the Cisco Smart Care portal page? Visit http://tools.cisco.com/rpf/register/register.do to verify that you have a valid Cisco.com user ID for logging into the portal. Q. What if my Cisco.com user ID is not working? It might not exist, in which case you will need to create one at http://tools.cisco.com/rpf/register/register.do. Or you might need to reset the password by sending an e-mail to cco-locksmith@cisco.com. Q. Why does it say my Cisco.com user ID is no longer associated with the partner company? Your Cisco.com 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 had been received in error, visit the Partner Self-Service tool at http://tools.cisco.com/wwchannels/getlog/welcome.do to correct the information. Q. Does everyone from the partner organization need to sign up and create a separate Cisco Smart Care account? Every user should have a separate Cisco.com 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? You will need to contact the designated Smart Care administrator at you company to get access. Q. Do I need to select a preferred distributor when registering? Why? Can I choose any distributor? Two-tier resellers are required to select a preferred distributor upon registration. The distributors selected will receive commissions from the partners sales transactions. Q. Does everyone from the partner organization have to complete the Cisco Smart Care registration click-to-accept terms? 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? This is a requirement to sell Cisco Smart. You should only check this box if you are able to provide 8x5 business hours technical support to customers. Q. If I acquire new certifications or specializations, when should I expect to get an e-mail regarding my change of access level? After a partner s profile has been updated with the newly acquired specialization in the Partner Self-Service tool at http://tools.cisco.com/ WWChannels/GETLOG/welcome.do, the next time that someone from your company logs into the Cisco Smart Care portal, the access level will be automatically increased. You will receive an e-mail notifying you of this change. Q. Why would I have trouble registering for Cisco Smart Care Service if I meet the minimum eligibility? 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 http://tools. cisco.com/wwchannels/getlog/welcome.do. 10

Care Managed Q. If my company s attorney has questions about a certain clause in the terms and conditions, to whom should these questions be directed? Cisco or Encover? For questions around the terms and conditions for Cisco or Encover, contact the SSC by calling 800 462-4726 (GO CISCO) or open a case at www.cisco.com/go/ssc. Q. Where do I go to get training for Cisco Smart? The e-learning can be accessed through the Smart Care partnerfacing site (www.cisco.com/go/smartcare) and the Cisco Smart Care Acceleration Website (www.cisco.com/partner/services/ smartcare/accelerate/). You may also access the e-learning through the Partner Education Connection (PEC) at http://cisco.partnerelearning.com/peclms/lang-en/ management/lms_trainevtinfo.asp?usermode=0&eventid=208859. Q. Is there a fee for accessing the online training? 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? 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 registered partner. Q. What type of Web-based training is available to me? There are four role-based learning paths available for partners. They are as follows: For Owner/Managers: 30 minutes Lesson 1: Cisco Smart Overview: 20 minutes Lesson 2: : 10 minutes For Account Managers: 1 hour 15 minutes Lesson 1: Cisco Smart Overview: 20 minutes Lesson 3: Quoting and Ordering: 34 minutes Lesson 5: Using the Cisco Smart Tools: 17 minutes For Systems Engineers: 2 hours 36 minutes Lesson 1: Cisco Smart Overview: 20 minutes Lesson 2: : 10 minutes Lesson 3: Quoting and Ordering: 48 minutes Lesson 4: Managing Cisco Smart Contracts: 14 minutes Lesson 5: Using the Cisco Smart Tools: 56 minutes Lesson 6: Cisco Smart Support Model: 7 minutes Administrators/Operations: 2 hours Lesson 1: Cisco Smart Overview: 20 minutes Lesson 2: : 10 minutes Lesson 3: Quoting and Ordering: 48 minutes Lesson 4: Managing Cisco Smart Contracts: 14 minutes Lesson 5: Using the Cisco Smart Tools: 25 minutes Lesson 6: Cisco Smart Support Model: 7 minutes 11

Care Managed Q. Do I need to take the partner test before or after signing up for Cisco Smart? 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). Q. There are two different Cisco Smart tests. How do I know which test to take? When you go to the URL to take the test, you will have two choices, either Smart Care Base or Smart Care Base + Voice. If your company is Express or Advanced UC Specialized and can support level 3 and 4 Smart Care contracts, you will have access to the voice tools and should take the Base + Voice test. Q. Is there a fee for taking the test? No. The Cisco Smart 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? 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? The passing score for the Cisco Smart 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? There is a 48-hour wait period between the time the test taker can take the test and retake the test. Q. How often do I have to take the test to stay eligible (for example, once, annually)? You or your sales or systems engineer (or equivalent) only needs to take the test one time. If the sales or systems engineer leaves your organization, you will need to have another sales or systems engineer pass the exam. 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)? 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 eligibility test and when I can register for Cisco Smart Care? must wait 72 hours after passing the test before attempting to complete Cisco Smart Care registration. Q. I am having a problem launching the e-learning. What could the problem be? You may need to turn off the pop-up blocker in the browser. For example, in Internet Explorer go to tools --> Pop-up Blockers --> Turn off Pop-up Blockers. Also, if you have a toolbar for Yahoo or Google, you will need to disable to pop-up blocker in there as well. After this has been done, try launching the e-learning again. Q. I am having a problem going through the e-learning. What should I do? Use the following link to find help: http://cisco.partnerelearning.com/ peclms/lang-en/management/lms_theatercontent.aspx?pagename= CiscoOnlineSupport.html&PageType=Jump&ShowSideBar=0. If you are unable to find the answer, open a case using the link on the bottom of the page. 12

Care Managed Q. The exam is not available or is buggy. What can I do? Contact the SSC by calling 800 447-9347 or open a case at www.cisco.com/go/ssc. Q. What if I do not pass the test, how often can I take it? If you do not pass the test the first time, you must wait 48 hours to retake the test. There is no limit to the number of retakes. Q. What is the quoting and ordering process through distribution? The quoting and ordering process is the same for 2-tier and 1-tier partners. All partners use the Cisco Smart network appliance and portal to discover the devices on the customer network. They request the initial quote through the Cisco Smart portal. Once the quote is ready, you view the quote using the Encover online tool, where you can download the quote, wrap your own valueadded services around it, and present it to your customers for approval. Once you are ready to order, you can select a payment option using the Encover online tool. Q. What processes exist for checking currently uncovered equipment? The Cisco Smart 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 the customer pays monthly, will Cisco recognize per month or 12 months up front? Monthly payments are between Encover, the outsourcer, and the reseller. Cisco will collect revenue for one year. However, as with all service transactions, Cisco will recognize revenue as we deliver the service in monthly increments. Q. What types of SKUs are used for Cisco Smart? Cisco Smart will use a dollar-based SKU for invoicing and a $0 SKU for product (hardware and software) mapping to determine Cisco Smart eligibility and provide a framework for quote to contract creation. Q. Who is Encover? Encover is a business process outsourcer that Cisco has hired to manage the quoting and ordering process for Cisco Smart. Q. What is the role of Encover? As a business process outsourcer who acts on behalf of Cisco, Encover bills partners and provides business capabilities that Cisco does not have today. Outsourcing billing to Encover allows Cisco to: Invoice partners without a purchase order Implement auto-renewals Offer flexible payment options Use one process for all types of partners (1-tier and 2-tier) Q. Why do I need to sign up twice, once with Cisco Smart Care Service and once with Encover? When you register with Cisco, eligibility to sell the Smart is determined, and access to the Smart Care portal and tools is granted. A separate registration with Encover is required to gain access to its portal to actually buy contracts, because Encover is acting as a business 13

Care Managed process outsourcer for all Smart Care quotes. Your registration with Encover will allow you to get login and password credentials and set you up with the necessary financial relationship with Encover to buy Smart Care contracts by accepting Encover s terms and conditions. Q. How long does the Encover registration process take? After you go through the registration process on the Cisco Smart Care portal, registration with Encover is also required. A notification e-mail is sent by Encover to you within two days informing you that you can now register with Encover. You will receive login credentials using the e-mail notification and are requested to complete and confirm any additional information required for billing and invoicing. Q. What is the URL to register for Encover? The URL is www.signups.encover.com/cisco-smartcare-service/. However, you cannot register until you receive the e-mail notification inviting you to register, as mentioned above. Q. Does everyone who will create and request quotes need to have a separate Encover account? Anyone who gets added to the partner profile will also have an account automatically set up at Encover. Q. If I registered with Cisco Smart Care (and was accepted), but I have not yet received notification to register with Encover, how do I sign up with Encover? You will need to go to www.signups.encover.com/cisco-smartcareservice/ to register with Encover. Q. Does everyone from my organization need to agree to the Encover terms and conditions? No, only the person authorized to accept the Encover terms and conditions will be required to at the time of registration. Q. If I am having trouble registering for Encover, what could be the problem? We suggest you verify that the URL was entered correctly (if not using the link from within the partner registration notification). If there are still problems, call 801 208-4970 or send an e-mail to CiscoSmartCareHelp@encover.com. Q. How do I change my profile in Encover? To change a profile at Encover, you may use the Change Profile button on the Encover online tool. Also, any changes that are made to the company or user profile in the Cisco Smart Care portal will be synched up in the Encover online tool. Pricing Framework Q. How is Cisco Smart priced? 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? No. Cisco Smart is only available through Cisco Certified. Q. Does Cisco set the customer price for Cisco Smart? No. You establish the price to each customer depending on the level and type of services the customer and you agree on. 14

Care Managed Q. How is the Cisco Smart price to the customer determined? You pay Cisco a price for using this proactive services platform, based on the devices and applications in the customer s entire network. You then establish the price to the customer, taking into account each customer s unique requirements and the value-added services you are providing. For instance, the price to the customer may take into account not only Cisco devices and applications on the customer s network, but also the frequency of assessments and additional services that you provide. Q. If a customer already has another Cisco service contract, such as Cisco SMARTnet or Shared Support, on some devices, can they purchase Cisco Smart? Or do they have to wait until their current service contract expires? Customers can choose to cover their entire Cisco network with Cisco Smart, even if they currently have Cisco SMARTnet, Shared Support, or another Cisco service. For the initial Cisco Smart price determination, devices already covered by another service would be excluded from the price charged to the partner. Then when the other service contracts expire, those devices would automatically be covered by the Cisco Smart contract, and the price to the partner for the Smart 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 priced relative to Cisco SMARTnet? The Cisco Smart and Cisco SMARTnet 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 to make it a dramatically different offer that encompasses more consultative services. Cisco Smart assumes the partner is providing engineers to manage the tools platform, plus nonmaintenance 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 pricing is based on the number of devices on the network and the types of technologies and applications on the network. Answering those two factors will determine the networkwide service price to be in one of 40 different total price points. 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 pricing does not have a direct correlation to Cisco SMARTnet pricing. Cisco Smart Price to Partner Q. How is the Cisco Smart price to the partner determined? 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 discovery tool on the customer s network. The discovery tool will locate most 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 10 pricing bands that cover eligible networks, which can have as few as 5 device counts and as many as 105 Cisco device counts (IP phones are covered, but do not count as devices). Plus, there are four technology price levels, as shown in Table 2. This means that the partner s price changes only when the number of devices in the customer s network crosses into a new price band or a 15

Care Table 2. Pricing Framework Four Pricing Levels Based on Number and Complexity of Devices on the Network Managed Advanced Voice Technologies: IPCC Express, Cisco CallManager, Cisco Unity, Cisco MeetingPlace Express Voice Technologies: Cisco CallManager Express, Cisco Unity Express, IP Phones (Not in Device Count) [Reserved for Future Functionality] Routing, Switching, Basic Security: 800, 1600, 1700, 1800, 2600, 2800, 3200, 3600, 3700, 3800, 5400, 7200, SOHO 70, SOHO 90, 500, 2900, 2940, 2950, 2960, 2970, 3550, 3560, 3750, 3900, 400*,4500, 5000, 6500, PIX, AP1xxx Security and Storage Technologies: ASA 5505, 5510, VPN 3000, MDS9000, IPS Service (Future) 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. Q. What is device count weighting? Why do some devices count as more than one device? Many complex, high-value devices can replace multiple, simpler devices. To help ensure that Cisco Smart is priced fairly, the device counts for these complex devices are weighted using a device multiplier. Level 1 Pricing Level 1 The weights and product families are shown in Table 3. Level 2 Pricing Level 2 Level 3 Pricing Level 3 Table 3. Device Series Level 4 Pricing Level 4 Device Weighting for Cisco Smart Basic Routers and Switches 1 Cisco 5400 Series Router Cisco Catalyst 4000 Series Switch Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series Switch Cisco Catalyst 5000 Series Switch Cisco 7200 Series Router Cisco UBR 7200 Series Router Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switch Weighting Factor 5 10 Cisco Access Points 0.25 16

Care Managed Q. How are the Cisco Smart Care network client and the Cisco Smart Care network appliance priced? Can they be purchased as standalone products? 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 Unified Communications phones count as devices? No. Phones are covered, but are not counted in the number of devices. One goal of the Cisco Smart 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. By Cisco product line, what percentage of Cisco commercial products is covered? What are the major products that are excluded from Cisco Smart? All SMB-class products are included. Cisco recognizes that many non-smb-class products are used by small and medium enterprises. More than 95 percent of those commercial class products are eligible for Cisco Smart 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. Q. Is there a separate cost for the hardware appliance? Why isn t the service less expensive if the partner takes the software client? The hardware appliance is included in the price of the service. A core design criteria for this service is simplicity. By including the appliance in the cost of the service, you only need to perform one transaction. Further, the choice of a software or hardware network appliance is not intended to be a core differentiator for this service. Q. Does the customer have to pay for the service on an annual basis? Can monthly billing be an option? You may work with your customers on a suitable payment schedule. You may be able to negotiate a financing arrangement with Encover, Cisco s business process outsourcer, if you want to offer this option to your customers. Q. Is invoicing done monthly, quarterly, or yearly? Invoicing is done monthly or annually. However, the quarterly true-up process potentially drives a quarterly invoice for incremental expenses. Q. How is the price adjusted if the customer buys additional equipment during the year? The device count is adjusted to reflect the additional equipment that the customer purchases. At the next quarterly inventory assessment, the price will be adjusted, effective from the date the equipment was added. If the device count does not go above the upper limit on the current price band and the technology level remains the same, there will be no price increase to you. Q. If devices are covered under a preexisting 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? If there is a preexisting contract, the product will be marked as do not renew in the Cyber system. 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 contract. There is no pricing impact until the Cisco Smart application determines the device is active and no longer covered under the previous Cisco SMARTnet contract. The device count change is communicated to the partners, who can share the resulting pricing adjustment information with their customer. 17

Care Managed Q. What happens to the price if the customer retires some Cisco included within the Smart Care customer network or if a customer has equipment during the year and has fewer devices? existing contracts covering a specific device. The price will be adjusted downward at the time of the annual renewal. Q. I signed up for Cisco Smart Care, but have not yet signed up Q. How do renewals work? with Encover. Can I still request a quote from within the Cisco Smart Care portal? The Cisco Smart is automatically renewed every year, unless the customer cancels. You can request an estimate, but you must sign up with and accept the Encover terms and conditions to view your final quotes on the Q. Are multiyear contracts and discounts available? Encover portal. No. Since the service renews automatically, multiyear contracts (and Q. Do I need to complete the onscreen questionnaire and update discounts) are not needed to drive renewals. the estimate before I can request a quote? Q. Do all partners pay the same price (for example, 1-tier, 2-tier)? Yes, you should review the questionnaire and answer any relevant Yes, all partners pay the same price for the Cisco Smart questions on your customers network. This will help ensure that the platform. correct network complexity is being detected and your customer receives the right level of support. Q. If the customers reduce the number of devices on their network, does Cisco adjust the price of their service midyear/ Final Encover Quote midcontract? Q. If I log into the Encover quoting and ordering tool, but do not At present, Cisco Smart contracts are not renegotiated for see where I can create a new quote, how should I proceed? a device count decrease until the annual renewal period. Cisco does not In the Encover portal, you can view the final quotes for which you accommodate midyear or midcontract true-downs. selected request a final quote from within the Cisco Smart Care portal. You will not be able to create additional quotes within the Encover portal: Initial Price Estimate they are viewable and orderable there but need to be generated from Q. What is the difference between an estimate and a quote? within the Cisco Smart Care portal. The price estimate was put in place to allow partners to quickly get a Q. Does the pricing on the estimate or quote reflect what I am price to the customer while selling the program. After you and your supposed to charge customers or what I am being charged by customer have agreed to move forward with purchasing the service, Cisco? 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 The pricing in the estimate or quote reflects what Cisco will be charging that is received may differ from the initial estimate. Some examples our partners. might be that a given device is at its end of support and will not be 18

Care Managed Q. How do I download a quote from Encover so I can add my own value-added services and share it with my customers? To download a quote, log onto the Encover online tool at https://www. encoveronline.com/cisco-smartcare-service/partner. When the quote detail is onscreen, there is a download button in the toolbar at the top of the page. Q. How can I make changes to a pending quote? If the changes needed are related to device information (additions or exclusions) or address information, go back to the Cisco Smart Care portal. If you would like to make changes such as increasing the contract level, contact Encover using the Change Request button. Q. Once I submit change requests with Encover for a quote, how long will it take to get revised quotes? When change requests are sent, you should receive responses within two business days from Encover. How long before the quote is revised depends on the nature of the request. Q. If I decide not to purchase the quote I requested, how can I cancel the request? Select the Decline button on the Quote detail page. Each quote is only valid for 60 days, so it will expire on its own if no action is taken to purchase the quote. Ordering Q. I requested a quote a while ago and am ready to purchase the quote. However, when I log onto Encover, the quote is not found. What happened to the quote? When the quote is ready in the Encover online tool, an e-mail notification is sent to you indicating that the quote is ready. If this e-mail notification has not yet been received, then it is possible that the device data is still being validated. Log onto the Cisco Smart Care portal to see if any devices still have an unverified status. If the e-mail notification has been received, contact Encover at 801 208-4970 or SMBHelp@ encover.com for more information. If the quote was generated more than 60 days ago, it might not be visible because it has expired. Q. I am trying to buy a quote, but the system will not take the credit card information. What should I do? Contact the SSC by calling 800 447-9347 or open a case at www.cisco.com/go/ssc. Billing and Payment Q. What are the billing/payment terms available? If you choose to pay on an annual basis, the following payment options are available: purchase order, check, electronic funds transfer (EFT), direct debit, and credit card. If you choose to pay on a monthly basis, the following payment options are available: EFT, direct debit, and credit card. Q. What if I want to bill in a different currency? Send an e-mail to CiscoSmartCareHelp@encover.com or call 801 208-4970. Your partner profile currency can be changed such that it will apply to all of your quotes. Q. What if there is an error on my bill? Whom should I contact? For any billing questions, contact Encover at 801 208-4970 or SMBHelp@encover.com. Q. Our customer has turned off the appliance. Do we still need to make our monthly payments? Yes. Your payments must be made according to the agreed-on schedule. 19