SAN JOSE, Calif. - October 27, 1997 - Cisco Systems, Inc. today announced a new program inwhich qualified companies with expertise in implementing and supporting high-availabilitynetworks will provide a new set of professional services for Cisco customers.
The new Cisco Professional Services Providers program complements Cisco's existing service andsupport programs, offering customized solutions for those companies that either do not havein-house expertise or that need to augment their current resources. The initial offerings fromProfessional Services include: Program and Product Management, WANAudit, LAN Assessment and Consulting Services. Customers will benefit from these servicesthrough reduced planning and design time, faster network implementation, enhanced networkperformance, improved overall network availability and reduced cost of ownership.
"Our program is within budget and on time," said Sally Grant, vice president of NetworkServices at USAA. "We have one of the largest campus LANs in the world and we would not bewhere we are at today without Cisco's Professional Services."
Professional Services Providers are companies who already are Cisco Gold or Silver Certifiedresellers, or those companies that focus on providing professional services. All authorizedProfessional Services Providers have completed an approval process in which they are evaluatedon the basis of experience, expertise and references.
"Our ultimate goal is to provide customers with high-availability networking. We are activelyengaging our Professional Services Providers by providing them with new programs, services andmethodologies to meet the increasing IT challenges within the customers' organizations," saidJim Abrams, vice president of Professional Services at Cisco.
Currently North American members include:
- Cohesive Systems, a division of Global Internet
- Enterprise Networking Systems, Inc.
- Forsythe Solutions Group, Inc.
- GeoTrain Corporation
- Gray Peak Technologies
- Hewlett-Packard Company
- International Network Services
- Internetworking Systems Group
- NCR Corporation
- NetOps Corporation
- RealTech Systems Corporation
- RPM Consulting, Inc.
- Unisys Corporation
Comprehensive Service Offering
Program and Product Management assists customers in the planning, implementation and managementof a networking project, with the professional services provider acting as liaison between theengineering organization and management staff for the purpose of reporting and providingrecommendations.
WAN Audit and LAN Assessment provides a "check-up" on the health of a customer's network. These services enable customers to anticipate potential network downtime and plan for futuregrowth. Detailed information regarding system configuration, resource allocation and bandwidthusage are among the services provided in WAN Audit. LAN Assessment enables users to takeinventory of all network hardware and firmware.
Finally, customers can adapt Consulting Services to their specific network requirements. Thiscould be project engineering and management expertise or an individualized package that meetsspecific customer needs. Professional Services are available through authorized Cisco resellerpartners in North America and selected cities in Europe. Pricing is dependent on servicesrequired.
Services and Support
Cisco offers customers an innovative portfolio of service and support programs. Programsinclude installation and implementation services for fast startup, maintenance services toensure maximum system uptime and reliability and access to the latest Cisco IOS software enhancements through the Cisco Connection Online Web site to extend product life and speedinvestment return. In addition, the Network-Supported Account Program offers customers apeer-to-peer support relationship with Cisco senior engineers to provide proactive technicalconsulting from network design through optimization.
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is theworldwide leader in networking for the Internet. athttp://www.cisco.com.
Cisco IOS is a trademark, and Cisco, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo areregistered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain other countries. All othertrademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
