[c-nsp] Smartnet pricing?

[Justin Shore]

Steven Saner wrote:
> Is this really available? I was asking a SmartNet rep about this once 
> and was led to believe this isn't an option. Maybe it wasn't then and is 
> now? Maybe they were pulling my leg?

Sure.  For a 7206VXR the part number is SP-SW-7206VXRN.  However I don't 
generally recommend people buy it.  The software-only version doesn't 
come with any sort of hardware replacement.  For a wee bit more you can 
get the RTF SmartNet (SP-RR-7206VXRN).  That's Return To Factory 10-day 
turn around service.  That's what you should get if you're implementing 
a sparing strategy.  List on the SP-SW for a 7206VXR is $2688.  List on 
the SP-RR is only $2895.  So for a 7.7% increase in costs you can get a 
hardware replacement option.  8x5xNBD adds another $400 to the cost. 
24x7x4 is nearly double the SP-SW option.

The only time SP-SW makes sense is if you have an extremely large 
network and decent sparing strategy, where having a 1% hardware failure 
rate and eating the cost of the failed router (to replace it with a 
spare) costs you less than SP-RR coverage on all devices.  It's also 
good if you have a huge inventory of spares for a given model to back 
you up in case the covered unit shoots craps on you.

Personally I've taken my SP down the path of buying RTF coverage for 
everything that has a backup (hot or cold) and then putting either 
8x5xNBD (AR1) or 24x7x4 (AR3) on the devices that I don't have a good 
backup for.  The money saved was put towards buying more spares.  The 
collection of spares also gives me a lab to work in.  With those spares 
I can have a failed device replaced in an hour or two vs a minimum of 4 
hours plus however long it takes for TAC to decide that a RMA is needed.

Justin