Cisco equipment background check with serial numbers

Hello,

We would like to do a background check on serial numbers of several
cisco devices to check things such as which company was it sold with,
if it was reported as stolen or if the machines are still under
warranty or smartnet maintenance.

Our direct calls to Cisco resulted in nothing, the cisco
representative told us, that while he can check the serial numbers for
us, he cannot tell us anything about their origin / history / warranty
or smartnet status because of the "privacy reasons". Which kind of
makes a check pointless, isn't it? He also claimed that he cannot
check if the serials are reported stolen.

I find it hard to believe, there are some hints on the web stating,
that supposedly some of this functions are available under SCC section
of Cisco web site, but we are not able to access it with our CCO
account. The closest we got was the "Quick Search" under SCC
registration section, which always gives us "This functionality is not
availalble at this time." message.

We would be very thankful for any hints on whanever such serches
exsist and what are the minimal requirements to get access to them.

Thanks and best regards,

Kirill
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:We would like to do a background check on serial numbers of several
:cisco devices to check things such as which company was it sold with,
:if it was reported as stolen or if the machines are still under
:warranty or smartnet maintenance.

If you did not buy it from an authorized Cisco VAR, then
as far as I understand, it is no longer under smartnet: my
understanding is that smartnet is not transferable. Warrantees are
normally only 90 days or so, so if the equipment is not very new
then it probably doesn't have any warrantee (and I'm not sure
that warrantees are transferable either.) The software licenses
to use the equipment are not transferable.

If you bought the equipment from an authorized VAR -as- refurb
equipment, then the licenses should be okay, but if you bought the
items off eBay or through a broker who does not represent themselves
as being a VAR, then you should assume that all you have is a chassis
with no right to use and no warrantee and no support contract.

 

Thanks Walter,

The items in question do come from a broker and we are aware of the
licensing issues. But the most important issue to us is actually the
units history.

Do you know if there is a way to check things like first sale date,
which reseller they where sold trough and maybe even to whom, and last
but not the least: Stolen Serials blacklist check?

Best Regards

Kirill
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There are some instances where non-VARs like myself can include SmartNet on
used, reconditioned equipment. In my case, it is a result of being a
member of a large reseller trading group to make this work. This program
is working well and has been in effect just a few months.

-cnrc.gc.ca (Walter Roberson) wrote in

 

If you bought the equipment from an authorized VAR -as- refurb

Do you mean that a customer isn't allowd to activate a smartnet contract
without referencing to a cisco VAR or that the particular serial number is
traced and cisco can deny the activation based on the chassis history?
Tnx,
Tosh.

 

:> If you bought the equipment from an authorized VAR -as- refurb
:> equipment, then the licenses should be okay, but if you bought the
:> items off eBay or through a broker who does not represent themselves
:> as being a VAR, then you should assume that all you have is a chassis
:> with no right to use and no warrantee and no support contract.

o you mean that a customer isn't allowd to activate a smartnet contract
:without referencing to a cisco VAR or that the particular serial number is
:traced and cisco can deny the activation based on the chassis history?

As I recall, when you buy new Cisco equipment, you get with it
an entitlement code that you can enter in to Cisco's contract WWW site
to activate the warrantee. Once the item is registered to you, you can
buy a SmartNet package, which gets you an entitlement code you enter
in the contract site to apply to that registered system.

If you don't have that original registration code, then [as I recall]
Cisco asks for a VAR name and PO number (or direct Cisco PO number)
and [at least in theory] cross-checks it. If you didn't buy from a VAR,
and you can't establish rights such as your company having taken over
the original company, then the item is Used and you have to relicense
it before Cisco will register it to get to the point that you could
apply SmartNet against it.


What I was saying was that SmartNet does not transfer with the item
when it is sold unless it is an item sold as refurb through official
channels. A dealer has indicated that at least under some
circumstances, it is now possible to transfer SmartNet through less-
strict channels.

 

Warranty, software license and Smartnet are non transferrable.
http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/csc/refurb_equipment/swpolicy.html

There have been some interesting identify theft/serial number fraud schemes,
so there cannot be blind verification of such information to unauthenticated
callers.

The fact that at item is stolen is not always reported to Cisco.

Can you point us at those hints? There was a serial number checker at one
point, but it was removed due to abuse. There may still be (mistaken) hints
of its existence.

Right. The best way to verify serial number information is to contact your
Service Contract Sales rep (800-553-6387, option 4 (international +1 408 526
7208)), who should be able verify an item is eligible for service prior to
issuing a contract.

You might also contact the email address at the bottom of this page
http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/csc/refurb_equipment/swpolicy.html

 

Hello,

Here is what we have found out in a meanwhile, it might be useful to
anyone who wants to do the same checks:

To check the questions like:

* When and where was the equipment sold for the first time.
* Who was the first reseller.
* If it is or was under SmartNet maintenance or warranty.

Call Cisco Customer Service ** in USA **, even if you are from
overseas. Our expierence was that the support is most friendly and
helpful there.

To check the questions like:

* If the machines where reported Stolen.
* If the machines have any history like RMAs or similar

Call Cisco Asset Recovery center (You would have to go thru operator
and request them). Again, people are very friendly and helpful there.

In our case all machines where "clean" and had a history we actually
where told they do

Best Regards

Kirill
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What exactly is the question? It looks more like a table of contents/overview of some computer course to me.