[c-nsp] Cisco TAC issues - can someone from Cisco enlighten me on this?

[Alan Buxey]

hi,

the webex option is worrying when you have a core failure
(and therefore network is unknown useable status)
I think a large swathe of support is going the webex route
where they get you to log in and then they poke around
your system using predetermined flow chart of things to check
(i've been on the end of 2 of these recently - the end 
result being ' yes, it is configured as you say and tech-support
shows, and yes we do see the same error message as you  :-| )

but regarding the phone call - its not quite 'native English-speaking'
that you are after per-se.... what the issue is is regional
accents - strong accents and pronunciation can make for very difficult
and strained conversations.. believe me - we have 'native English speakers'
all over the UK who can be very difficult to fathom - many times I have
been chatting to support staff in Scotland, Nthn Ireland etc and i just cant
make out certain words/phrases so have to 'replay' the words i did make 
out to make out what they've said - and Tyneside and Merseyside accents
can be just as bad ;-)

unfortunately, with 'worldwide' companies and support this situation
will become more common.... salaries in the 'up and coming' economic
zones are $$cheap$$ and working rules/protection very weak... out of
hours working is not eg double time or time off in lieu. and VOIP
technology lets this play out cheaply too. They can probably train up
and hire 4 or 5 Eastern engineers for the price of a Euro or US
engineer on the phone (an Engineer limited to ~39hours /week and well
paid overtime/out of hours coverage etc)


anyway, technically - you booted your 6500's into a new IOS...they
actually came up, switched/routed for some time and THEN dropped back
to ROMMON mode?

alan