Coleman Technologies Launches Coleman Automation for Cisco SMARTnet

Offering helps Cisco Customers Monitor and Use Service Contracts
ORLANDO, Fla.--(Business Wire)--
Coleman Technologies, Inc. (CTI), a Cisco Gold Certified Partner, today
announced it has introduced Coleman Automation for Cisco SMARTnet, a no-hassle
tracking tool for monitoring the day-to-day usability of Cisco SMARTnet service
contracts. Suitable for businesses with large Cisco SMARTnet contracts, Coleman
Automation for Cisco SMARTnet tracks supported devices and applications,
ensuring they are accessible when needed, and contracted service levels are met.

"Contracts are created to give users 24/7 access to and support from the Cisco
customer technical assistance center, as well as to allow them to receive
software updates and upgrades, and utilize online support tools," said David
Winter, manager of managed services at CTI. "Yet each contract is unique and
complex and can be difficult to manage. They can vary widely depending on the
Cisco devices they support and the service contract expiration dates. Coleman
Automation for Cisco SMARTnet simplifies the management process and decreases
the potential for misunderstandings that can occur when customers must sort
through wide-ranging terms and conditions."

Coleman Automation for Cisco SMARTnet is particularly valuable to multiple-site
organizations as it provides a convenient, aggregated and real-time method of
monitoring what a service contract covers regardless of whether it is a single
Cisco device or hundreds of devices installed across a far-flung network.

The mechanics of Coleman Automation for Cisco SMARTnet is simple. A monitoring
appliance is attached to the network to permit CTI personnel to monitor service
contract provisions for each Cisco device in use and under contract. The tool
actively sends requests for serial numbers to Cisco devices. CTI uses the data
to record products, model numbers and up-time information. Data enters an
end-to-end configuration management database which keeps updating itself in
real-time and providing reporting which is customized according to business
needs.

Once the data is collected, the information is scrubbed and compared with
details in relevant Cisco SMARTnet service contracts. These comparisons answer
questions such as:

* Does this device carry a 24x7 service contract?
* Is service available weekdays only or also nights and weekends?
* Is this serial number on the list of devices covered?

"We take responsibility for alerting customers to discrepancies or
misunderstandings and for updating them about what their contract actually
covers," Winter said. "Sometimes customers experiencing a problem will call for
assistance only to be denied help because a particular device isn't covered.
CTI's tool helps eliminate such misunderstandings."

When a new networked Cisco device is installed, Coleman Automation for Cisco
SMARTnet detects its serial number and prompts CTI, which alerts the customer
about the device and what steps to take to get it covered. Conversely, when a
Cisco device is removed from a network, the tool detects the incident and
reports it, enabling the customer to collect a credit.

Coleman Automation for Cisco SMARTnet also help with another time-consuming task
-- annual service contract renewals -- a cumbersome, painstaking ritual and can
require one person's full attention for several months.

"We can free most customers of the renewal burden because CTI already knows what
devices are operating where, thus lessening the data collection work
considerably," Winter said.

CTI's goal is ensuring each customer's investment in a Cisco SMARTnet contract
is ready for use whenever devices need support.

"Our aim is simple: no misunderstandings," Winter said. "Customers must know
that contracted services they are paying for are services they are going to
receive as required."

About Coleman Technologies, Inc.

Coleman Technologies, Inc. (CTI), is an employee-owned business founded in 1995
to provide leading-edge IT and systems engineering services to public and
private organizations. CTI partners with top manufacturers, including Cisco
Systems, to deliver complete, integrated solutions. CTI is headquartered in
Orlando, Florida, and employs more than 375 people with an engineer-to-sales
ratio of 4:1. For more information, visit www.ctiusa.com.

Video:http://www.ctiusa.com/managed_services/sna.php

Data sheet: http://www.ctiusa.com/managed_services/SMARTnetAutomation.pdf

Coleman Technologies, Inc.
Karen Newnam, 757.663.7960
knewnam@ctiusa.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009