Don't Like: Could Complicate Sales Process

Although Cisco said the new EAs make it simpler to purchase software licensing since it will all be under one agreement, one partner said this process could hit some road bumps within Cisco's separate business units and slow down the sales process. The EA technology portfolio spans Cisco's collaboration, security and infrastructure – Cisco ONE – solutions.

"I'm worried about it because I have seen it before, infighting between the different business units," said one top executive solution provider and longtime Cisco partner, who declined to be named. "I hope the conflicts of [compensation] between the business units does not dilute the overall simplification process, because it's definitely a possibility with everything being put into one agreement."

"The security BU says, 'Well this is how we're pricing our ELA.' Then the collaboration guys are like, 'Well this is how we're pricing it.' Then nobody comes to term," said the executive. "Cisco needs an overarching authority that says, 'This is how we're going to do our licensing everybody.' Then everybody gets a credit for it accordingly ... They still have to prove that they can do that."