Cisco support (was [6bone] routing problem)

[Paul Aitken]

Michel,

 > You have no business coming on the 6bone mailing list or any IETF or
 > public mailing list with the typical Cisco attitude that says "you
 > should have asked us first".

I didn't (and wouldn't!) say such a thing. What I did say was:

» Then the clever thing to do would be to email some details to
» ipv6-support@cisco.com so we can check it out, eh?

which means that if anyone finds a problem or a bug in cisco kit, but 
doesn't tell cisco about it, there's no way we can help you so it's 
unlikely the bug will be fixed unless we find it during our own testing.

By all means report it to your favourite mailing lists and ask whether 
anyone else has seen this issue, knows a workaround or has a solution - 
but certainly for IPv6 issues, the folks most likely to know about it 
and be able to test and fix it for you are cisco ipv6-support, don't you 
think?

 > A good half of the 6bone mailing has more operational experience with
 > Cisco routers than most of your team.

I don't doubt that you folks have more operational experience. But we
did write the software that you're using.

 > I am sorry that you have to pay the consequences of TAC's
 > incompetence, but I deal with one company (Cisco) not with
 > individuals.

I understand that, and appologise if you feel let down by Cisco TAC. I'm
sure they're doing their best, sometimes in difficult circumstances.

 > Look at the email archives. Cisco is the only vendor with this
 > attitude on public mailing lists.

"Cisco" means thousands of individual people. It's regretable that any
of them exhibit this unfortunate attitude, but I'm sure no company likes 
negative publicity.

I can only speak for our IPv6 implementation, but for what it's worth,
if you think cisco IPv6 sucks, if you have a problem with it, then by
all means tell folks in public forums. But you know, we (cisco) can't do
anything to help you unless and until you send us complete details.
That's why I suggest that contacting us directly would be the best thing
to do in the first place, as it would with any vendor.

 > I warn you not to do this too often

Never have, never will. Please re-examine my original posting. It was an 
encouragement (to Sascha E. Pollok) to send details to us rather than a 
chastisement for posting publically as a first resort.

 > as I have a huge pile of documented dirty laundry with Cisco support
 > that nor you neither your management wants to see washed publicly.

I'm sorry to hear that. Let me know whether you'd like to take this up 
with senior management and I'll see what I can do for you.

Cheers.
-- 
Paul Aitken
IPv6 Development, Cisco Systems Ltd, Edinburgh, Scotland. EH6 6LX