WCS annual support: what do I get for extra AP license packs?

[stevebohrer]

I am not trying to be snide here, but I am having a difficult time understanding what new value I get for an extra SAU annual support package that my Cisco Partner says I now need, since I added additional AP licenses to the WCS software. This add-on SAU will more than double my annual support costs for the WCS software. I've called and emailed my partner several times on this, and basically it came down to "that's how Cisco does it now." I've also done on-line chat and a couple hours of phone  time with Cisco's pre-sales support, and technical support, but neither of them was able to give me any answer, and after passing me back and forth between their two divisions, they passed the buck back to my Cisco partner.

But, my question remains: What additional value do I get for this doubled price "Software Application support with Updates"? I can already download WCS software and WLC firmware. The only thing that has changed is my software's AP limit.

We've had WCS 5.0, with the original Base 50 AP license. The WCS server runs two WLC 4402 units, one set for 25 APs, and one for 50. We actually have 46 APs deployed. We've paid annual support since we first purchased this system, SAU software and upgrade support for the WCS software, and SmartNet hardware support for the WLCs. We have not had support for our actual AP hardware, as our partner recommended just buying spares instead, as a cheaper option. But, AP firmware updates come automagically with the WLC firmware updates.

We will soon be going beyond 50 APs, so we installed an 100 AP add-on license for the WCS. This changed the "About" box for the WCS software so it now says it is licensed for 150 permanent APs, instead of the original 50. (This add-on license cost more than $4,000, so I don't feel that I'm trying to get a bigger WCS system without paying for it.)

Recently I upgraded my WCS software to v5.2 and then to v6, and am currently at 6.0.196.0. I also upgraded my WLC firmware, which updated my APs. Everything seems to be working well, and these updates were all included in my basic SAU for WCS, which runs about $720 per year.

However, March is when our SmartNet renewals come due, and my partner says we now need to buy a second version of WCS SAU, supposedly a requirement with our additional 100 AP license. This add-on support ( part "CON-SAU-WLB100EX" ) goes for $1,080 per year, so my WCS annual support would now be $1,800 instead of $720.

As I said, I really don't understand what I'm getting for this additional money. We are a small enough college that I can't spend $1000 without justifying the expense. Already, with my existing WLC SmartNet payment I get firmware updates for my WLC and AP hardware, and with my existing WCS SAU payment I get software updates on the server. None of this seems to have changed with the additional AP license count.

(Note that although the WCS update package allows 100 more APs, my present WLC hardware really only allows an additional 25 APs.)

If nothing else, for $1,000 a year, Cisco should be able to give me a pithy explanation of what I am buying

In summary:

What does CON-SAU-WLB100EX actually support? Why do I need it?

What happens if I keep paying my CON-SAU-WCS support and my WLC support, but do not add this new charge? Is my WCS software still upgradeable?

Thanks for any insights you can provide,

Steve Bohrer

[Nicolas Darchis · Accepted solution]

I'm not selling support contracts, I just work in TAC. But here's my 2 cents :

If you have your license for your extra APs (which you said you already bought), your WCS will run just fine.

With regards to software download, either you have download access or you don't. The system can't prevent you to download WCS because it saw you had purchased more AP license than your support contract mentions. So download should still work in the future.

From a TAC perspective, if there is a support contract, we give support. We don't care at all how many APs people have.

So all considered, I have no idea what this extra support contract will bring you :-)

But since the Sales people in your region don't seem to gifted in explaining what they are selling, I would just go without that special contract unless they justify what it exactly adds and what you will lose if you don't take it. Probably if you don't say a word, they won't notice anything and will still support you nonetheless :-)

[stevebohrer]

Thanks Nicolas,

I like your common-sense viewpoint. Very great to hear that I might not need to spend this extra $$.

Steve