Cisco Channel Partner Program
Fast Lane takes you to your Cisco Partnership!
Broaden your skills across multiple technologies and deepen your skills within a specific technology area. Certifications and specializations grant credentials to resellers based on your Cisco expertise to help you better market your Cisco capabilities.
- Expand Your Value, Boost Your Revenue
- Enhance Expertise and Profits
- Earn Credentials to Increase Market Share
Based on your individual business goals and strategy, we support you choosing the most appropriate options of Cisco´s Channel Partner Program. In close contact with your management we analyze your qualification gaps and needs to build a perfectly tailored training plan to ensure you have the requested certifications and qualifications for your desired Cisco partnership.
CHANNEL PARTNER PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Cisco rewards partners for adding value to Cisco products and delivering a positive customer experience. Certifications and specializations measure criteria such as customer satisfaction and presales and postsales support capabilities—critical factors in becoming a trusted partner.
The Channel Partner Program focuses on a partner's ability to deliver intelligent networks and technology architectures built on integrated products, services, and software platforms. The program offers training in the latest Cisco solutions and architectures in addition to valuable branding resources.
How do certifications and specializations relate to one another?
Channel Partner Program certifications are similar to academic degrees. Some specializations are prerequisites for becoming certified while others provide specialized knowledge of certain technologies. Certification levels reflect a partner's technology skills breadth. The higher your level of certification, the more credentials and resources you need to meet the requirements.
Benefits to Becoming Certified and Specialized:
- Market recognition and branding: Cisco partner certification recognizes your technology expertise, specializations, and individual career certifications.
- Validation and credibility: As one of the world's strongest brands, the Cisco name lends added credibility to companies that achieve Cisco Certified Partner status.
- Quality standards: An objective third party conducts annual audits that help protect the integrity and value of Certified Partners and Master Specialized Partners, ensuring the inclusion of only the most qualified partners in our program.
CERTIFICATIONS
Certification reflects a breadth of skills across certain technologies and is based on your organization's ability to support customers within a single country or country grouping. Country-level certifications range from entry to highest level: Select, Premier, Gold, Multinational, and Global Certification.
Select Certification
Identifies partners that focus on selling into the small business market; recognizes and rewards partners who have achieved the Cisco Small and Midsized Business Specialization or Express Security Specialization
Premier Certification
Identifies and rewards Express Foundation Specialized Partners, Express Collaboration Specialized Partners or partners with any one of the Cisco Architecture Specializations. This certification reflects the partner's increasing technical competency in the integration of basic routing and switching, wireless LANs, collaboration and security technologies.
Premier Certification
Identifies and rewards Express Foundation Specialized Partners, Express Collaboration Specialized Partners or partners with any one of the Cisco Architecture Specializations. This certification reflects the partner's increasing technical competency in the integration of basic routing and switching, wireless LANs, collaboration and security technologies.
Gold Certification
Offers the broadest range of expertise across four high growth market opportunities known as architecture plays-Borderless Networks, Collaboration, Data Center Virtualization, and IP Next-Generation Network. Gold Certified Partners have also integrated the deepest level of Cisco Lifecycle Services expertise into their offerings and demonstrate a measurably high level of customer satisfaction.
Multinational Certification
Recognizes partners with expertise in selling, deploying, and supporting Cisco integrated solutions across multiple countries within a given Cisco geographical region. Partners that achieve the required number of Silver and Gold Certifications within the region will be recognized as Multinational Certified Partners for that region. To qualify, partners must have a multinational resale agreement.
Global Gold Certification
Recognizes partners with the expertise and resources to plan, design, implement, and operate Cisco networking solutions across the globe. Global Certified Partners must have a global resale agreement and satisfy certification requirements across three continental regions.
Specializations
Partner Specializations highlight the depth of expertise in a certain technology and are required for Partner Certifications. Requirements include Career Certifications and Account Manager training.
When you specialize, you can…
- Get recognized for your specialization in our Partner Locator
- Earn Cisco partner certifications
- Use incentives and promotions to help you win business and boost your bottom line
- Accelerate sales with your expert training
Cisco offers a range of options. Specialize to expand your business and become an expert in specific areas.
Express > Advanced > Master
Collaboration Specializations: Help your customers collaborate and innovate
Get your share of this $60 billion market. Be trained, recognized, and rewarded for your ability to deliver the business value of collaboration.
Express Specialization – Collaboration Express Track
Boost your skills. With the new Collaboration Express Track, you will gain knowledge in selling, designing, installing, and supporting many of the Cisco Business Edition 6000 portfolio of products.
You can also:
- Automatically become a Select Certified Partner on completion of the new Express Specialization
- Take part in channel incentives
- Visit the Design Zone for tested designs and configurations
Advanced Collaboration Architecture Specialization
Specialize to help your customers better connect with their customers, partners, and suppliers. With this specialization, you show you are an expert in the Collaboration Architecture. This portfolio includes unified communications, conferencing, customer care, and collaboration endpoints.
You can also:
- Get bigger deals through a solution-based sales approach
- Boost your profits by offering Professional Services
- Take part in incentive programs
- Migrate your customers' installed base through trade-in programs and promotions
- Promote your best-in-class capabilities and relationship with Cisco
- Find and sell our tested, validated collaboration solutions at special price points
Master Collaboration Specialization
Reach the highest level for Cisco collaboration solutions. Deliver voice and unified communications solutions to help your customers communicate quickly and effectively. Improve customer service and save time and money.
You can also:
- Boost your profits with unique incentive programs, rebates, and co-marketing funds
- Become an expert in delivering end-to-end voice and unified communications solutions
- Get early exposure to unified communications solution roadmaps
- Use a distinct Master Partner logo to position your best-in-class skills
- Access in-depth training and support resources
- Find and sell tested, validated collaboration solutions at special price points
Data Center Specialization: Become a data center expert
Today’s data center architecture must support a highly mobile workforce, data-driven business models, and the proliferation of devices. It must also seamlessly incorporate cloud applications and services. Help customers transform their IT to reach those goals. Specialize and boost your profits.
Express Specialization – Data Center Express Track
Show you are an expert in optimizing data center networks and servers, from sales to support. This specialization helps your company develop sales, technical, and service capabilities for integrated data center server solutions.
You can:
- Become a Select Certified Partner on completion of the new Express Specialization
- Benefit from partner incentives
- Access Sales Connect for ongoing education and sales enablement
- Visit the Design Zone for tested designs and configurations
- Access the Proposal Library for proposal, cover letter, RFx, Q&A, and executive summary templates to accelerate sales
Advanced Data Center Architecture
Specialize to advance your skill set. Meet customers' diverse data center needs for the digital era. Become an expert in converged infrastructure, multicloud hybrid computing, application or infrastructure as a service, and analytics.
You can also:
- Become an expert in unified management, unified computing, and network programmability
- Boost profits with unique incentives and trade-in programs and promotions
- Open new streams of revenue by offering professional services
- Use the Design Zone
- Find and sell tested, validated data center solutions at a special price point
Master Data Center and Hybrid Cloud
This approach integrates the three pillars of cloud: cloud applications and services, data centers, and networks. Building on your Advanced Data Center Architecture Specialization, the exclusive Master Data Center and Hybrid Cloud Specialization brings the data center mainstream. It recognizes and rewards partners who have proven capabilities to build and deploy cloud-ready data center infrastructures based on Cisco solutions. It also includes cloud offerings from our technology partners across storage, virtualization, and cloud management.
You can also:
- Use the Master Specialized in Data Center and Hybrid Cloud Partner logo to uniquely position your capabilities
- Benefit from working with Cisco technology partners
- Connect with more than 300 providers who have hundreds of cloud solutions ready for you to sell
- Access additional Value Incentive Program (VIP) rebates
- Enjoy Teaming Incentive Program and Opportunity Incentive Program discounts
Enterprise Networks Specialization: Empower customers to build digital-ready networks
Increase your market share by enabling customers to innovate quickly and reduce risk. Help customers transform their networks to meet today's digital demands.
Express Specialization – Networking Express Track
Jump-start your Cisco networking business with our new Express Specialization. The Networking Express Track of this new specialization focuses on on-premises switching, routing, wireless, and security solutions. It also covers cloud-managed solutions, including the Meraki product lines, support, and opportunities. Technical sales professionals will gain the foundational and practical knowledge needed to lead confidently with Cisco across industries and customer segments.
With this specialization you can:
- Automatically become a Select Certified Partner after completion of the Express Specialization
- Qualify for channel incentives
- Access Sales Connect for ongoing education and sales enablement
Advanced Enterprise Networks Architecture
Specialize to get the training you need to sell Cisco Software Defined Access (SDA) and SD-WAN solutions. Your customers can have the branch-office connections that today’s digital networks require while using less expensive WAN transport options. Maintain top performance, security, and reliability.
You can also:
- Boost profits by offering professional services
- Take part in the Value Incentive Program (VIP)
- Use the Design Zone for tested network designs and configurations
- Be recognized in the Partner Locator
- Find and sell more than 100 tested, validated solutions at a special price point
Master Networking Specialization
The network is changing fast. It’s becoming more complex and vulnerable to the millions of threats attacking it every day.
With your intent-based networking expertise, you can help your customers minimize these complexities and change the way they manage their business. Your in-depth knowledge allows you to take customers’ business goals and translate them into network policies; giving customers context, visibility, and insight into their networks. This is a game-changer.
It's your time to shine and be recognized as an intent-based networking genius. Bring your customers into the digital age. Build them the most secure and advanced network on the planet.
You can also:
- Boost your profits with our incentive portfolio. Earn discounts, rebates, rewards, and more
- Establish new recurring revenue streams with our professional services
- Use the Design Zone for tested network designs and configurations
- Be recognized as a Master Specialized partner in the Partner Locator
Security Specializations: Grow your business. Lead with security.
The threat surface has never been bigger or more complex. Only Cisco delivers truly effective security. And we want to help you build a more robust security practice. Specialize now and profit more.
Express Specialization – Security Express Track
The new Express Specialization helps you focus on customer business outcomes and threat-centric solutions. The simplified requirements make it much easier for you to receive additional discounts on new registered next-generation security solutions.
With the new Express Specialization you can:
- Automatically become a Select Certified Partner on completion of the Express Specialization
- Take part in channel incentives
- Access Partner Marketing Central for demand-generation materials to help you scale your security practice
Advanced Security Architecture
Achieve a higher level of technical expertise than most IT partners have. You can give customers more advanced solutions for their business needs—whether they’re small businesses, large enterprises, or anything in between.
You can also:
- Extend security capabilities with a broad portfolio of integrated solutions
- Take part in the Value Incentive Program (VIP)
- Increase deal size through architecture cross-sell opportunities
- Find and sell our tested, validated security solutions at special price points
- Take advantage of special discounts, and be recognized in the Partner Locator
Master Security
Network threats are becoming more complex. How can your company stay current with the latest security solutions? We'd like to help. Learn how to add security to all aspects of your customer's network. Adapt to new threats, and help your customers get the security coverage they need.
We've updated the Master Security Specialization to make sure your expertise is current. With this specialization, you’ll gain a powerful competitive advantage and become part of an exclusive group.
You can also:
- Boost your profits with incentives, rebates, and co-marketing funds
- Become an expert in delivering complex security solutions
- Get early exposure to security solution roadmaps
- Use a distinct Master Partner logo to position your best-in-class capabilities
- Access in-depth training and support resources
Service Provider Specializations: Help your customers make the shift to digitization
A service provider specialization positions you to capitalize on the unprecedented transitions occurring in the service provider market. Our Express, Advanced, and Master levels recognize your ability to be a player in this $18B marketplace.
Express Specialization – Service Provider Express Track
Use your skills in carrier-class routing to broaden your reach. Raise the technical competency in your company with presales and postsales training in core, edge, and access routing technologies. This training will enable you to help customers bring new services to market faster, reduce their operating expenses, and enhance the end-user experience.
This track enables you to:
- Automatically become a Select Certified Partner on completion of the Express Specialization
- Find opportunities in telco, over-the-top (OTT), media, public, and enterprise segments that need carrier-grade networks for building clouds
- Design, build, operate, maintain, and monetize services
Advanced Service Provider Architecture Specialization
Sell solutions based on the Cisco converged IP architecture. Combine this with your differentiated professional services to help customers reduce operating costs and boost revenue. Your account managers and systems engineers will have access to presales and postsales training that builds upon their routing capabilities, enabling you to provide IP convergence solutions. Increase your profitability by participating in the Value Incentive Program (VIP) and selling higher-value solutions.
This specialization satisfies a requirement for Gold, Premier, and Select Certification.
With it you can:
- Use an Advanced Architecture partner logo at the country level to position your capabilities and be recognized in the Partner Locator
- Gain eligibility to participate in the Service Provider subtrack of VIP.
- Find opportunities in telco, OTT, media, public, and enterprise segments that need carrier-grade equipment for building clouds
- Help customers migrate to new routing and optical products and solutions and to the next generation of mobile backhaul
Master Service Provider Technology Specialization
Win high-value deals more often and become a trusted advisor to service providers at a regional level. Acquire unique virtualization capabilities, such as expertise in SDN, segment routing, and NFV. Receive presales and postsales training for your account managers and system engineers and be recognized for your know-how in delivering service provider routing, optical, and backhaul solutions.
This specialization enables you to:
- Use a Master partner logo at a regional level to position your capabilities and be recognized in the Partner Locator
- Gain early access to training as it is developed.
- Find opportunities in telco, OTT, media, public, and enterprise segments that need carrier-grade equipment for building clouds
- Help customers migrate and converge to new service-provider SDN and NFV technologies, routing and optical products and solutions, and the next generation of mobile backhaul
Authorizations: Reach Niche Markets
Authorizations provide first-to-market opportunities for partners with specific skills, practices, and capabilities. Partners with the right foundation will receive access training, lab and demonstration buildouts, and additional Cisco support to promote the best customer experiences.
Cisco Collaboration SaaS Authorization
Collaboration SaaS Authorization ensures that partners have an understanding of the most recent Cisco Webex solutions, in order to design, quote, deploy and support the right Webex meeting solution for any customer.
Collaboration SaaS Authorization Program trains partners to gain the foundational knowledge of Cisco Collaboration SaaS solutions to effectively sell these cloud-based services. The program ensures partners have the right skills and expertise to sell Collaboration SaaS solutions to customers. In addition, it supports partners in building recurring revenue streams for their business and adding their own valuable services to ensure high levels of customer adoption of WebEx solutions.
With the Collaboration SaaS Authorization Program, you can:
- Increase recurring revenue streams and increase lifetime value of customer.
- Find new revenue opportunity via adoption services to new/existing customers.
- Have access to Cisco Collaboration pricing program and eligibility to rebate programs and CUWP Cloud program.
- Take advantage of Value Incentive Program rebates as part of the Collaboration Annuity track.
- Gain recognition in the Cisco Partner Locator.
HyperFlex Authorization
The new HyperFlex Authorization is the first partner program designed specifically to enable partners to sell and implement hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) technology through Cisco HyperFlex Solutions.
With the HyperFlex Authorization, you can gain market share, grow revenue, and secure your place as the Customer’s trusted advisor in the HCI market. Benefit your business with customers while also growing your partnership with Cisco and gaining incremental incentives and rewards, exclusively for HyperFlex Authorized partners.
The HyperFlex Authorization will:
- Build and promote your brand as a trusted Cisco Authorized Partner, able to deliver Cisco HyperFlex solutions.
- Offer additional up-front discounts to Authorized partners on HyperFlex products.
- Gain recognition in Partner Locator, Cisco SalesConnect, and other Cisco tools.
- Have exclusive access to learning maps and training opportunities in advances in IoT Technology.
Internet of Things (IoT) Authorization
The IoT Authorization enables partners to sell, implement and support Cisco IoT Solutions and grow their business by delivering industry-leading IoT Technology to your customers.
With the IoT Authorization, you can increase your profitability and simplify your customer’s IoT journey. Supporting customers means benefiting your business and furthering your Cisco partnership as well.
The IoT Authorization will:
- Build and promote your brand as a trusted Cisco Authorized Partner, able to deliver Cisco IoT solutions.
- Gain recognition in Partner Locator, Cisco SalesConnect, and other Cisco tools.
- Have exclusive access to learning maps and training opportunities in advances in IoT Technology
Customer Journey Platform Authorization
Customer Journey Platform Authorization enables select partners to sell, implement and support the Cisco Customer Journey Platform offer to mid-market customers.
Customer Journey Platform accelerates the Cisco Contact Center Flexible Deployment Strategy. Combined with Cisco’s strong foundation with meetings and messaging and the acquisition of BroadSoft, the platform offers a complete collaboration portfolio with flexible deployment options (cloud, on premise, or hybrid) to meet customer needs.
With the Customer Journey Platform Authorization Program, you can:
- Build and promote your brand as a trusted, Cisco Authorized Partner, able to deliver Cisco Customer Journey Platform solutions.
- Build long-term, strategic relationships with your customers via a SaaS solution that encourages ongoing dialogue to ensure customers are leveraging solution features.
- Take advantage of Value Incentive Program rebates as part of the Collaboration Annuity track.
This program is invitation-only. To learn more, contact your Partner Account Manager.
Unified Contact Center Enterprise
Provide intelligent call routing, network-to-desktop computer telephony integration, and contact management solutions to enterprise agents over an IP-based network.
If you have expertise in legacy TDM and PBX phone systems, IP-based telephony, and IP-based contact center solutions, then this program is for you. You must also hold a valid Advanced Collaboration Architecture Specialization.
With the Unified Contact Center Enterprise program you can:
- Provide enhanced call control, platform management, and reporting services
- Deliver a high-performance solution for enterprise-level contact centers
- Offer world-class customer service
- Increase customer satisfaction and overall business profitability
This program is invitation-only. To learn more, contact your partner account manager.
MSSP Cisco Umbrella Authorization
Today’s internet infrastructures are being attacked multiple times a day, every day. To get ahead of these attacks and prevent them from happening, customers need to be able to quickly detect threats such as malware and phishing before it reaches their network and endpoints. To do this, they need to build an intelligent network to be proactive and block these malicious attacks.
Our Managed Security Service Providers (MSSP) can now get access to a cloud security service that gives customers a first line of defense. Our Cisco Umbrella service protects end users on-network and off-network by blocking malware, phishing, and command and control callbacks. With this service, customers can stop threats before they ever reach an organization’s network or endpoints.
To sell this service, you’ll need to:
- Be an Authorized Cisco partner
- Two System Engineers complete the Cisco Umbrella MSSP training and 2 COLT Exams
- Provide frontline support
- Preferably have an operational SOC and an API developer or team
View the curriculum and assessments.
Cisco Enterprise Agreement Authorization
Help your customers achieve their business outcomes. The Cisco Enterprise Agreement helps you build strategic relationships, drive larger deals, and position your lifecycle management services.
With the Cisco Enterprise Agreement Authorization you can:
- Use a single platform to sell all cross-portfolio enrollments that span networking, data center, collaboration and security
- Block the competition with a long-term roadmap that aligns with your customer’s objectives
- Drive two to three times larger deals on average when selling through the enterprise agreement
- Increase profitability with a complete offer that includes your professional and lifecycle management services
Cisco Enterprise Agreements provides these benefits to your customers:
- Easy to buy: access to cross-portfolio software enrollments that span networking, data center, collaboration and security, plus financial predictability
- Easy to consume: true Forward means no retroactive billing, and customers get faster access to new capabilities and on-demand deployment
- Easy to manage: lower complexity and manage all licenses via a single dashboard that includes the ability to co-terminate software subscriptions
TelePresence Video Master
Offer the entire Cisco TelePresence experience through infrastructure solutions, architecture capabilities, managed services, and more. This program has 3 tracks tailored for businesses with a global or multinational presence.
If you have expertise in deploying the entire video endpoint portfolio and possess deep networking and Advanced Unified Communications capabilities, as well as a robust services practice, then this program is for you. You must also hold a valid Advanced Collaboration Architecture Specialization.
With the TelePresence Video Master program you can:
- Choose between Host or Satellite scaling models
- Gain access to several Cisco incentive programs and restricted TelePresence Video products
- Select from Global, Multinational, or MS Remote programs
- Be recognized as a Cisco Authorizations Partner in the Cisco Partner Locator
This program is invitation-only. To learn more, contact your partner account manager.
IP Fabric for Media
The media industry is going through a major change right now. For years, broadcasters have been using out of date technology to create and deliver videos. Today, customers want and expect more. Creating video using Serial Device Interface (SDI) technology is limiting. Moving to Internet Protocol (IP) based workflows puts broadcasters back in the control seat.
However, they can’t make this change alone. They need you, our partner.
What’s in it for you? Expand into a $1B new market opportunity. Build customer confidence. Show them you’re an expert. Increase your sales. Partner with us and our partner ecosystem. Earn incentives and rewards. Build your brand and become a Cisco Authorized Partner. By invitation-only. To learn more, contact your partner account manager.