IOS question

A little reluctant to ask this, but I checked the FAQ and the IOS guide had a dead link to a PDF. Obviously I want the latest IOS my stuff can run. For a host of reasons I want to not violate any terms of service or do anything that would jeopardize my future. I tried to buy a SMARTNet subscription for one of the 1760s but they are no longer supported according to my CDW rep. So here are several questions..

When I try and download from Cisco IOS I am told I need a Technical Support Services Agreement . What is the easiest and cheapest way to get this? Buy a SMARTNet agreement on some gear that is current, but that I don’t own? Buy some cheap (if there is such a thing) Cisco device?
If and when I get a Technical Support Services Agreement will I have access to all the IOS images or just the ones for the Technical Support Services Agreement associated with whatever gear I buy?
The 3550 switch is new and one of the 1760s is new. Even though they are old and not supported is there a way to register them so that I have a Technical Support Services Agreement. Part of my issue if you have not figured out is I am not sure what the #@$% a Technical Support Services Agreement is with Cisco!

I have no problem spending a couple hundred to do this the right way. I understand there are other ways to do this, but again I want to do everything possible to do it the right way.

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tiersten

geek4god wrote: »

Buy a SMARTNet agreement on some gear that is current, but that I don’t own?

You can't do that.

geek4god wrote: »

If and when I get a Technical Support Services Agreement will I have access to all the IOS images or just the ones for the Technical Support Services Agreement associated with whatever gear I buy?

It used to be that you just needed a SMARTnet contract for 1 device and it'd let you download anything. Sometime at the start of 2011, they are/have changed it to only allow you to download files for devices that you've got the relevant SMARTnet contract on. I've not tried it recently so don't know.

geek4god wrote: »

The 3550 switch is new and one of the 1760s is new. Even though they are old and not supported is there a way to register them so that I have a Technical Support Services Agreement. Part of my issue if you have not figured out is I am not sure what the #@$% a Technical Support Services Agreement is with Cisco!

You're 4 years past the deadline for starting a new SMARTnet contract for a 3550. You're 3 years past the deadline for starting a new SMARTnet contract for a 1700.

geek4god

tiersten wrote: »

You can't do that.

It used to be that you just needed a SMARTnet contract for 1 device and it'd let you download anything. Sometime at the start of 2011, they are/have changed it to only allow you to download files for devices that you've got the relevant SMARTnet contract on. I've not tried it recently so don't know.

You're 4 years past the deadline for starting a new SMARTnet contract for a 3550. You're 3 years past the deadline for starting a new SMARTnet contract for a 1700.

So then there is no way to get the latest IOS from Cisco for any of the old gear, at least for me..

tiersten

geek4god wrote: »

So then there is no way to get the latest IOS from Cisco for any of the old gear, at least for me..

No. Not if the changes they announced last year have actually been enabled.

geek4god

tiersten wrote: »

No. Not if the changes they announced last year have actually been enabled.

Even if they have does not sound like a cheap or easy way to get to them! Thanks for the help!

geek4god

tiersten wrote: »

You can't do that.

It used to be that you just needed a SMARTnet contract for 1 device and it'd let you download anything. Sometime at the start of 2011, they are/have changed it to only allow you to download files for devices that you've got the relevant SMARTnet contract on. I've not tried it recently so don't know.

You're 4 years past the deadline for starting a new SMARTnet contract for a 3550. You're 3 years past the deadline for starting a new SMARTnet contract for a 1700.

Is there a link where I can lookup the smartnet experations?

tiersten

geek4god wrote: »

Is there a link where I can lookup the smartnet experations?

The two links I gave you list the relevant dates for 3550s and 1700s. If you want to find similar dates for other products then look it up on cisco.com and it'll tell you if it is an EOS/EOL product.

geek4god

tiersten wrote: »

The two links I gave you list the relevant dates for 3550s and 1700s. If you want to find similar dates for other products then look it up on cisco.com and it'll tell you if it is an EOS/EOL product.

Was doing that just did not know if there was a master list, tool, or thing that would let me see what was current. My 851 looks current and I can buy SmartNEt on it for 70.. Worth the experiment to see what happens.

Thanks again for the help!

tiersten

geek4god wrote: »

My 851 looks current and I can buy SmartNEt on it for 70..

The 851 was EOLed last January. You've got until 15th July 2011 to start a new SMARTnet contract. If your 851 is secondhand then you may need to relicense IOS since according to Cisco, the license for IOS is not transferrable. You'll have to talk to whatever Cisco partner you're dealing with for the SMARTnet contract as to whether this will apply to you or not.

You need to go here for EOS/EOL notices for the 800 range.