[c-nsp] Version of Cisco IOS not supported on NPE300

[Ted Mittelstaedt]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert Blayzor [mailto:rblayzor at inoc.net]
> Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 3:03 PM
> To: Ted Mittelstaedt
> Cc: cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net
> Subject: Re: [c-nsp] Version of Cisco IOS not supported on NPE300
> 
> 
> Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:
> > I don't see how that could be the case since the SmartNet package is
> > selected by the router chassis, not what cards are in it.  I think what
> > you meant to say is that Cisco won't renew the HARDWARE coverage of
> > SmartNet on the NPE300, but SmartNet contains two components - hardware
> > coverage, and IOS update rights - and Cisco will happily renew smartnet
> > forever.  Of course, once they stop releasing new IOS for a particular
> > chassis it is kind of pointless to keep paying the renewals.
> 
> 
> It absolutely covers the cards inside the chassis, and if your purchase
> your 7200's from Cisco, as configured, they know exactly what you have
> purchased.  If you have an NPE-300 (or any other EoL card that effects
> the core operation of the product) they'll not allow you to renew the
> Smartnet until you get the router back under something they can support.
> 
> Trust me, I know.  I had seven 7200 NPE-300's I had to upgrade to
> NPE-Gx's this year to get them back under support.  They would not renew
> them because they knew that we purchasd them originally with NPE-300's
> in them.

Well, I work for a company that is both an ISP and a Cisco reseller and
I've renewed a number of SmartNets, on old Eol equipment, for customers,
with no problem.

If you are large enough to buy direct from Cisco then the rules may be
very different.  Of course, your also paying about 1/2 or less the cost
that the rest of us have to pay (including what us resellers have to 
pay to get the stuff from distribution) so I don't have any sympathy.

>  That wasn't the only reason for the upgrades, but is part of
> the reason.
> 
> Your claims above is also not true.  Case in point, Cisco EoL the
> NPE-300.  There's no sense in renewing your Smartnet as they've
> completely stopped supporting the NPE-300 both hardware wise and on new
> software releases.  The "ok it boots, lets use it" doesn't mean they
> support it if you start having a problem.
> 

There is sense in renewing the smartnet, as long as Cisco still comes out
with new IOS releases that meet the "ok it boots" criteria, IF you are
willing to be self-supporting.  If my router works fine with a particular
IOS version and an NPE-300 and I update to a new IOS version under
Smartnet, merely to get a new feature, and the router starts having
problems, then I can simply downgrade to the previous version.  At that
time Smartnet loses value.  But, that time might happen many releases in
the future.

It all depends on what kinds of risks you want to take.  Larger orgs
are not able to take as big risks as smaller ones.  They have to keep
things under vendor service contracts.  Smaller orgs can take larger
risks including simply not renewing.

Ted