April, 2016 How to Choose Collection Options for Smart Net Total Care

2 © 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential How to Use This Presentation  Audience: New Smart Net Total Care customers  What’s covered in this presentation: Details about the collection options available and factors to consider when choosing a collection solution for Smart Net Total Care  Purpose: Help the customer choose the best option for collecting and maintaining data in their Smart Net Total Care system  Last updated: April 20, 2016

3 © 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential The latest release of Smart Net Total Care provides flexible options for how data is gathered for analysis. Collection Options For customers already using a third-party device Third-party Collector For customers starting from scratch who have a medium to large size network Cisco CSPC Collector

4 © 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential The more effort you put into Smart Net Total Care The options are not mutually exclusive. You can use one, two, or all three options. Use CSV file import as a quick and easy first step to get started and discover the significant value of the SNTC portal and reports If you’re using a collector from one of the third-party vendors, this is probably your best option If you’re starting from scratch and have a medium to large network, choose the Cisco CSPC collector Cisco Smart Assist Service is available if you want help with collection deployment and ongoing use. And it provides TAC support for portal and collections …the more you get out of it!

5 © 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential CSV File Import Pros  No collector required  No additional cost  Temporary internet connection required for data upload to Cisco  May be able to extract required data from other systems (ex: NMS)  Provides a mechanism to upload unreachable devices and devices that are not part of the network (ex: spares) Cons  Limited information & analysis in reports (for alerts, s/w versions, etc.)  Limit to amount of info that can be provided; 50K lines  Manual process; customer takes responsibility for ensuring data is accurate and representative of their network  May be time consuming to gather device info and create CSV file  Data must be supplied in fixed format  Import can not be scheduled to run regularly  Updating for network changes is completely manual  No SmartData Advantage support Typical User: Small to medium company; Stable network with minimal changes Skills Required: Minimal network skills

6 © 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential Netformx DesignXpert Pros  No permanent installation of collector on network  Temporary internet connection required for data upload to Cisco  If already using with Cisco SmartAdvisor, essentially no additional effort  Full range of report data presented  Remote collection and upload supported  Project file/transport file can be uploaded from any DesignXpert tool and from anywhere Cons  Requires temporary network connection for discovery and data collection  Requires SNMP to be configured on target devices  Can’t schedule collection, and uploads to Cisco; requires manual process  Data collection may require opening firewalls  DesignXpert cost not included in SNTC Service  No SmartData Advantage support  No Cisco support for DesignXpert collector setup or operation Typical User: Medium to large company; Fairly stable network with limited changes Skills Required: Moderate network skills

7 © 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager Pros  Discovery and collections can be scheduled for automatic inventory updates  Full range of report data presented  If already using, only requires NCM Connector for SmartAdvisor to upload to Cisco Cons  Requires installation in the customer network  Requires effort & expertise to install collector  Requires SNMP to be configured on target devices  Can’t schedule uploads to Cisco; requires manual process  Data collection may require opening firewalls  Customer must supply environment for software collector virtual appliance  Requires installation of SolarWinds NCM Connector for Cisco to upload to Cisco  NCM cost not included in SNTC Service  No SmartData Advantage support  No Cisco support for NCM collector setup or operation Typical User: Medium to large company; Dynamically changing network Skills Required: Moderate to Expert network skills

8 © 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential Common Services Platform Collector (CSPC) Pros  Options for turnkey h/w appliance or s/w collector (3 virtual machine options)  CPSC software collector is free  Discovery, collections and uploads can be scheduled for regular, automatic updates  Full range of report data presented  On-demand transport file upload through the portal  Supports SmartData Advantage  Optional Smart Assist for help with deployment Cons  Requires installation in the customer network  Requires effort & expertise to install collector  Requires SNMP to be configured on target devices  Persistent internet connection required for scheduled uploads to Cisco  Data collection may require opening firewalls  Customer must supply environment for software collector virtual appliance Typical User: Medium to large company; Dynamically changing network Skills Required: Moderate to Expert network skills

9 © 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential Smart Net Total Care Collection Options Comparison Chart CSV File UploadNetformxSolarWindsCSPC Network SizeSmallMedium to Large Network Change Status StableFairly StableDynamic Technical Skill Level EntryModerateModerate/Expert CollectorNoneApp on Laptop Appliance on Network Upload Cadence Manual / On- demand Manual Manual or Scheduled Internet Connection to Cisco Temporary Temporary or Scheduled Level of EffortLowModerate/High

10 © 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential Smart Net Total Care Report Content Comparison Chart CSV File Upload Third-Party Collector CSPC Collector Contract Coverage Comprehensive PSIRTs optional fields required Comprehensive EOL SW optional fields required Comprehensive EOL HW optional fields required Field Notices optional fields required SmartData AdvantageXX Running/Startup configuration informationX if configured Bug correlationX