Note: All Cisco warranties are subject to and provided only on the terms and conditions set out in the Cisco Limited Warranty, Disclaimer of Warranty, and End User License Agreement linked below.
In addition, proactive and traditional maintenance service contracts may be purchased to extend the life of your IT investment. Put Cisco expertise in the hands of your staff through online interactive tools and resources, direct access to Cisco hardware and software TAC engineers, OS updates and upgrades, premium advance hardware replacement options as well as personalized diagnostic reports and alerts. To find the appropriate support service for a Cisco product visit www.cisco-servicefinder.com/. To view details on all Cisco Services visit www.cisco.com/go/services.
Standard Warranty Terms
Software
Applicable to Subset of Products
Entitlement
Hardware and Software Warranty
Q: How do I receive warranty support?
A: If you purchased your Cisco product directly from Cisco, then please contact one of our customer service centers at the primary numbers for your country or region using this URL: http://www.cisco.com/web/about/ac49/ac162/about_cisco_customer_service_contacts.html
If you purchased your Cisco product from an authorized Cisco partner, please contact the partner from whom you purchased your product originally, and they will facilitate replacement
Q: What is the role of a Cisco warranty?
A: Warranty is to remedy manufacturing defects, not issues relating to the proper operation of devices or systems. 90 days is typically a sufficient amount of customer burn in time to uncover manufacturing defects not found during the robust quality assurance processes. For comparison of warranty and Cisco Services, please see the SERVICE AND SUPPORT section below.
Q: What is included in a Cisco warranty?
A: Warranties provide short-term limited liability for Cisco to repair and/or replace defects in Cisco products. They are limited in both the duration and the support they offer, and warranties do not include Cisco TAC support, software updates, or any of the additional benefits obtained under a support service contract. It is the responsibility of Cisco to repair and/or replace the Cisco product within the time frame identified in the warranty card that accompanied the originally purchased Cisco product.
Elements covered under a Cisco warranty are:
- Hardware: This guarantees that the piece of hardware will be free of defects in material and workmanship under normal use, or it will be replaced by Cisco.
- Software: This guarantees that the physical media are free from defects, or they will be replaced by Cisco. Also, the warranty guarantees that the software generally conforms to the published specifications for the product. The warranty is explicitly “as is,” and no new releases are included.
Service and Support
Q: What is the role of a Cisco Services?
A: The way network technology is deployed is changing and the Cisco support model has to as well. In business-critical environments, reliance on warranty is not a standard or advisable business practice. As Cisco customers move from point-product buying decisions to architectural buying decisions, the role of software has changed. Software is providing more services over the network and the level of support needed to ensure the software investment is protected is greater as well. Service deployment tactics need to be planned and designed to scale and to provide the flexibility to adapt to new needs. This sort of system-wide approach means customers need to be engaged more closely with Cisco experts and warranty support does not provide that.
Q: Why is warranty not sufficient for supporting the evolving network?
A: Increased desktop bandwidth, expanded use of real-time communication and collaboration applications, and the desire to maximize networking investments are changing the way network solutions are designed, implemented and supported. As networks evolve to being a wide-ranging service delivery platform, critical characteristics such as service intelligence, system flexibility, ready adaptation, and investment protection are maximized through a software-centric networking model. With this technology evolution, the Cisco service strategy must also evolve.
Cisco IOS software not only serves to maximize the effectiveness of the network by extending its service capabilities, it also serves to lengthen the useful life and heighten the return on investment of deployed networking hardware. As noted in the Yankee Group Report, “Is Cisco Worth the Premium?”, “to realize the benefits of convergence, a company must deploy the proper network foundation technologies to ensure the network will scale easily, will adapt to changing business climates and can support integrated advanced technologies without business interruption.”
Cisco’s service strategy is to provide services that can help customers improve business agility, network availability and network total cost of ownership while increasing the customer networks’ business value and return on investment.
Q: Why should a customer buy Cisco SMARTnet services instead of relying on warranty?
A: There is extensive content to support the value of Cisco SMARTnet services. To expand upon the above statements regarding the role of warranty versus services, with specific focus on SMARTnet and a broader focus on the rest of Cisco Lifecycle Services, the following key points should be made to Cisco customers.
- Cisco is evolving the network and support is focused increasingly on systems, solutions and architecture.
- At the core of a support model are services in the Operational phase, in this case, SMARTnet. SMARTnet provides the means to ensure that the most appropriate software releases are acquired and correctly deployed and that both hardware and software are supported throughout their lifespan.
- From a broader, long-term perspective, Cisco’s Lifecycle Services model is designed to support this evolving model in ways that best deliver investment protection
Cisco Hardware Inspection and Software Re-licensing Program
Q: Is the Cisco product warranty transferable?
A: No. The Cisco product warranty is non-transferable. A warranty is provided solely to the original end user of the equipment. For more information regarding the Cisco Hardware Inspection and Software Re-licensing Program for used and secondary market Cisco equipment, visit the Cisco Hardware Inspection and Software Re-Licensing Program page.
Q: Are service maintenance contracts such as Cisco SMARTnet contracts transferable?
A: No. Standard service maintenance contracts are not transferable from user to user. For more information regarding the Cisco Hardware Inspection and Software Re-licensing Program for used and secondary market Cisco equipment, visit the Cisco Hardware Inspection and Software Re-Licensing Program page.
Footnotes:
- Cisco Smart Care Service is being launched through a phased rollout in Emerging Markets. Check with your Cisco Channels service account manager for availability in your region.
- Optical networking products offer 5 year limited hardware warranty with 15 days return to factory replacement and 1 year limited software warranty, this warranty only applies to Optical products.
- Smart Care Service includes an automated contract renewal process.
- Warranty ensures only that software media are defect-free and the software substantially conforms to its published specifications.
- Software application upgrades may be purchased through product sales.
- Some equipment exclusions might apply; consult service sales representatives for more details.
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