Cisco Hardware and Software Warranty Information
This page provides answers to many frequently asked questions about our product warranties and return materials authorization (RMA) policies. For information about our Cisco® Small Business (formerly Linksys®) products, review the small business product warranty Q&A.
General Questions Regarding Warranty
How do I receive warranty support?
What is the role of a Cisco warranty?
What is included in a Cisco warranty?
What types of warranties are available for Cisco products?
How do I know which warranty applies to my product?
What events, activities, or actions invalidate my warranty?
Is the Cisco product warranty transferable?
What happens when a hardware failure is identified?
Where can I find the serial number on my equipment?
When will I receive my warranty replacement part?
Why do I still have to go through the Cisco warranty troubleshooting process when I know what the problem is with a particular part?
How can I track the status of my RMA?
What happens if my warranty period expires during the RMA process?
What do I do if I am unsatisfied with the progress of my warranty request?
What are my responsibilities as a customer for returning parts under advance replacement?
How do I know if Cisco has received parts I returned?
Are my advance replacement parts new?
What quality process does Cisco use for repairs?
What is the role of a Cisco Technical Services contract?
Why is warranty not sufficient for supporting the evolving network?
What Cisco Technical Support Services are available?
Are service maintenance contracts such as Cisco SMARTnet® Service contracts transferable?
Q: How do I receive warranty support?
A: Warranty support varies by Product and by Theater. Please answer the following questions and use the grids below to find how your warranty is supported.
- What is the warranty type for your product? (Enhanced Limited Lifetime Warranty [ELLW], Unified Computing System [UCS], and Small Business are exceptions)
- In what country was the equipment purchased? Point of Sale (POS)
- From whom did you purchase your product? Cisco? Partner?
|
WARRANTY TYPE
|
All Warranties Except ELLW, UCS, and Small Business Product Warranties
|
|
Point of Sale (POS)
|
Purchased from Cisco
|
Purchased from Partner
|
|
US/CANADA/AU/NZ
|
Return Material Authorization (RMA) support from Cisco
No Technical Assistance Center (TAC) support
|
RMA support from Cisco or Partner
No TAC support
|
|
REST OF WORLD
|
RMA support from Cisco
No TAC support
|
RMA support from Partner only
No TAC support
Cisco will only try to support if Point of Sale (Partner) is no longer in business
|
|
WARRANTY TYPE
|
ELLW Product Warranties
|
|
Point of Sale (POS)
|
Purchased from Cisco
|
Purchased from Partner
|
|
US/CANADA/AU/NZ
|
RMA and 90-day TAC support from Cisco
|
RMA and 90-day TAC support from Cisco
|
|
REST OF WORLD
|
RMA and 90-day TAC support from Cisco
|
RMA and 90-day TAC support from Cisco
|
|
WARRANTY TYPE
|
UCS Product Warranties
|
|
Point of Sale (POS)
|
Purchased from Cisco
|
Purchased from Partner
|
|
US/CANADA/AU/NZ
|
RMA support from Cisco
No TAC support
|
RMA support from Cisco
No TAC support
|
|
REST OF WORLD
|
RMA support from Cisco
No TAC support
|
RMA support from Cisco
No TAC support
|
|
WARRANTY TYPE
|
SMALL BUSINESS Product Warranties
|
|
Point of Sale (POS)
|
Purchased from Cisco
|
Purchased from Partner
|
|
US/CANADA/AU/NZ
|
RMA and one-year TAC support from Cisco Small Business Support Center
|
RMA and one-year TAC support from Cisco Small Business Support Center
|
|
REST OF WORLD
|
RMA and one-year TAC support from Cisco Small Business Support Center
|
RMA and one-year TAC support from Cisco Small Business Support Center
|
Q: What is the role of a Cisco warranty?
A: Warranty is to remedy manufacturing defects, not issues relating to the proper operation of devices or systems. Cisco’s standard 90-day warranty is typically a sufficient amount of time to uncover manufacturing defects not found during the robust quality assurance processes; however, some products have longer warranty periods.
Q: What is included in a Cisco warranty?
A: Warranties provide limited liability for Cisco or its designated representative to repair and/or replace defects in Cisco products. They are generally limited in both the duration and the support they offer. Warranties generally do not include Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) support, software updates, or any of the additional benefits obtained under a support service contract. It is the responsibility of Cisco or Cisco’s designated representative to repair and/or replace the Cisco product within the time frame identified in the warranty card or license agreement that accompanied the originally purchased Cisco product. Cisco reserves the right to refund the purchase price as its exclusive warranty remedy.
Elements covered under a Cisco warranty are:
- Hardware: This guarantees that the hardware will be free of defects in material and workmanship under normal use, or it will be replaced by Cisco or Cisco’s designated representative.
- Software: This guarantees that the physical media are free from defects, or they will be replaced by Cisco. Also, the warranty guarantees that the software generally conforms to the published specifications for the product. Software is provided "as is," and in no event does Cisco warrant that the software is error free or that customer will be able to operate the software without problems or interruptions. Warranty does not include software updates.
Note: Some Cisco Catalyst fixed switches are covered by the Cisco Catalyst OS software update policy. The software policy is not a part of warranty and is subject to change without notice.
Q: What types of warranties are available for Cisco products?
A: Cisco products currently come with one of the following warranties:
|
Warranty
|
Entitlement Descriptions
|
|
Cisco 90-day Limited Hardware Warranty
|
• Warranty duration: 90 days
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part within 10 working days after receipt of the RMA request. Actual delivery times might vary depending on customer location.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco End-User Software License Agreement and Limited Software Warranty
|
• Warranty duration: 90 days
• Warranty provides that the media on which the software is furnished will be free of defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and that the software substantially conforms to its published specifications.
• Software is provided “as is,” and in no event does Cisco warrant that the software is error free or that customer will be able to operate the software without problems or interruptions.
• Software warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, commences not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• The end-user license agreement grants to customer a nonexclusive and nontransferable license to use for customer’s internal business purposes the software and the documentation for which the customer has paid the required license fees.
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco One-Year Limited Hardware Warranty
|
• Warranty duration: 1 year
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part within 10 working days after receipt of the RMA request. Actual delivery times might vary depending on customer location.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Two-Year Limited Hardware Warranty
|
• Warranty duration: 2 years
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part within 10 working days after receipt of the RMA request. Actual delivery times might vary depending on customer location.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Three-Year Limited Hardware Warranty
|
• Warranty duration: 3 years
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part within 10 working days after receipt of the RMA request. Actual delivery times might vary depending on customer location.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco One-Year Limited Hardware and One-Year Limited Software Warranty
|
• Hardware warranty duration: 1 year
• Software warranty duration: 1 year
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part for delivery within 10 working days after receipt of the defective product at Cisco’s site. Actual delivery times of replacement products might vary depending on customer location.
• Both hardware and software warranties commence from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, commencing not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Five-Year Limited Hardware and One-Year Limited Software Warranty
|
• Warranty is available on optical hardware and software products.
• Hardware warranty duration: 5 years
• Software warranty duration: 1 year
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part for delivery within 15 working days after receipt of the defective product at Cisco’s site. Actual delivery times of replacement products might vary depending on customer location.
• Both hardware and software warranties commence from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, commencing not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Limited Lifetime Hardware Warranty
|
• Warranty applies to Cisco Catalyst® Catalyst 3K, 3K-G, 3K-E, 2960 and 4K Switches, Some limitations apply.
• Warranty duration: As long as the original end user continues to own or use the product.
• In the event of discontinuance of product manufacture, Cisco warranty support is limited to 5 years from the announcement of discontinuance.
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part within 10 working days after receipt of the RMA request. Actual delivery times might vary depending on customer location.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Enhanced Limited Lifetime Warranty
|
• Warranty applies to Cisco Catalyst 3850, 3K-X, 2K-S, C2KSF, and 2960C Switches
• Warranty duration: As long as the original end user continues to own or use the product.
• In the event of discontinuance of product manufacture, Cisco warranty support is limited to 5 years from the announcement of discontinuance.
• Hardware replacement: Where available, Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part for next-day replacement. Where next business day is not available, a replacement will be shipped the same business day if the RMA is received before the fulfillment warehouse cut-off time. Actual delivery times might vary depending on customer location.
• Warranty includes 90 days of Technical Assistance Center (TAC) support during local business hours, 8 hours per day, 5 days per week.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Small Business Pro Limited Five-Year Hardware Warranty
|
• Available for Cisco Small Business Pro Switch
• Warranty duration: 5 years
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part within 10 working days after receipt of the RMA request. Actual delivery times might vary depending on customer location.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Small Business Product One-Year Limited Hardware Warranty
|
• Warranty duration: 1 year
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part for delivery upon receipt of the defective product at Cisco’s site. Part will be shipped using ground shipping with shipping charges prepaid.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Small Business Product Three-Year Limited Hardware Warranty
|
• Warranty duration: 3 years
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part for delivery upon receipt of the defective product at Cisco’s site. Part will be shipped using ground shipping with shipping charges prepaid.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Small Business Product Five-Year Limited Hardware Warranty
|
• Warranty duration: 5 years
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part for delivery upon receipt of the defective product at Cisco’s site. Part will be shipped using ground shipping with shipping charges prepaid.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Small Business Product Limited Lifetime Hardware Warranty
|
• In the event of discontinuance of product manufacture, Cisco warranty support is limited to 5 years from the announcement of discontinuance.
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part for delivery upon receipt of the defective product at Cisco’s site. Part will be shipped using ground shipping with shipping charges prepaid.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Small Business Product Enhanced Limited Lifetime Hardware Warranty
|
• Warranty duration: As long as the original end user continues to own or use the product.
• In the event of discontinuance of product manufacture, Cisco warranty support is limited to 5 years from the announcement of discontinuance.
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement for next business day delivery, where available. Otherwise, commercially reasonable efforts will be used to ship a replacement part for delivery upon receipt of the defective product at Cisco’s site. Actual delivery times may vary depending on Customer location.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Unified Computing Three-Year Limited Hardware Warranty
|
• Warranty is applicable to Cisco Unified Computing System products only.
• Hardware warranty duration: 3 years
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part within the next Cisco business day after receipt of the RMA request. Actual delivery times of replacement products might vary depending on customer location.
• Software, including freeware operating systems and applications, is provided "as is," and in no event does Cisco warrant that the software is error free or that the customer will be able to operate the software without problems or interruptions.
• Both hardware and software warranties commence from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, commencing not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Limited One-Year Return for Repair (RFR) Hardware Warranty
|
• Warranty applies to select service provider video, transport, and access hardware only.
• Warranty duration: 1 year
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to repair or replace the defective product and ship the repaired or replacement part for delivery within 30 working days. Actual delivery times might vary depending on customer location.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Limited Three-Year RFR Hardware Warranty
|
• Warranty applies to select service provider video, transport, and access hardware only.
• Warranty duration: 3 years
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to repair or replace the defective product and ship the repaired or replacement part for delivery within 30 working days. Actual delivery times might vary depending on customer location.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Limited Five-Year RFR Hardware Warranty
|
• Warranty applies to select service provider video, transport, and access hardware only.
• Warranty duration: 5 years
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to repair or replace the defective product and ship the repaired or replacement part for delivery within 30 working days. Actual delivery times might vary depending on customer location.
• Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
|
Cisco Limited 5-Year Hardware and 5-Year Software Warranty for Qualified Service Providers
|
• Warranty is applicable to qualified Optical hardware and software products only.
• Warranty duration: 5 years
• Software duration: 5 years
• Hardware replacement: Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part for delivery within 15 working days after receipt of the defective product at Cisco’s site. Actual delivery times of replacement products might vary depending on customer location.
• Both hardware and software warranties commence from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of resale by a Cisco reseller, commencing not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
• Warranty allows guest access only to Cisco.com.
|
Q: How do I know which warranty applies to my product?
A: You can use our Warranty Finder to determine which Cisco warranty applies to a specific product or product family. However, your rights and Cisco’s obligations are determined solely by the warranty card (if any) accompanying your Cisco product, and warranty coverage is applicable only to the original end-user customer.
Q: What events, activities, or actions invalidate my warranty?
A: Non-entitlement to the Cisco warranty can occur when equipment is destroyed or scrapped, is determined to be non-genuine, is purchased on the secondary or “gray” market, or is stolen. For information about non-entitlement, review the following policy documents:
Q: Is the Cisco product warranty transferable?
A: No. The Cisco product warranty is nontransferable. A warranty is provided solely to the original end user of the equipment. For more information regarding the Cisco Hardware Inspection and Software Relicensing Program for used and secondary market Cisco equipment, visit the Cisco Hardware Inspection and Software Relicensing Program page.
Questions Regarding Product Returns
Q: What happens when a hardware failure is identified?
A: After Cisco determines you have experienced a hardware failure and are entitled to replacement part(s), Cisco or Cisco’s representative will issue you an RMA and provide you with information about your advance part replacement shipment. Before the RMA is issued, you must specify the part number and serial number of each part to be replaced. Replacement hardware may be new or like-new.
Q: Where can I find the serial number on my equipment?
A: You can use the Cisco Product Identification Tool to help locate the serial numbers of Cisco products. Currently, this tool contains data on select Cisco chassis, cards, and IP phones. It is regularly updated to include additional products. Log in and use one of the following methods to locate your product:
- Search by product ID or model name
- Browse for Cisco model
- Copy and paste the output of show command to identify the product
Q: When will I receive my warranty replacement part?
A: Contact the party that issued the RMA. Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement part within 10 working days after receipt of the RMA request or within 30 days if it is an RFR warranty. Actual delivery times might vary depending on customer location. The entity that holds the title to the goods is responsible for all importation fees and licenses. Cisco cannot be the importer of record.
Q: Why do I still have to go through the Cisco warranty troubleshooting process when I know what the problem is with a particular part?
A: When a warranty request is logged, the warranty support engineer will troubleshoot the issue to identify the faulty part, which might be a symptom of a larger problem. Even though it might seem quicker and easier to just send a part, if the part arrives and still does not resolve your problem, this only delays the resolution.
Q: How can I track the status of my RMA?
A: If you have an open warranty request, you can contact Cisco using the contact numbers.
Q: What happens if my warranty period expires during the RMA process?
A: An RMA request is treated as in-warranty as long as it was initiated during the warranty period. The request is considered initiated after Cisco is contacted regarding the possible hardware issue even if the Cisco TAC does not complete the troubleshooting process and issue the RMA until after the warranty period expires.
Q: What do I do if I am unsatisfied with the progress of my warranty request?
A: If you feel that the quality of warranty support from Cisco is not satisfactory, Cisco encourages you to contact Customer Support.
Q: What are my responsibilities as a customer for returning parts under advance replacement?
A: Returning parts to Cisco is your legal obligation. Cisco advances replacement parts to you because we know that these parts are needed for your mission-critical activities. After replacement, these parts belong to Cisco and are tracked accordingly. Within 10 days after you receive any advance replacement part, you must return the corresponding replaced part to Cisco, so it can be repaired and returned to Cisco’s working inventory. If you are unable to return any replaced part within 10 days, you are required to contact the Cisco asset recovery team in your region. Failure to return parts might result in Cisco invoicing your company for the part at list price or taking other appropriate action.
Q: How do I know if Cisco has received parts I returned?
A: If you have access to Cisco’s Order Status Tool (Warranty Order), you can enter your RMA number and check if the part has been received. Or you may contact Cisco to check status of a return.
Q: Are my advance replacement parts new?
A: Replacement parts provided to you might be new or functionally equivalent to new, at Cisco’s discretion; and Cisco certifies the parts as functional at the same level as new. This is an industry standard practice. In general, for newer products, Cisco is more likely to provide new parts. However, as products mature, Cisco establishes repair facilities to provide replacement parts.
Q: What quality process does Cisco use for repairs?
A: Cisco repairs only those parts that can be restored to a state functionally equivalent to new. Any part that does not meet this standard is automatically removed from inventory.
Questions Regarding Service and Support
Q: What is the role of a Cisco Technical Services contract?
A: The way network technology is deployed is changing, and the Cisco support model has to change as well. In business-critical environments, reliance on warranty is not a standard or advisable business practice.
As Cisco customers move from point-product buying decisions to architectural buying decisions, the role of support has changed. Software is providing more services over the network, and the level of support needed to make sure the software investment is protected is greater as well. Service deployment tactics need to be planned and designed to scale and to provide the flexibility to adapt to new needs. This sort of system-wide approach means customers need to be engaged more closely with Cisco experts, and warranty does not provide that.
Q: Why is warranty not sufficient for supporting the evolving network?
A: Increased desktop bandwidth, expanded use of real-time communication and collaboration applications, and the desire to maximize networking investments are changing the way network solutions are designed, implemented, and supported. As networks evolve to being wide-ranging service delivery platforms, critical characteristics such as service intelligence, system flexibility, ready adaptation, and investment protection are maximized through a software-centric networking model. With this technology evolution, the Cisco service strategy has also evolved.
Cisco OS and application software not only serves to maximize the effectiveness of the network by extending its service capabilities, it also serves to lengthen the useful life and heighten the return on investment of deployed networking hardware. As noted in the Yankee Group report, ”Is Cisco Worth the Premium?”: “To realize the benefits of convergence, a company must deploy the proper network foundation technologies to ensure the network will scale easily, will adapt to changing business climates and can support integrated advanced technologies without business interruption.”
Cisco provides services that can help customers improve business agility, network availability, and network total cost of ownership while increasing the network’s business value and return on investment.
Q: What Cisco Technical Support Services are available?
A: Cisco offers a portfolio of technical services that includes traditional maintenance as well as proactive and predictive services that have smart service diagnostic, alert, and remediation capabilities. Services are available to meet the needs of enterprise, service provider, and small and medium-sized business customers.
Q: Are service maintenance contracts such as Cisco SMARTnet® Service contracts transferable?
A: No. Standard service maintenance contracts are not transferable from user to user. For more information regarding the Cisco Hardware Inspection and Software Relicensing Program for used and secondary market Cisco equipment, visit the Cisco Hardware Inspection and Software Relicensing Program page.