Cisco Intersight Playbook
This playbook is designed to provide you with use case education, customer requirements, and actions you'll need to take to help your customers navigate their Cisco product adoption.
You will be guided through the specific objectives of each stage of adoption and how they relate to the aligning automated digital experience.
As we learn more about what it takes for customers to be successful with their adoption, new resources and updated information can be added to this playbook, including if a customer becomes Stalled in Stage or requires additional troubleshooting aid.
Refer to the last page of this playbook for definitions, descriptions, and all associated resources to help your customer through their adoption.
How to coach for success with Cisco Intersight
Help your customers get started with initial Cisco Intersight onboarding steps, then learn how to tap into advanced features to further centralize, automate, and scale their network.
To assist your customer with Intersight Simplified Operations, help them unlock the full potential by guiding them through activation, implementation, and optimization. From claiming devices and creating policies to leveraging predictive analytics and live expert sessions, we ensure seamless deployment, operational efficiency, and continuous success.
To assist your customer with Intersight Workload Optimization, guide them through activation, implementation, and optimization. Leverage resources like guided deployment instructions, expert sessions, and community support to ensure seamless adoption. Encourage regular use of dashboards, automated actions, and updates to maximize operational efficiency and business outcomes.
Refer to the last page of this playbook for definitions, descriptions, and all associated resources to help your customer through their adoption.
Customers enter the Intersight Simplified Operations journey when they meet the following entry criteria:
Intersight Essentials, Intersight Advantage, Intersight Premier
UCS Director, UCS Manager
HyperFlex Data Platform
UCS Director, UCS Manager
HyperFlex Data Platform
UCS FI, UCS Chassis, UCS B, UCS C, UCS S
HyperFlex
HyperFlex
Customers are eligible for the Intersight Simplified Operations journey when they have purchased:
| Eligibility Rule | Hierarchy Component | Rule Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rule 1 | Infrastructure | Have any UCS B, UCS C, UCS S or HyperFlex |
| Rule 2 | License | Have any HypeFlex Data Platform or Intersight Essential, Intersight Advantage, Intersight Premier or UCS Director or UCS Manager or UCS FI, UCS Chassis or UCS S |
| Eligibility Scenarios |
|---|
| If Rule 1 is TRUE, then your customer is ELIGIBLE |
| If Rule 1 and Rule 2 are TRUE, then your customer is ELIGIBLE |
Customers enter the Intersight Workload Optimization journey when they meet the following entry criteria:
Intersight Workload Optimizer Essentials, Intersight Workload Optimizer Advantage, Intersight Workload Optimizer Premier
Intersight Workload Optimizer Essentials VDI, Intersight Workload Optimizer Advantage VDI, Intersight Workload Optimizer Premier VDI
HyperFlex Data Platform
UCS Director, UCS Manager
UCS FI, UCS Chassis
Intersight Workload Optimizer Essentials VDI, Intersight Workload Optimizer Advantage VDI, Intersight Workload Optimizer Premier VDI
HyperFlex Data Platform
UCS Director, UCS Manager
UCS FI, UCS Chassis
UCS B, UCS C, UCS S, UCS HyperFLex
Customers are eligible for the Intersight Workload Optimization journey when they have purchased:
| Eligibility Rule | Hierarchy Component | Rule Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rule 1 | License | Have Intersight Workload Optimizer Essentials, Intersight Workload Optimizer Advantage or Intersight Workload Optimizer Premier or Intersight Workload Optimizer Essentials VDI, Intersight Workload Optimizer Advantage VDI or Intersight Workload Optimizer Premier VDI |
| Rule 2 | Infrastructure | Have UCS B, UCS C, UCS S or HyperFlex |
| Rule 3 | License | Have HyperFlex Data Platform or UCS Director or UCS FI or UCS Chassis or UCS Manager |
| Eligibility Scenarios |
|---|
| If Rule 1 is TRUE, then your customer is ELIGIBLE |
| If Rule 1 and Rule 2 or Rule 3 are TRUE, then your customer is ELIGIBLE |
Refer to the last page of this playbook for definitions, descriptions, and all associated resources to help your customer through their adoption.
Guidance on helping your customer adopt Intersight Simplified Operations
In this stage, the customer will:
- Understand Cisco Intersight and its capabilities, in the context of the next generation data center
- Log into Intersight
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Created an Intersight account
Tips for Partner:
- Ensure your customer is aware of the value of having Telemetry enabled
Activate
Subject Line: Activate to begin your journey: Cisco Intersight
Preheader: Gain full use of your investment by taking these actions today
Trigger: Customer receives this email when they have not created their Intersight account
Goal: Promote creation of Cisco Intersight account, claim devices, and assign licenses
Preheader: Gain full use of your investment by taking these actions today
Trigger: Customer receives this email when they have not created their Intersight account
Goal: Promote creation of Cisco Intersight account, claim devices, and assign licenses
Activate
In this stage, the customer will:
- Attend relevant virtual events
- Review the Guided Resources
- Explore Cisco Community
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Received this email
Tips for Partner:
- Ensure your customer is consuming current Cisco content
Welcome resources
Subject Line: Bookmark these Cisco Intersight resources
Preheader: Everything you need for a successful deployment
Trigger: Customer receives this email when they have created their Intersight account
Goal: Provide customer with resources needed to adopt their product
Preheader: Everything you need for a successful deployment
Trigger: Customer receives this email when they have created their Intersight account
Goal: Provide customer with resources needed to adopt their product
Welcome resources
In this stage, the customer will:
- Have an active Intersight account
- Have an account linked in Smart License
- Claim devices
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Continually logged into Intersight
- Linked their account in Smart License
- At least one device claimed in Intersight
Tips for Partner:
- The more your customer utilizes Intersight, the better insights it will produce. Encourage your customer to continue logging in, monitoring insights, and claiming devices.
Best practices
Subject Line: Tips for your implementation: Cisco Intersight
Preheader: Implement these best practices for success
Trigger: Customer receives this email one week after the Resources: Getting started email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with implementation best practices
Preheader: Implement these best practices for success
Trigger: Customer receives this email one week after the Resources: Getting started email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with implementation best practices
Best practices
In this stage, the customer will:
- Log into Intersight Dashboard from within the organization
- Activate additional licenses
- Claim additional devices within Intersight
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Used Intersight on a regular basis and at least four times every 30 days
- Claimed 30% of the total devices purchased that are of M4 model or higher and activated 30% of the licenses purchased
- Received this email
Tips for Partner:
- Ensure your customer understands the value of continually logging into Intersight and claiming additional devices
Core features
Subject Line: Ready to configure and deploy Cisco Intersight?
Preheader: Getting started with Cisco Simplified Operations implementation
Trigger: Customer receives this email when there's a new contact one week after the Resources: Getting started email or when existing contacts’ stage = Use, Engage, Adopt, and Optimize
Goal: Highlight core product features and provide resources to learn more
Preheader: Getting started with Cisco Simplified Operations implementation
Trigger: Customer receives this email when there's a new contact one week after the Resources: Getting started email or when existing contacts’ stage = Use, Engage, Adopt, and Optimize
Goal: Highlight core product features and provide resources to learn more
Core features
In this stage, the customer will:
- Acknowledge alarms
- Acknowledge an advisory
- Create a policy
- Create a profile
- Install HX
- Install OS
- Claim a target
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Acknowledged alarms
- Acknowledged advisories
- Created a policy
- Created a profile
- Installed OS
- Installed HX
- Claimed a target
- Received this email
Tips for Partner:
- Ensure you're working with your customer to understand their strategic outcomes and encourage them to use features that support their objectives.
- Remind the customer of the value of continually logging into Intersight. Encourage them to use the mobile app to access Intersight from anywhere.
Feature focus
Subject Line: Enable these core features for Cisco Intersight
Preheader: Get to know these configuration best practices
Trigger: Customer receives this email two weeks after the Core features email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with information on Intersight's robust capabilities to ensure a seamless experience
Preheader: Get to know these configuration best practices
Trigger: Customer receives this email two weeks after the Core features email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with information on Intersight's robust capabilities to ensure a seamless experience
Feature focus
In this stage, the customer will:
- Acknowledge alarms
- Acknowledge advisories
- Create policies
- Create profiles
- Install HX
- Install OS
- Claim targets
- Claim devices
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Acknowledged alarms
- Acknowledged advisories
- Created policies
- Created profiles
- Installed OS
- Installed HX
- Claimed targets
- Claimed devices
- Received this email
Tips for Partner:
- Ensure you're working with your customer to understand their strategic outcomes and encourage them to use features that support their objectives.
- Remind the customer of the value of continually logging into Intersight. Encourage them to use the mobile app to access Intersight from anywhere.
Top 3 recommendations
Subject Line: What you should know about successful Cisco Intersight customers
Preheader: Use these top 3 best practices
Trigger: Customer receives this email two weeks after the Feature focus email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with best practices for claiming devices, acknowledging alarms and advisories, and creating policies and profiles
Preheader: Use these top 3 best practices
Trigger: Customer receives this email two weeks after the Feature focus email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with best practices for claiming devices, acknowledging alarms and advisories, and creating policies and profiles
Top 3 recommendations
In this stage, the customer will:
- Acknowledge alarms
- Acknowledge advisories
- Create policies
- Create profiles
- Install HX
- Install OS
- Claim targets
- Claim devices
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Acknowledged alarms
- Acknowledged advisories
- Created policies
- Created profiles
- Installed OS
- Installed HX
- Claimed targets
- Claimed devices
- Received this email
Tips for Partner:
- Ensure you're working with your customer to understand their strategic outcomes and encourage them to use features that support their objectives.
- Remind the customer of the value of continually logging into Intersight. Encourage them to use the mobile app to access Intersight from anywhere.
Advanced features
Subject Line: Unlock these advanced features for Cisco Intersight
Preheader: Mature your Cisco Simplified Operations posture
Trigger: Customer receives this email four weeks after the Top 3 recommendations for success email is sent
Goal: Provide tips to continue tuning their product and promote virtual events
Preheader: Mature your Cisco Simplified Operations posture
Trigger: Customer receives this email four weeks after the Top 3 recommendations for success email is sent
Goal: Provide tips to continue tuning their product and promote virtual events
Advanced features
Guidance on helping your customer adopt Intersight Workload Optimization
In this stage, the customer will:
- Understand Cisco Intersight Workload Optimizer and the IWO use case
- Log into Cisco Intersight and assess Intersight Workload Optimizer
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Created an Intersight account
Tips for Partner:
- Customers will need to have created their Intersight account before accessing Intersight Workload Optimizer
Activate
Subject Line: Activate Cisco Intersight Workload Optimizer to begin your journey
Preheader: Gain full use of your investment by taking these actions today
Trigger: Customer receives this email when they have not created their Cisco Intersight account
Goal: Promote creation of Cisco Intersight account, claim devices, and assign licenses
Preheader: Gain full use of your investment by taking these actions today
Trigger: Customer receives this email when they have not created their Cisco Intersight account
Goal: Promote creation of Cisco Intersight account, claim devices, and assign licenses
Activate
In this stage, the customer will:
- Attend relevant virtual events
- Review the Guided Resources
- Explore Cisco Community
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Received this email
Tips for Partner:
- Ensure your customer is consuming current Cisco content
Welcome resources
Subject Line: Bookmark these Cisco Intersight Workload Optimizer resources
Preheader: Everything you need for a successful deployment
Trigger: Customer receives this email when they have created their Cisco Intersight account
Goal: Provide customer with resources needed to adopt their product
Preheader: Everything you need for a successful deployment
Trigger: Customer receives this email when they have created their Cisco Intersight account
Goal: Provide customer with resources needed to adopt their product
Welcome resources
In this stage, the customer will:
- Have an active Intersight account
- Review Intersight Workload Optimizer license tiers
- Activate Smart Account for Cisco Intersight
- Claim IWO targets (on-premise and/or cloud)
- Download and install Intersight Assist Virtual Appliance
- Onboard devices
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Linked their account in Smart License
- Purchased a valid Intersight Workload Optimizer license tier (Essentials, Advantage, or Premier)
- Created two or more qualifying targets in Intersight for IWO
Tips for Partner:
- Valid target types include:
Amazon Web Services, Amazon Web Services Billing
Microsoft Azure Enterprise Agreement, Microsoft Azure Service Principal
Kubernetes
Cisco UCS Server (Standalone), Cisco UCS Domain (UCSM Managed)
Cisco AppDynamics
Cisco HyperFlex
VMware vCenter
EMC VMAX, EMC XtremIO, EMC ScaleIO, EMC VPLEX
NetApp
Pure Storage FlashArray - Note: On-premises targets that do not have built-in Cisco device connectors will require the Intersight Assist Connected Appliance
- Note: Off-premises cloud targets do not require an appliance
Best practices
Subject Line: Tips for your implementation: Cisco Intersight Workload Optimizer
Preheader: Implement with these best practices for success
Trigger: Customer receives this email one week after the Resources: Getting started email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with resources needed to adopt the product
Preheader: Implement with these best practices for success
Trigger: Customer receives this email one week after the Resources: Getting started email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with resources needed to adopt the product
Best practices
In this stage, the customer will:
- Verify that IWO is generating proposed actions from IWO targets
- Execute proposed actions to optimize critical IT resources, help ensure workload performance, and lower operational costs, both on-premises and in the cloud
- Utilize the built-in dashboards, either On-Prem Executive Dashboard or Cloud Executive Dashboard
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Clicked on either the IWO "Home" screen or the "Settings" screen at least 90 times in the last 30 days
- Received this email
Tips for Partner:
- While we wait for Turbonomic to deliver more robust product Telemetry, we are tracking how often the customer clicks on IWO pages to make sure they are using the product.
Core features
Subject Line: Ready to configure and deploy Cisco Intersight Workload Optimizer?
Preheader: Getting started with implementation
Trigger: Customer receives this email when there's a new contacts one week after the Resources: Getting started email or when existing contacts’ stage = Use, Engage, Adopt, and Optimize
Goal: Highlight core product features and provide resources to learn more
Preheader: Getting started with implementation
Trigger: Customer receives this email when there's a new contacts one week after the Resources: Getting started email or when existing contacts’ stage = Use, Engage, Adopt, and Optimize
Goal: Highlight core product features and provide resources to learn more
Core features
In this stage, the customer will:
- Create a what-if plan to execute additional IWO proposed actions
- Create named policies, ensure workload consistency, mitigate risk, and reduce operational costs
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Clicked on either the IWO "Home" screen, the "Settings" screen, or the "Plan" screen at least 170 times in the last 30 days
- Received this email
Tips for Partner:
- While we wait for Turbonomic to deliver more robust product Telemetry, we are tracking how often the customer clicks on IWO pages to make sure they are using the product.
Feature focus
Subject Line: Enable these core features for Cisco Intersight
Preheader: Get to know these configuration best practices
Trigger: Customer receives this email two weeks after the Core features email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with information on Intersight's robust capabilities to ensure a seamless experience
Preheader: Get to know these configuration best practices
Trigger: Customer receives this email two weeks after the Core features email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with information on Intersight's robust capabilities to ensure a seamless experience
Feature focus
In this stage, the customer will:
- Create a what-if scenario plan in IWO to visualize how resources can be optimized
- Execute at least five more recommended actions that move resources to ensure workload performance, lower operational costs, and mitigate risk
- Execute at least five resize recommended actions that increase resource capacity to ensure workload performance and mitigate risk
- Configure an action to be automated for either a full group or a scoped group
- Expand IWO deployment to integrate with other IT solutions such as ServiceNow
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Clicked on either the IWO "Home" screen, the "Settings" screen, the "Plan" screen, or the "Placement" screen at least 220 times in the last 30 days
- Received this email
Tips for Partner:
- While we wait for Turbonomic to deliver more robust product Telemetry, we are tracking how often the customer clicks on IWO pages to make sure they are using the product.
Top 3 recommendations
Subject Line: What you should know about successful Cisco Intersight Workload Optimizer customers
Preheader: Use these top 3 best practices
Trigger: Customer receives this email two weeks after the Feature focus email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with best practices for claiming devices, acknowledging alarms and advisories, and creating policies and profiles
Preheader: Use these top 3 best practices
Trigger: Customer receives this email two weeks after the Feature focus email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with best practices for claiming devices, acknowledging alarms and advisories, and creating policies and profiles
Top 3 recommendations
In this stage, the customer will:
- Execute at least five actions that resize resources down to lower operational costs while still ensuring performance
- Set up IWO to make auto-placement decisions by enabling Auto-Placement = TRUE to ensure workload performance, mitigate risk, and lower operational costs
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Clicked on either the IWO "Home" screen, the "Settings" screen, the "Plan" screen, or the "Placement" screen at least 370 times in the last 30 days
- Received this email
Tips for Partner:
- While we wait for Turbonomic to deliver more robust product Telemetry, we are tracking how often the customer clicks on IWO pages to make sure they are using the product.
Advanced features
Subject Line: Unlock these advanced features for Cisco Intersight Workload Optimizer
Preheader: Mature your Cisco Workload Optimization posture
Trigger: Customer receives this email four weeks after the Top 3 recommendations for success email is sent
Goal: Provide tips to continue tuning their product and promote virtual events
Preheader: Mature your Cisco Workload Optimization posture
Trigger: Customer receives this email four weeks after the Top 3 recommendations for success email is sent
Goal: Provide tips to continue tuning their product and promote virtual events
Advanced features
Refer to the last page of this playbook for definitions, descriptions, and all associated resources to help your customer through their adoption.
To further support your customers along their digital journey, you can provide them with key resources:
Refer to the last page of this playbook for definitions, descriptions, and all associated resources to help your customer through their adoption.