Cisco

Network integrity begins with the purchase. Be sure of your supply source.

When the equipment you’re buying is mission critical, quality and authenticity should be your most important consideration.

Products sourced from outside the authorised Cisco Channels are not guaranteed by Cisco, and may pass through many hands before they are made available to you. Cisco is not able to offer assurance as to the handling, storage and shipment of these products.

Unauthorised shipments may include second hand, third party or even counterfeit products. Not only may these products function poorly in your network, they may also have invalid warranty and software licences, no support entitlement or incorrect configurations.

Getting the real deal – what can you do?

When placing orders or requesting quotes, Cisco recommends that you do the following:

Always source your equipment directly from authorised Cisco Channels.
Ask whether the equipment is new, genuine Cisco product and not second hand or pre-owned
Ask for a guarantee of genuine Cisco components and no third party or counterfeit substitutions
Be suspicious of prices that seem too good to be true – they probably are
Check that the equipment provided comes with a valid software licence
Check that the equipment provided has a full Cisco warranty enclosed
Ask whether the equipment entitles you to Cisco Service Support
Be wary of packaging that appears to be sub-standard, not original or seems to have been previously used or tampered with
Avoid dealing with any supplier who insists that you:
– order immediately to beat the price increase,
– take advantage of a special offer that is about to expire,
– reserve the last few remaining products in stock, or
– purchase OEM specials.
Resist Internet, e-mail or telemarketing offers that will send representatives to pick up your payment in person, or demand cash-on-delivery shipment.
Report suspicious activity to your nearest Cisco office, or send an e-mail to brandprotection@cisco.com
Include wording such as the following in your RFP for Cisco networking equipment:

“Unless otherwise specified, Vendor warrants that the Cisco products are new and in their original packaging. No substitutions are to be supplied without the Buyer’s prior written consent. Vendor certifies that the products are genuine Cisco products, are entitled to a full Cisco warranty and that any related software is licensed originally to the Buyer as the original licensee authorised to use the Cisco software.”

Don’t let this happen to you!

A typical case scenario:
Assured of authenticity and attracted by a heavily discounted price, one company decided to purchase networking equipment from a reseller who was not authorised by Cisco. Once installed, the company’s network began to experience downtime and maintenance issues. Concerned by such poor performance, the Cisco account manager requested the serial numbers of the company’s new equipment.

The serial numbers revealed that the Cisco Catalyst 6500 switches had been cobbled together using a second-hand chassis from Germany, second-hand Firewall Services Modules and new VPN concentrators from the USA, and a variety of batteries from the USA and Germany. The WICs, GBICs and memory inside the 6500s were third party products not covered by Cisco’s warranty. Both the IOS and firewall software were illegally upgraded.

The company’s ‘brand new’ Catalyst 2950 switches had a similarly international flavour, including products from China that had reached their end of life and were out of warranty, as well as one new 2950 previously belonging to a customer from France. It is not known how the 2950 left the French customer’s site. A Cisco 3750 switch from China was also involved, with Cisco records revealing that it was the subject of a dubious support agreement.

Essentially the company was left with potentially illegal or stolen equipment that was mostly out of warranty and unsupported. They also experienced issues with the IOS and firewall software licensing. The company was effectively using Cisco copyright software without a licence.

Cisco Partners:
Providing added value to genuine, quality Cisco products

Cisco believes that its success in the marketplace is in part due to a business model which places a high priority on careful selection and training of its Channel Partners. When you buy through an authorised Cisco partner you’re getting a lot more than high-quality products.

What You Can Expect from Your Cisco Partner

All Cisco certified and specialised partners...

Are specialised in one or more networking technologies including security, unified communications, mobility, routing and switching, and others
Have extensive experience to help you build and optimise your network for maximum business value
Are dedicated to a standard of excellence that helps ensure successful deployment
Work to understand your business and your unique requirements
Are established, seasoned business professionals who are trained in the Cisco Lifecycle Services approach

Why Choose a Cisco Partner?

All Cisco certified and specialised partners…

Meet the exacting standards of the world’s leading networking company and the industry’s leading channel program
Offer you the broadest range of networking technology skills, lifecycle services capabilities and geographic locations
Employ an average of five Cisco certified experts, each with a total of nearly 700 hours of training
Are rated an average of 4.54 out of 5.00 on independent post-sales customer satisfaction surveys
Can assist in the coordinated sequence of activities required for successful deployment and operation of your networking technologies

Genuine peace of mind.

New and authentic Cisco products entitle you to service support, upgrades, replacement guarantees, a valid software licence and full warranty. For details on Cisco Warranty, third party support, and software licensing go to www.cisco.com/go/warranty