PRODUCT BULLETIN NO. 2445
Until recently, every release of Cisco IOS® Software feature sets for Cisco® 2600, Cisco 3600, and Cisco 3700 series multiservice access routers has been made available as spare parts or bundled into a prepackaged bundled spare CD that contains all current releases of the feature set. A Cisco IOS Software spare part that is not included in the prepackaged bundled Spare CD is shipped as a single image on a spare CD-ROM or other removable media. They are purchased by customers who are upgrading from the base feature set and by Cisco Systems® partners staging router configuration.
For more information about Cisco IOS Software Spare Feature Packs, read Product Bulletin 2248 for the Cisco 2600 Series, Product Bulletin 2445 for the Cisco 2800 Series, Product Bulletin 2249 for the Cisco 3600 Series, Product Bulletin 2250 for the Cisco 3700 Series, and Product Bulletin 2445 for the Cisco 3800 Series.
Beginning March 25, 2004, the method for ordering software spare images for the Cisco 2600, Cisco 3600, and Cisco 3700 series routers will change. With the introduction of the Cisco 2800 series and Cisco 3800 series in October 2004, this method is also applicable for these new series. After selecting one of the new product IDs listed in Table 1, customers may choose from one of the images available on the platform. Only one image may be selected for each CD-ROM.
Table 1. New Software Spare Product IDs
Following is an example for ordering Cisco 3745-SW-SPARECD. Pricing for the spare software images will remain the same on all platforms.
Figure 1.
ORDERING CISCO SPARE CD SOFTWARE IMAGES
1. From the configuration tool, select the 3745-SW-SPARECD (see figure 1 above).
2. From the options tab, select one of the images listed (see figure 2 below).
Figure 2.
Customers may order spare software images with the new method or by selecting one of the spare images (=) until May 25, 2004. After that date, the old spare image product codes (those with an equal sign at the end "=") will be removed from the price list, and spare software must be ordered using the method described above.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q. What is "spare software" or "a software spare" on the Cisco 2600, Cisco 2800, Cisco 3600, Cisco 3700 and Cisco 3800 series? When do I need to order one?
A. Spare software includes a copy of Cisco IOS Software on a CD-ROM, and most important, a license to use that software.
Spare software is required when a customer wants a new version of Cisco IOS Software and does not have a current maintenance agreement or when they have purchased used on the Cisco 2600, Cisco 2800, Cisco 3600, Cisco 3700 and Cisco 3800 series. Software licenses are not transferable from owner to owner.
Q. Why is this change being made?
A. Currently, Cisco offers a product code for each individual Cisco IOS Software image, and an additional product code for the same image as a spare. With the large number of available images, this new method reduces the number of product codes and eases navigation through the ordering process for software spares.
Q. What is the difference between the recently released CD Feature Packs and the new Configurable CDs?
A. In the Cisco CD Feature Packs, a Cisco IOS Software spare part CD-ROM includes all current releases of the feature set. These CD-ROMs are referred to as a Cisco IOS Software Feature Pack and currently exists for a number of feature sets. Customers need only to specify a platform and feature set when ordering a Cisco IOS Software Feature Pack. It is not necessary to specify a particular release.
Cisco IOS Software Feature Pack contents are updated quarterly and include the latest four maintenance releases from all open mainline release trains and all releases from the current T-train.
For more information about Cisco IOS Software Feature Packs, read Product Bulletin 2248 for the Cisco 2600 Series, Product Bulletin 2445 for the Cisco 2800 Series, Product Bulletin 2249 for the Cisco 3600 Series, Product Bulletin 2250 for the Cisco 3700 Series, and Product Bulletin 2445 for the Cisco 3800 Series.
In comparison, the new Configurable CD contains one release of any specified image.
The Cisco IOS Software Feature Packs are ideal for channel partners that require an inventory of latest releases to deploy on the spot without waiting for individual made-to-order CDs to arrive. The Configurable CDs are ideal for direct customers who order the products not configured by Cisco but who wish to configure the Cisco IOS Software image themselves at a later time.
Q. What are the changes in ordering?
A. Previously, customers ordering spare software chose a different product code for each image. With this method, they choose the spare product code for the appropriate platform then configure it with the appropriate software version-the process is a simplified version of configuring software on a new system order.
Q. Can I continue to use the old product codes?
A. The current format of spare software product codes will be available through May 25, 2004. After that, the new method must be used to order spare software. Exceptions are the IP and IP base images, which remain available as individual CDs or as part of the Cisco IOS Software Feature Packs.
Q. Does this change the pricing of spare software?
A. No. Although the pricing is allocated differently across the software spare product code and the software image itself, there is no change in the resulting price.
For more information, contact your Cisco account representative or reseller.
