Cisco Systems Introduces New Partner Technical Support Services Portfolio.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 29, 2003

Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:CSCO)

       Portfolio Helps Enable Partners to Provide Customers With
                   Consistent, High-Quality Service;

  Shared Support Focuses on Partners' Own Brand of Support Services,
           Cisco Brand Resale Allows Partners to Resell the
                    Cisco Brand of Support Services

Cisco Systems Inc. today announced worldwide availability of Partner Technical Support Services, its new service program portfolio for qualified partners. Partner Technical Support Services consists of two programs, Cisco(R) Shared Support and Cisco Brand Resale. The Cisco Shared Support program helps qualified partners to sell and deliver high-quality network technical support services to their customers under their own brand, backed by Cisco technology experts, intellectual capital, support tools, software and leading practices. Cisco Shared Support helps partners differentiate their services offerings, provides access to Cisco parts and logistics infrastructure, rewards partners based on performance and customer satisfaction, and can enable an annuity-based fee structure. The second program in Partner Technical Support Services, Cisco Brand Resale, helps partners to bolster and extend their ability to provide customer support. Cisco Brand Resale helps the partner to maintain their relationship with the end customer while providing support for Cisco technology, without making an investment in support infrastructure.

This powerful combination gives participating partners' customers the ability to make a value-based choice. Both programs provide partners a core set of deliverables around which they can build more extensive service practices. This increases customer options while giving partners the ability to retain and expand existing customer relationships.

"We developed the Cisco Shared Support program to help qualified partners to address expanding customer needs for flexible support programs. The program allows partners to choose the Cisco service components that will help extend their own services offerings. This allows partners to differentiate their own brand of support relative to their competition while continuing to maintain high levels of end customer satisfaction," says Karl Meulema, vice president of Cisco Customer Advocacy, worldwide partner marketing. "The Cisco Brand Resale program helps partners to address expanded technological and geographical support needs in a way that lets them continue to own and expand the relationship with their customers."

Kelly Lynk, managing director, Cisco Global Alliance at Unisys, says, "The advantage to Unisys of participating in both the Cisco Brand Resale and Shared Support programs is the flexibility it gives us. We can meet with our customers, understand their requirements and then match those particular needs to the program that best addresses them. The Cisco Brand Resale program offers many advantages, one of which is its proven history of success. On the other hand, in some situations a client may have a multivendor network that requires support beyond that for a solely Cisco environment. In those cases, through the Cisco Shared Support program, Unisys can incorporate premium-level support services or support for multiple vendors, as well as Cisco, into the infrastructure. Or if the customer needs a service solution designed for the network, the desktop, servers and even the data center, Unisys can also meet that requirement by using the Cisco Shared Support program."

Through the Shared Support model, partners would be responsible for their services sales, contract administration and upgrades, and level I and II Technical Assistance Center (TAC) support. Cisco then provides the partners with Cisco IOS(R) Software releases and upgrades, level III TAC support and access to Cisco parts delivery infrastructure, all of which the partner will administer on behalf of their customer. Additionally, the Cisco Shared Support program offers incentives to the partners, based on performance and customer satisfaction.

The Cisco Shared Support program is available to certified channel partners that offer 24-hour live technical support, have an electronic case management and ordering infrastructure, and have an automated asset management system.

The Cisco Brand Resale offering allows partners to resell Cisco service programs and contracts. The Cisco Brand Resale program also helps partners to provide their customers with support services without having to make significant investments in developing and operating their own support infrastructure.

Both programs in the Cisco Partner Technical Support Services portfolio will be available worldwide to partners that meet the qualification requirements. The Cisco Shared Support program is the replacement for the Cisco SIS98 (Systems Integrator Support Exhibit 98) service program.

Availability of Cisco Partner Technical Support Services Program

The Cisco Partner Technical Support Services Program is available July 2003 in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. For more information about how your company can benefit from participation in the Cisco Partner Technical Support Services program for qualifying channel partners, contact your Cisco representative, or visit: www.cisco.com/en/US/products/svcs/ps3844/serv_category_home.html.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems (Nasdaq:CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Cisco news and information are available at http://www.cisco.com.

Cisco, Cisco Systems, the Cisco Systems logo, and Cisco IOS are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.