Staying Connected, Secure and On Budget with Cisco’s Business Resiliency Program

Staying Connected, Secure and On Budget with Cisco's Business Resiliency Program

There are two conflicting trends unfolding in the business world right now. One is that technology has perhaps never been more essential to the day-to-day operations of most organizations. The second is that, due to the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent government-mandated shutdown, budgetary and financial outlooks for the remainder of 2020 and beyond are completely up in the air. It’s a “rock and a hard place” scenario, however, Cisco has created multiple offerings to help keep organizations connected to the IT solutions they need now more than ever.

With an eye toward easing shutdown-induced economic challenges, the Cisco Capital arm of the technology giant launched its new Business Resiliency Program (BRP) back in mid-April. This program includes a 90-day payment holiday as well as a customer option to defer 95% of the cost of a new technology until 2021. Once January 2021 rolls around, customers who chose the defer option would then make monthly payments on the amount financed and the term remaining. Cisco’s full hardware, software and services catalogs are included in this offering.

Cisco is also working with partners like Arraya Solutions to expand the benefits of the BRP. For example, up to 5% of the cost of partner-provided services, e.g., installation, will be covered under the program. Furthermore, Cisco will continue to team with partners to ensure they are able to pass along the best possible deals to customers on Cisco solutions.     

Cisco unveils a series of product specific offers

Back in March, during the early days of the shutdown, Cisco announced it was giving away free, 90-day Webex licenses to any organization not currently using the platform. The idea was to give organizations access to the voice, meeting, and collaboration capabilities needed to help them transition into a remote work-oriented culture. Webex isn’t the only Cisco license available free for 90 days. Recently, the company added several more tools to that offer, such as: 

  • AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client: Cisco is offering new customers free licenses to the VPN solution to better connect and secure growing remote workforces. As for existing AnyConnect customers, they will be able to exceed previously-set user limits to achieve the same result.
  • Cisco Umbrella: Cisco’s cloud-based enterprise network security platform keeps workers safe, regardless of physical location. Again, Cisco is offering a free 90-day licenses to new customers and removing usage caps for those already leveraging the technology.
  • Duo Security: Cisco is extending their Duo MFA (Multifactor Authentication) offering, ensuring those connecting remotely to networks are who they claim to be. Cisco is providing free 90-day licenses for new customers and relaxed usage limits for current customers for the referenced solutions listed above.
  • Cisco AMP for Endpoints: Cisco is removing usage caps restricting AMP for Endpoints deployments. Current customers will be able to expand the reach of their AMP deployments, giving them greater visibility into and protection against advanced attacks on user endpoints.
  • Webex Events: Shutdowns have wiped clean corporate event calendars, disconnecting organizations internally and from their customers and prospects. Cisco is seeking to help re-populate those calendars (digitally speaking) by offering free access to Webex Events. This will let organizations to reconnect in large groups of both internal and external audiences. 
  • Cisco Webex Contact Center: Contact Centers inundated with calls resulting from this “new normal” will want to take note of Cisco’s enhanced Webex Contact Center offering. Organizations can benefit from:   
    • a quick deployment option, reducing rollouts to as little as five days from initial order placement
    • reduced commitments, now lasting just 90 days, that can also be re-upped on a monthly basis for up to 12 months
    • no minimum volume commitment or VPN connectivity requirement  
    • special considerations for qualifying healthcare providers 

Next Steps: Keep users secure and connected without breaking the bank

Need help taking advantage of any of the above Cisco offerings? The Arraya team is ready to lend a hand. Our team can connect your organization to any of the above offerings and we always work with our full complement of vendor partners to ensure our customers get the best deal on every engagement we undertake. Visit: https://www.arrayasolutions.com//contact-us/ and let us know how we can help.

We want to hear from you! Send us your thoughts and insights on social media. We can be found on: LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. While you’re there, follow us to stay up to date on our industry insights and unique IT learning opportunities.

Arraya Insights