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Cisco Smartnet - New download policy

rbtrepton
Level 1
Level 1

Goodbye Cisco,

You have now lost me as a customer as I will start looking to other vendors for my networking needs. Your new policy of requiring your cutomers to have an overpriced active contract for every model of every switch, router, firewall, etc. to download software updates is absolute bullsh!t.

Trying to get more money out of your existing customers is not going to help your poor performing stock prices and will in fact be detrimental to your bottom line as I along with others will now jump off the Cisco bandwagon.

I've already lined up meetings with Enterasys and HP to look over their products and discuss their warranties.

8 Replies 8

burleyman
Level 8
Level 8

The policy has always been that you could only download the software you purchased, and only update the revs of that when you had an active support contract. So if you downloaded other software that you did not pay for or upgraded software that you did not pay for, it was always againt policy. There is nothing wrong with this, it would be like saying to Microsoft hey I have 200 of the same model PC I just need one license and then install it on the 200 PC's and only pay for one licence...is that right? You will find the other companies will be the same way. Go ahead and say to HP and Entrasys that you want 20 routers and one IOS because you only want to pay for one IOS but install it on all 20 routers...see how far that gets you.

No Cisco bandwagon here....just a very reliable product and worth every cent.

Yes you are right in that you need an active support contract which we have. We've been paying thousands of dollars annually for that like so many other Cisco customers.

I used to be able to download software for my other Cisco products we've purchased that I now cannot because we don't have a contract on that particular model router, switch, what have you. In the past Cisco did not have this kind of restriction. Now they do.

So now if you are a Cisco customer and you have a device with an IOS bug in it does this mean you are screwed if you did not get a smartnet contract or let it lapse? Cisco SmartNet is EXPENSIVE, there's no denying that. Management of Cisco smartNet contracts is a BURDEN, there's no denying that either. Now I need to go to my director and explain to him why we need to all of a sudden spend $$K because of Cisco's policy. If that was their policy in the past then why are they all of a sudden trying to enforce it now? They are the ones that made the downloading of software from ALL their products from their website possible to customers with a support contract on any single device possible.

It's is difficult enough in this "Do more with less", ecomonic climate. My job of managing a growing network with less staff just got a lot harder.

I'll agree with you they make a good product but now thanks to this increased price point it is time to look and see what others have to offer.

You are very correct in that this will increase the cost of doing business. And you are correct they did not lock it down in the past and people were on thier honor to only download what they paid for. They now realized that they were losing a boatload of money because people were not following the policy. This will be true of all vendors. Ask the two places you mentioned, that if you do not have support contracts if you can download and use thier IOS when you want to upgrade, see What they say....I would be interested in hearing there response.

Yes many vendors will require you to pay for a support contract to get updates. Everyone that buys a piece of Cisco equipment already pays a premium over other vendors for the equipment. Now it appears we also need to pay a premium for their support which now their goal is to have everyone locked in for a least one contract per model for each type of device annually to get the latest software. With the frequency they come out with new models and end-of-support older models this is going to be too costly. There has to be better solutions for the industry.

I can tell you that this will make me second-guess purchases on software and Hardware. I will not purchase from Cisco if there is another option. I feel like that is the true Point Cisco is alienating the clientele from their software and Hardware.

There's always been updates for Hardware in security appliances. You should be supporting the device a very expensive device that you have sold.

if u look if u look at cisco 6500 no licsences  throw little out dated these units with right firewall will handle anything most busness needs i am disable with add , but i do consult , and telling all with over all bugent of 800k not by cisco out 9 3 have agree not to by cisco any more, and we push on rest do same, i ask all there is no reason to by cisco use the older equment save u a ton of money,   and if cisco has probem with that they need change how they deal with us 

what is not told. cisco has been figger printing every one who logs on here. what is figerprinting, they take all information from your pc and store it no matter what u do with that pc they know it u, and so do all hackers, also what is not told that cisco has the abuilt to add new user accounts, to take any all data, feachers not turn on on my swich i found cisco was useing them to gain access to my swich, now wait a min if they not install or turn on how can cisco use them, and that my very quistiom is it clear that there is two os running on all swichs, one we control one cisco controls,  and here is dangours in that as i see what data they changeing so can any hacker, why is cisco adding acounts to pice hardware that is no longer suppoted,  new 1 near top u see account beeing added, photo 2 asking for information on radius and tacuse servers wich are turn off , and not configer but yeat here we see that they are up and running, snmp logs shows ip address that i dont use and i never imputed into the system so some one did, there policy leaves lot out they up load your config file with all the user names and passwords, they dont tell u this, but this has huge probem cisco software made in chana, who been hacking us chana, so would not make sence they useing cisco routers and swiches to get our information,   we also paid in 60k to cisco and suppoted many devices , one a cisco 5020 had all permnet licssecns on it, cisco removed them, when i told cisco i was able to pull data from there servers they purge the data, and even throw i have had so many probems with ios cisco has refuse to even help me to restore the unit they told me throw it away spend another 60k  even throw i disable do to add, i do consult with some the biggest busness in ohio, and have advise them dont by cisco, 3 busness had buget of 185k combine about to by cisco has now reconsider and we looking at other options, 5 others are looking over my data at this time if they also follow will be close to 800k no longer going to cisco, in fack  this is crazzy part i have convence some to get older cisco swichs, 

that the swich with right blades will do all that they need and be 95pecent cheaper, as there no lic cost,  cisco has refuese to help me with a unit that refuses to load any lic key as os to far out date, cisco feels that no service contrack no help but yeat they more willing set up new accounts,  wich i have place a complant with fbi for hacking, nothing in user agreement gives them right to add or replace accounts or read and upload passwords, and config data,  yeat i ask where this data going going to chana, and we giveng chana all they need, we have no clue as a perople in it world what this meens, that chana can read any comptuer at any time and targer any computer or swich, and logs shown here prove that cisco is doing just that, we as people must start saying no that we move away from u as we dont need u, we also sell off there stocks cheep,  this kind of theft must be stop, i have all cisco ip address, do u know they share servers with microsoft and apple ? why  they supose be indepented but they working for same goal  o dag on all 3 have one thing in common all software being writen in chana. i am telling any one who i cousult with move away from cisco, that we do same job cheaper and get same performace,  cisco when they removed the perment lic was on there server it also show something else they del all the back up files for lic keys. they tageted the system, these files proves they doing just that so why are we doing busneess with them and i like ask cisco to send a awser to this, to each complant listed i like a plubiic awaser to it,  cisco know this we in computer world are makeing a small file each bit is tied to files when files are stolen the bits comes togarther and they look for data centers, now there only goal is have one short commanad spend down all harddrives, flash in every bios,  now if u wish come after us u would have to admit to theft,  ther be no fix for this as it being made that every computer would have bits of program tie to it so when data center rebuilt the program would retarget it it ack is a grate idae thanks to nsa, who gave it to us, and soon be online, and i be first to admit i will be more happy to use it, i like see how long they stay in busness with all servers down, hacking is cramil so is theft of data, if u steel something we only supose use in lab guss what  unless u know what look for  u never find it, good luck when it is place on all your swichs . love see your all faces when every thing just turns off . have fun with u hacking while u can as we waching every thing u do 

kyle woodhouse
Level 1
Level 1

Hi Guys,

I totally agree with the original poster.  This is causing so many people to reevaluate their purchases from Cisco that I can’t help but feel like it’s bad for them in the long run.  Forcing people to purchase support contracts just to maintain access to software downloads on each platform is pretty harsh. 

A piece of networking equipment is no different than a computer.  A router or switch is just a specialized computer designed to run at layer 3 or 2.  It has many of the same components, power supply, cpu, memory, interfaces, and software.  You pay for the license to windows 7 when you buy your computer and and you get software updates for the life of that machine.  Why not make any piece of networking equipment the same?  I don’t mean upgrades (ipbase to ipservices).  I mean if i buy a CISCO3925 router with the base level of software (IPbase) why should i not have access to updates to that feature set for the life of the router?  You pay for the license to that feature set when you buy the product.  That purchase doesn’t come with updates to that feature set?

Hopefully Cisco reevaluates this and makes some kind of program where people can get access to software "updates" without having to purchase a SmartNet contract.  Cisco already offers free updates for almost all small 1RU switches, why not include routers or higher level feature sets when a license is purchased?

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps10745/product_bulletin_c25-607000_ps6406_Products_Bulletin.html

Q. Where do I access the updates?

A. Customers who purchased a LAN Base or IP Base software license for the  Cisco Catalyst 3750-X or Catalyst 3560-X, or a LAN Lite or LAN Base  software license for the Cisco Catalyst 2960-S Series Switches described  in this notice will be provided with updates as long as the original  end user continues to own or use the product or up to 1 year from the  end-of-sale date for this product, whichever occurs earlier. Updates are  available at the Cisco website at http://www.cisco.com/public/sw-center/index.shtml by clicking "Downloads" and selecting "Switch Software". To download  software, you will be required to log in using your Cisco.com username  and password. If you do not have a Cisco.com username, you can obtain  one by clicking "Register" at the top of any page on Cisco.com.

I guess i just disagree with the way they are using SmartNet on some products.  There has to be a better way.... 

Hi Guys,

I totally agree with the original poster.  This is causing so many people to reevaluate their purchases from Cisco that I can’t help but feel like it’s bad for them in the long run.  Forcing people to purchase support contracts just to maintain access to software downloads on each platform is pretty harsh. 

A piece of networking equipment is no different than a computer.  A router or switch is just a specialized computer designed to run at layer 3 or 2.  It has many of the same components, power supply, cpu, memory, interfaces, and software.  The software for your windows 7 computer you pay for the license to windows 7 when you buy the machine and you get software updates for the life of that machine.  Why not make any piece of networking equipment the same?  I don’t mean upgrades (ipbase to ipservices).  I mean if i buy a CISCO3925 router with the base level of software (IPbase) why should i not be able to have updates to that feature set for the life of the router?  You pay for the license to that feature set when you buy the product.  That purchase doesn’t come with updates to that feature set?

Hopefully Cisco reevaluates this and makes some kind of program where people can get access to software "updates" without having to purchase a SmartNet contract.  Cisco already offers free updates for almost all small 1RU switches, why not include routers or higher level feature sets when a license is purchased?

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps10745/product_bulletin_c25-607000_ps6406_Products_Bulletin.html

Q. Where do I access the updates?

A. Customers who purchased a LAN Base or IP Base software license for the Cisco Catalyst 3750-X or Catalyst 3560-X, or a LAN Lite or LAN Base software license for the Cisco Catalyst 2960-S Series Switches described in this notice will be provided with updates as long as the original end user continues to own or use the product or up to 1 year from the end-of-sale date for this product, whichever occurs earlier. Updates are available at the Cisco website at http://www.cisco.com/public/sw-center/index.shtml by clicking "Downloads" and selecting "Switch Software". To download software, you will be required to log in using your Cisco.com username and password. If you do not have a Cisco.com username, you can obtain one by clicking "Register" at the top of any page on Cisco.com.

I guess i just disagree with the way they are using SmartNet.  There has to be a better way.....