cc/td/doc
hometocprevnextglossaryfeedbacksearchhelp
PDF

Table of Contents

Welcome to the World  of  Networking
Safety Information
Warranty Information
Cisco Maintenance Agreements
Service and Support
Technical Support
Documentation

Welcome to the World  of  Networking

Thank you for choosing Cisco products as your networking solution. Cisco continues to provide leading-edge products for all your networking needs.

Cisco Systems is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Cisco's networking solutions connect people, computing devices and computer networks, allowing people to access or transfer information without regard to differences in time, place or type of computer system. Cisco provides end-to-end networking solutions that publics use to build a unified information infrastructure of their own, or to connect to someone else's network. An end-to-end networking solution is one that provides a common architecture that delivers consistent network services to all users. The broader the range of network services, the more capabilities a network can provide to users connected to it.

Cisco's offers the industry's broadest range of hardware products used to form information networks or give people access to those networks; Cisco IOS software, which provides network services and enables networked applications; expertise in network design and implementation; and technical support and professional services to maintain and optimize network operations. Cisco is unique in its ability to provide all these elements, either by itself or together with partners.

For further information, please contact your network supplier or call Cisco Customer Service at (800) 553-NETS (6387) or (408)  526-7208.

Safety Information

Before you install your Cisco product, read the FCC and other regulatory material, including the safety and site preparation section in either the User  Guide, Installation Guide, the Installation and Configuration Guide, the Public Network Certification document, or the Regulatory Compliance and Safety Information document that accompanied your order.

For your safety, Cisco includes translated safety warnings in this document.

Warranty Information

The manufacturer's warranty period for your new Cisco product can be found on the separate card that accompanies this booklet. Specific information about the warranty is provided in several languages.

Cisco Maintenance Agreements

Cisco customers have diverse needs and unique requirements. That is why Cisco has developed a wide range of comprehensive support services designed to meet many varied requirements. Support programs can be purchased from your local network supplier in packaged formats or from Cisco directly. The complete list of service options and descriptions is available from your network supplier, through Cisco Connection Online (CCO), in the "Services and Support" section of this booklet, or at the following URLs:

Large Enterprise Solutions:

Small and Medium Business Solutions:

Service Provider Solutions:

In some cases, as an alternative to maintenance support contracts, Cisco customers may elect to extend their warranties. Your network supplier can help you with these decisions. The following sections outline support programs offered to Cisco customers.

SMARTnet Service Program

Comprehensive On-site Service Program

Software Application Support plus Upgrades

Installation and Configuration Service Program

Advance Replacement Service Program

Extended Service Program (Available for Category 4 and below, only)

Service and Support

Cisco's commitment to your success has resulted in an extensive family of services, all easily customized to suit the specific needs of your organization, and scalable to grow as your networks grow.

Cisco Connection Online (CCO)

Cisco Connection Online (CCO) is Cisco's primary real-time support channel. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (24x7), CCO provides a wealth of standard and value-added services to Cisco's customers and business partners. CCO is easily searchable, and its services include product information, product documentation, software updates, release notes, technical tips, the Bug Navigator, configuration notes, brochures, descriptions of service offerings, and download access to public and authorized files.

CCO serves a wide variety of users through two interfaces that are updated and enhanced simultaneously: a character-based version and a multimedia version that reside on the World Wide Web (WWW). The character-based CCO, which supports Zmodem, Kermit, Xmodem, FTP, and Internet e-mail, is excellent for quick access to information over lower bandwidths. The WWW version of CCO provides richly formatted documents with photographs, figures, graphics, and video, as well as hyperlinks to related information.

You can access CCO in the following ways:

For a copy of CCO's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), contact cco-help@cisco.com. For additional information, contact cco-team@cisco.com.

Upgrades

Unlike other manufacturers who rely on hardware-dominant solutions, Cisco is able to respond quickly to changes in your networking environment, providing low-cost, immediate software updates, extending the life cycle of your hardware and, in fact, enhancing your hardware several times a year.

If you are a Cisco maintenance contract customer and upgrades are available for your product, these upgrades may be available without extra charge. This preventive support is a consistent facet of Cisco's support offerings: provide solutions and advancements through the most accessible and flexible mechanism possible.

You can find out what upgrades are available for your hardware from your local network supplier or in product bulletins on CCO (http://www.cisco.com/public/Product_root.shtml).

Technical Support

In addition to Cisco Maintenance Agreement options, Cisco offers a wide range of technical support packages and additional technical support tools.

Cisco FastStep and ConfigMaker

Some Cisco products include tools to assist you in setting up and configuring your new product. If these tools are included with the product you purchased, look for a separate CD-ROM. Further information can be found within the CD-ROM packaging or by loading the software on your PC.

Service During Warranty Period

If your hardware fails during the warranty period, contact the network supplier from whom you purchased your product. For more information, see the "Assistance" section.

Service After Warranty Period

If your hardware fails after the warranty period, contact the network supplier where you purchased your product.

If you have a Cisco SMARTnet or other maintenance agreement, request service under your agreement. You may purchase maintenance contracts from your local network supplier or from Cisco directly.

Assistance

If you have a maintenance agreement, request service under your agreement. You may purchase maintenance contracts from your local network supplier or from Cisco directly.

Depending on your product's warranty or service package, different assistance options are available.

Where to Begin

If you need assistance, do the following:

Step 1 Consult the warranty card that accompanies your product to determine your warranty period, and record the following information there (for your convenience, record the information here as well). Keep this information readily available.

I purchased my Product from:

Their phone number is:

Product Model and Serial number:

Maintenance Contract number:

Step 2 Consult this document, the Cisco Information Packet, for detailed warranty information.

Step 3 Contact the network supplier where you purchased your hardware; they will have the most up-to-date information and will know where to begin the warranty process.


Note Stop here unless you have the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) option available; it is not included in all warranty and service packages, and may incur an additional cost.

Step 4 Call Cisco's Technical Assistance Center (TAC) line if you have contracted for this service. This service is not available with all warranty packages.

Important Information

When you call your network supplier or Cisco, have the following information ready:

There may be additional charges for using these services. If you are unable to contact your network supplier, contact technical support from Cisco by calling (800) 553-2447 or (408) 526-7209.

Return Material Authorizations

If your unit fails and you are asked to return it under your warranty, follow these steps:

Step 1 Return the unit to your network supplier.

Step 2 If you cannot locate your network supplier, you may return the unit to Cisco.

All material returned to Cisco must be accompanied by an RMA number. This number is necessary to ensure proper tracking and handling of returned material at the factory. If you do not have an RMA number, Cisco reserves the right to refuse receipt of returned units. To obtain an RMA number, call (800)  553-NETS (6387) and select the RMA option. Your unit will be replaced following the applicable warranty guidelines.

Documentation

Cisco offers a complete set of Cisco customer documentation and selected marketing material in a CD-ROM package. The Documentation CD-ROM package also includes updated bug information to avoid or diagnose problems more quickly. A free copy of the CD-ROM package ships with most Cisco products.

You can view and search documentation on the following platforms with a CD-ROM drive: 680x0 processors running System 7.5 or greater, or PowerPC-based Macintosh systems, 486 (33Mhz) or greater PC processors running Win95/NT, SunOS 4.13 and higher, Solaris 2.4 and higher, AIX 4.1 and higher, and HP/UX 9.0.4, 10.10, and 10.20.

The viewing application conforms to user interface standards for Microsoft Windows and the Macintosh, Motif, or OPEN LOOK on Sun SPARC systems and IBM RS/6000 workstations, and OpenView on HP 9000 Model 700 or 800 systems.

Hard-copy installation documentation also ships with each hardware product. Additional copies of the documentation or the Documentation CD-ROM must be ordered and paid for separately. Ask your network supplier or refer to the Cisco Product Catalog for complete titles and descriptions of Cisco's documentation.

As always, the most up-to-date information is available from Cisco Connection Online (CCO).

Getting Started

Getting started information for first-time users of Cisco Systems products and product documentation follows.

Provides self-paced training on networking technologies. This multimedia CD-ROM from the Cisco Connection family of CD-ROM products explores terminology, protocols, devices, and the OSI Reference Model through text, illustrations, QuickTime animations, and self-administered exercises.
Offers general guidelines for planning networks and focuses on key design issues of implementations for large-scale IP networks, IBM SNA networks, ATM networks, packet service networks, and DDR networks.
Defines networking terms and acronyms used throughout the industry and in Cisco publications.
Provides up-to-date troubleshooting information for a wide variety of protocols, technologies, and platforms, including desktop and enterprise routing protocols, serial line and WAN link, bridging, and switching problems, and much more.
Addresses internetwork design, implementation, and technology, with Cisco solutions emphasized. Published by Cisco and MacMillan Computer Publishing.
Describes networking products offered by Cisco  Systems including which products meet your needs. Provides information about ordering and customer support services.

hometocprevnextglossaryfeedbacksearchhelp
Copyright 1989-1998 © Cisco Systems Inc.