[c-nsp] Shared Support versus Smartnet

[Saku Ytti]

On (2008-07-07 05:47 -0300), Rubens Kuhl Jr. wrote:
 
> Yes, according to CCO docs. L1 and L2 are done by partner, TAC gets
> involved from L3 and above.

It's all what you agree in the contract. In my case with HP, we
agreed that P1 and P2 could be opened directly to TAC and
P3, P4 via HP. I almost exclusively open cases as P3 so 
HP was mail bouncer for us, they could not offer us much of
added value, because all the cases require internal cisco
information, but as far as it went to tracking the cases
and bouncing the emails I was satisfied.
Had our cases been simpler ones, which would not require
internal cisco knowledge, I have no doubt the HP CCIE's
could have helped me.

> > What about software updates - from Cisco or from the partner??
> 
> Partner, according to CCO docs. I'll only know for sure in a few weeks
> when we renew our contracts.
> 
> Cisco Shared Support looks very similar to the old PICA contracts;
> Cisco and partners insist they are different, but the more I look,
> more I feel they are the same.

At least mine was PICA and all the agreed accesses to CCO were there,
including rights to download software.


So bottom line, TAC cases took slight delay because of the need
for HP to bounce the email, but on the plus side, I could forget
about the cases and HP did good track about polling for updates
for cases not moving.
CCO side was all that I needed, couldn't differentiate it for
my needs from gold partner account.
RMA stuff under HP was flawless (fast, easy).


Of course this is just one example, I'm sure there are tons of bad
places to buy cisco support from, tons of bad agreements signed etc.
So all I can recommend is make sure agreement guarantees that you
get the minimum service you require to run things smoothly and 
that there is financial penalty to provider in case you don't get it.


-- 
  ++ytti