Coleman Technologies Launches Coleman Automation for Cisco SMARTnet

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Coleman Technologies, Inc. (CTI), a Cisco Gold Certified Partner, today announced it has introduced Coleman Automation for Cisco SMARTnet, a no-hassle tracking tool for monitoring the day-to-day usability of Cisco SMARTnet service contracts. Suitable for businesses with large Cisco SMARTnet contracts, Coleman Automation for Cisco SMARTnet tracks supported devices and applications, ensuring they are accessible when needed, and contracted service levels are met.

“Contracts are created to give users 24/7 access to and support from the Cisco customer technical assistance center, as well as to allow them to receive software updates and upgrades, and utilize online support tools,” said David Winter, manager of managed services at CTI. “Yet each contract is unique and complex and can be difficult to manage. They can vary widely depending on the Cisco devices they support and the service contract expiration dates. Coleman Automation for Cisco SMARTnet simplifies the management process and decreases the potential for misunderstandings that can occur when customers must sort through wide-ranging terms and conditions.”

Coleman Automation for Cisco SMARTnet is particularly valuable to multiple-site organizations as it provides a convenient, aggregated and real-time method of monitoring what a service contract covers regardless of whether it is a single Cisco device or hundreds of devices installed across a far-flung network.

The mechanics of Coleman Automation for Cisco SMARTnet is simple. A monitoring appliance is attached to the network to permit CTI personnel to monitor service contract provisions for each Cisco device in use and under contract. The tool actively sends requests for serial numbers to Cisco devices. CTI uses the data to record products, model numbers and up-time information. Data enters an end-to-end configuration management database which keeps updating itself in real-time and providing reporting which is customized according to business needs.

Once the data is collected, the information is scrubbed and compared with details in relevant Cisco SMARTnet service contracts. These comparisons answer questions such as:

• Does this device carry a 24x7 service contract?
• Is service available weekdays only or also nights and weekends?
• Is this serial number on the list of devices covered?

“We take responsibility for alerting customers to discrepancies or misunderstandings and for updating them about what their contract actually covers,” Winter said. “Sometimes customers experiencing a problem will call for assistance only to be denied help because a particular device isn't covered. CTI's tool helps eliminate such misunderstandings.”

When a new networked Cisco device is installed, Coleman Automation for Cisco SMARTnet detects its serial number and prompts CTI, which alerts the customer about the device and what steps to take to get it covered. Conversely, when a Cisco device is removed from a network, the tool detects the incident and reports it, enabling the customer to collect a credit.

Coleman Automation for Cisco SMARTnet also help with another time-consuming task -- annual service contract renewals -- a cumbersome, painstaking ritual and can require one person's full attention for several months.

“We can free most customers of the renewal burden because CTI already knows what devices are operating where, thus lessening the data collection work considerably,” Winter said.

CTI's goal is ensuring each customer's investment in a Cisco SMARTnet contract is ready for use whenever devices need support.

“Our aim is simple: no misunderstandings,” Winter said. “Customers must know that contracted services they are paying for are services they are going to receive as required.”

About Coleman Technologies, Inc.

Coleman Technologies, Inc. (CTI), is an employee-owned business founded in 1995 to provide leading-edge IT and systems engineering services to public and private organizations. CTI partners with top manufacturers, including Cisco Systems, to deliver complete, integrated solutions. CTI is headquartered in Orlando, Florida, and employs more than 375 people with an engineer-to-sales ratio of 4:1. For more information, visit www.ctiusa.com.

Video: http://www.ctiusa.com/managed_services/sna.php

Data sheet: http://www.ctiusa.com/managed_services/SMARTnetAutomation.pdf