Cisco Introduces Single Enterprise Agreement for Entire Software Portfolio

Cisco Enterprise Agreement represents another milestone in company’s journey to a software-centric business model

SAN JOSE, CA – May 31, 2017: To help organizations simplify software management and get the most out of their technology investments, Cisco today announced the availability of a new enterprise-wide software product and services agreement that will change how customers purchase, deploy and adopt Cisco technology.

Organizations of all shapes and sizes are demanding simpler ways to purchase, use and renew software technology. Today, most organizations struggle to manage multiple complex licenses, juggle contracts that expire at different times, and face compliance challenges. Organizations need software they can purchase when they want, deploy when and how they need, and easily keep up-to-date.

The Cisco®  Enterprise Agreement (EA) lets customers use the products and services they need today, then scale and add additional capabilities as they grow – simply and without penalty. Available in three- and five-year contract terms, the Cisco EA spans infrastructure, security and collaboration portfolios today, with other Cisco software capabilities being added over time.

Rewarding Growth
The Cisco EA is designed to encourage customers to grow by providing a 20 percent growth allowance and a unique “True Forward” provision. Cisco EA includes 20 percent extra software and software support services (SWSS) that customers can use toward unforeseen growth without purchasing more.  The traditional billing model used by most software vendors is a “true up” approach, in which there is a periodic review of customer software usage and retroactive billing for over-usage. With the “True Forward” provision, Cisco EA customers that grow beyond the 20 percent allowance will not be billed retroactively for any overuse of their entitlements. Instead, their contract is revised at the beginning of their next billing period.

Flexibility and Visibility

The Cisco Enterprise Agreement includes suites of products and support services for collaboration, Cisco ONE™ Software for infrastructure, and security. Customers can choose a single suite or a combination and get a single agreement for all products and services.  These suites include:

• Collaboration: Cisco Spark™ Flex Plan, Cisco Unified Communications Suite, Cisco Meeting Server add-on Suite, Cisco WebEx® On-Premises Suite, among others.

• Infrastructure: Cisco’s flagship infrastructure and data center technologies delivered through Cisco ONE Software suites: Switching, Wireless, WAN, Data Center Networking, and Data Center Cloud and Compute.

• Security: Email Security Suite, Cloud and Web Security Suite, Policy and Visibility Suite, and  Security Essentials Suite.

More details on these Cisco EA offers are available here:  www.cisco.com/go/ea

Cisco EA also provides flexibility for customers, allowing them to deploy their software in the manner that best fits their needs – whether on-premises, in the cloud, or in a hybrid model. Customers can add software suites to their Cisco EA contract as needed, and transfer licenses from their existing hardware to new hardware. Cisco customers with active Software Support Services (SWSS) are provided new innovation and features that Cisco delivers within the suite over the term of the contract.  And, to provide customers with visibility, Cisco EA also includes access to an online portal that lets customers see what software has been purchased, has been deployed, and is due for renewal.

Executive Quotes:

Mark Hill, Vice President, Digitization at Cisco: “As companies seek to develop new business models and create new revenue streams, they need a simple, flexible way to manage their software investments. They want to deploy on premise, in the cloud and in hybrid environments, on their schedule and budget. The Cisco Enterprise Agreement gives them a simple, flexible way to access Cisco technology, all from a single enterprise-wide agreement.”

Denise Taylor, Global CIO, Westfield Corporation: “Consumers are looking for more than goods and services. They’re seeking an enhanced customer experience. The retail industry is transforming to meet these expectations, and technological innovation is key to delivering new services and creating new business opportunities. The move to digital is something that Westfield has embraced and we are laying a solid foundation with a digital platform that connects retailers, brands and consumers. The Cisco Enterprise Agreement is a valuable component of our platform by providing us with a simple, single license for enterprise-wide solutions, and built-in provisions for organic growth.” 

Ken Farber, President, ePlus Software, a division of ePlus Technology: “Cisco Enterprise Agreement (EA) simplifies the customer experience by providing increased licensing flexibility and scalability, and allows our clients to better utilize a broader Cisco technology portfolio to attain maximum benefit from their IT investments. ePlus welcomes the new EA offering and will leverage its capabilities to provide the best value and business outcomes for our customers by incorporating its capabilities coupled with our consultative, best-in-class professional and managed services.”

Vinu Thomas, CTO, Presidio:  “Cisco Enterprise Agreement allows us to cement our role as a trusted advisor to our customers by helping them realize optimal business value from their Cisco software investments. Presidio offers a full life cycle of professional, managed, and ongoing support services including strategy, consulting, design and implementation. By building the simple, flexible Cisco EA into our proposals, we can offer our customers more options to utilize software, hardware and services over the duration of the agreement.”

Additional Resources

Cisco Enterprise Agreement Website: www.cisco.com/go/ea

Cisco Enterprise Networking Blog

Cisco Partner Blog

Infographic

About Cisco

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