Overview
Cisco® Wireless LAN Controllers support many different solutions, including mobility, voice, and context-aware mobility. The controllers are ordered and shipped independently of the applications that will be used by customers. To help ensure successful deployment of these applications and to better support customers, Cisco is beginning to track controller sales for controllers that are purchased for deployment in voice and context-aware mobility applications.
The following SKUs need to be ordered with controllers to track the deployment of voice and context-aware mobility applications:
• LIC-WLC-VOICE=: Voice-over-WLAN license for the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller
• LIC-WLC-CAS=: Context-Aware Mobility license for Cisco Wireless LAN controller
Order these application licenses at the same time you order the new wireless LAN controllers.
Delivery Content
When these licenses are ordered, a "paper license" will be delivered to the customer.
Cost
The cost of these licenses is zero (USD$0).
Controllers Supported by the New Application Licenses
All sales orders for the controllers listed in Table 1 should include orders for these new license(s) (that is, LIC-WLC-VOICE= and/or LIC-WLC-CAS=) if the customer intends to use the controllers for voice or context-aware mobility solutions.
Table 1. Controllers Supported by the New Application Licenses
How to Order
When you place an order for a controller, include an order for the required application license(s). If the intention is to deploy the controllers for voice or context-aware mobility, include an order for the designated license(s) at the top list of the sales order. If multiple controllers are included in the sales order, be sure to order the correct quantity of application licenses as well.
Distributors who stock controllers in their inventory should also stock the new application licenses to be delivered to customers with each order if the customer intends to deploy the controllers for voice or context-aware applications. Cisco recommends that distributors order spare application licenses to help ensure that they have a sufficient quantity of application licenses available to meet the needs of their customers.
Assessment to Quality Process
This process is being introduced to track product orders and evaluate the beta process. All customers and partners should order the new SKUs. Ordering these SKUs will not impact the ordering process.
Ordering the LIC-WLC-VOICE= or the LIC-WLC-CAS= license will also trigger the Assess to Quality (A2Q) process. The A2Q process is a Cisco design review and deployment assessment initiative that identifies and solves solution issues before controller sales order is shipped. Through the A2Q process, Cisco engages with its partners to help ensure the deployment-readiness of partners and their customers who order these new controllers.
To ensure successful deployments for voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) and or context-aware mobility solutions, the controller part numbers listed in Table 1 will be put on hold. Once an order is put on hold, the partner will be contacted to complete a web-based questionnaire that highlights the details about the customer, the partner's expertise levels with voice and VoWLAN deployments, and whether the design process is following Cisco guidelines, among other issues. Once the partner completes questionnaire and submits it to Cisco, the business unit team will review the feedback and determine deployment readiness. If there any issues that need to be clarified or resolved, the business unit will contact the partner in a timely manner so that the hold can be released and the order can be shipped. The A2Q process typically takes about two weeks, depending on how quickly the partner completes and returns the web-based questionnaire to Cisco. Cisco makes every effort to expedite the A2Q engagement process and assessment effort for partners who have good track records on A2Q feedback and deployment quality.
Questions and Answers
Q. What is the purpose for the LIC-WLC-VOICE= and LIC-WLC-CAS= application licenses?
A.
• To ensure successful deployment of these applications and better support for our customers
• To trigger the Assessment to Quality process
Q. What products do these application licenses apply to?
A. The application licenses support all of the wireless LAN controllers listed in Table 1. For these specific controllers, every new controller sold must have an application license if the controller will be used to provide voice or context-aware mobility services.
Q. How much does each application license cost?
A. There is no cost for these application licenses. The cost is USD$0.
Q. What is delivered to the customer when these licenses are ordered?
A. When these licenses are ordered, a "paper license" is delivered to the customer. The paper license is designated for the intended application (voice or context-aware applications).
Q. What is Assessment to Quality (A2Q) process?
A. The purpose of A2Q process is to:
• Formalize the sales process to help ensure that the design and deployment VoWLAN and context-aware applications meet Cisco guidelines and will be successful
• Refine the way in which the Cisco Unified Wireless Network should be deployed for VoWLAN and context-aware mobility solutions
Q. What if a partner orders a controller and does not order these licenses?
A. This is not an acceptable practice, because all controllers ordered for VoWLAN or context-aware mobility applications must include an order for these licenses. If a partner does not order these licenses, and runs into customer support issue for these applications, it will cause support confusion and negative customer experience. The Cisco Channel team will become engaged to follow up on cases like this for correction.