Many businesses ask if they need Cisco SMARTnet for their various Cisco devices. The answer to this question revolves around the quality of your IT staff and their abilities to troubleshoot networking issues and hardware failures. If you think that potential issues will slow down or hurt your business, Cisco SMARTnet may be worth the investment in order to avoid potential outages and unpredictable networking issues. Netcon Solutions provides Cisco SMARTnet contracts for most Cisco devices.
The Basics of Cisco SMARTnet
Cisco SMARTnet is a technical support option. Depending on the level of your contract, it can provide both off-site and on-site technical support. Some features of Cisco SMARTnet include:
- Global, 24-hour access to the Cisco technical support team for your covered devices.
- Hardware replacement with 2-hour, 4-hour, and next business day options. This is a great feature as it ensures that your business stays on track and it limits the duration of potential outages.
- Access to new OS and software upgrades, keeping your business in line with cutting edge advancements in networking technology.
- 24-hour access to all of Cisco’s online resources, allowing you to troubleshoot small problems on your own, while still providing you with real technical support solutions if needed.
- A plethora of information regarding product lifecycles, overall service coverage, and potential networking alerts.
- A diagnostic system and immediate alerts for networks that have opted into this type of coverage.
- Access to a knowledgeable community of networking specialists who are readily available and happy to help you figure out potential networking issues.
Opting into this program will help your business stay connected, online, and informed about new developments in the networking community. For example, users who are part of Cisco’s support network are informed about OS and software upgrades through the website’s platform or the Technical Services newsletter. You can also contact Cisco and ask specific questions about your device should you need additional information regarding current versions and other related topics.
Cisco SMARTnet can also be purchased for used devices, but Cisco requires older equipment to be upgraded to the current software. This is easily accomplished and can greatly extend the life of your networking equipment and save your business money by providing you with access to a high quality support network.
Cisco also provides live alerts for networks that opt into more in-depth coverage. These alerts are triggered by diagnostic events related to hardware and software failures, environmental events like temperature, power, or other fluctuations that exceed typical thresholds, and system log events that Cisco deems suspicious and out of the ordinary. This deep level of coverage and analysis will maintain your network and help you avoid unwanted outages.
Pricing for Cisco SMARTnet is tough to gauge as it covers such a wide selection of devices and the prices vary based on which devices you are using and what level of support you want to buy. If you are interested in obtaining access to Cisco’s support network, you are more than welcome to call us so that we can help you find a suitable level for your networking needs. Contracts can be purchased through Cisco or authorized Cisco resellers.
Cisco SMARTnet provides businesses with a technical advantage. It removes the fear of a downed network by providing you with constant access to the best networking gurus in the business. Netcon Solutions offers SMARTnet contracts for a wide variety of Cisco devices to all of our clients in Toronto, the GTA, and throughout Ontario. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us today. We would be more than happy to help you out and show you the advantages of using Cisco SMARTnet.