In today’s rapidly changing digital environment, IT efficiency and security are paramount. Many federal customers are taking advantage of the Enterprise Agreement (EA) while adopting Cisco solutions at scale, saving millions of dollars annually and accelerating value and innovation. Without EA, customers plan for years, are unable to prioritize and execute based on budget gaps alone. How can Cisco EA, FedRAMP’s integrated AI solutions, and Cisco’s Expert Care National (ECN) services increase your organization’s efficiency and trust?
Cisco Enterprise Agreements: Streamlining IT Management
Cisco Enterprise Agreements offer a comprehensive approach to software licensing, designed to simplify software acquisition, management, and recovery. By consolidating various software purchases into a single contract, organizations can achieve:
- Simplified management: One contract means one renewal date and one set of terms, significantly reducing administrative overhead. This consolidation allows IT teams to focus more on strategic initiatives rather than managing multiple contracts.
- Cost effectiveness: Grouping contracts within an EA often results in significant cost savings. Cisco recognizes prior investments and enables further cost reductions by consolidating existing software into a single contract. This approach can also simplify budgeting with fixed-term options.
- Scalability and flexibility: EAs are tailored to accommodate business growth or contraction, providing flexibility in software licensing in line with your organizational changes without constant renegotiation.
Cost savings through pooling and consolidating contracts
Service bundling under Cisco Enterprise Agreements offers additional benefits:
- Cost reduction: Consolidation can lead to reduced fees for technical services, including software support service (SWSS) and operational support, to maximize efficiency.
- FAR Compliant: Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) emphasize procurement efficiency. Cisco’s approach to bundling is consistent with FAR guidelines for optimizing government spending, particularly through streamlined acquisition procedures.
FedRAMP: Securing Cloud Software as a Service (SaaS) Solutions
The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is critical to enabling the government workforce and ensuring that cloud services meet strict security requirements. Here’s how FedRAMP affects efficiency and confidence:
- Standardized security: FedRAMP sets a security foundation for cloud services and reduces the risk of data breaches by enforcing compliance with NIST 800-53 controls. This standardization accelerates the adoption of cloud technologies while maintaining security.
- Impact levels: Services are categorized as low, medium, and high impact based on the potential impact on organizational operations, assets, or individuals. Understanding these levels helps in choosing the right cloud solutions that meet your data sensitivity requirements.
- AI capabilities: By integrating AI, FedRAMP offers support for enhanced features in cloud services, including advanced threat detection and automated security responses, which are critical to maintaining confidence in cloud operations. The availability of a Cisco SaaS compatible product can be a useful roadmap for interested customers.
National Professional Care Services: Increasing operational efficiency
Cisco Expert Care National Services complements the trust created by FedRAMP and the efficiency of Cisco EA Services by providing:
- Centralized support: Providing unified support across Cisco’s broad portfolio of products and services, resolving complex issues up to 55% faster than traditional product-specific support models, provided by local citizens with local data storage.
- Proactive management: Through Cisco CX Cloud, organizations gain insights and analytics that improve asset management efficiency by 96% and ensure that IT infrastructure is always aligned with business needs.
Compliance with Cisco Enterprise Agreements, FedRAMP compliance, and Cisco Expert Care National Services create a robust framework to increase IT operational efficiency and trust. By utilizing these programs, organizations not only ensure compliance with federal standards, but can also benefit from significant cost savings and operational agility. For those looking to transform their IT environment, these options represent a strategic way forward, ensuring both security and efficiency in an increasingly digital world.
Call your Cisco accounting team today or contact us to verify which EA best suits your requirements and accelerate your IT efficiency!
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