Cisco Systems Partner Network

2017: Cisco improves affiliate programs

At the Summit of partners (Partner Summit 2017) which is taking place this week in Dallas (USA), Cisco announced in November a number of the changes in work with partners directed to simplification of the program of receiving specializations, expansion of the sphere of competences and gain of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Receiving and confirmation of qualification. Cisco significantly simplifies the procedure of assignment of specializations, in particular, of the Master level, and begins to consider work experience of partners in these or those industries.

• Simplification of process of receiving specializations. Process of simplification began in August, 2017 when Cisco abolished 10 specializations of the Express level, having left only one, Cisco including tracks on all architecture. Instead of ten specializations of the Advanced level there will be 5 specializations of Advanced Architecture. For the purpose of rationalization all specializations of the Advanced level, except for Advanced Video, are cancelled, at the same time technical qualification (Technical Adoption Capabilities), necessary for them, is transferred to new specializations of Advanced Architecture. Thus, partners had an opportunity of flexible adaptation and differentiation, at the same time for all specializations of the Advanced level the uniform quality and level of technical qualification are provided. Such reduction significantly simplifies a portfolio of programs of specialization and gives to partners of Cisco new opportunities to be selected among competitors.
• New specialization of Master Networking. The intuitive network Cisco provided in June of the current year functioning on the basis of intentions (intent-based network) cardinally changes approach to the organization of network interaction. New specialization will help partners of Cisco to improve the skills for providing the solutions to customers necessary during a new network era. Specialization of Cisco Master Networking will open in March, 2018, its receiving assumes knowledge of necessary services and the software, afterwards it will serve as a sample for other specializations.
• Confirmation of industry experience (Industry Expertise). Using this Cisco procedure gives to partners the chance to show the knowledge in certain industries, first of all in the field of retail, production and health care. It is impossible to revaluate importance of knowledge the partner of industry requirements and also abilities as appropriate to adapt solutions. The new procedure of confirmation of industry experience will allow partners to succeed among competitors. It will open in January, 2018 for all certified partners with the status Premier, Gold and Master.

Digital updating (Refresh to Digital)

According to IDC, within the next two years of 45% of the organizations around the world are going to implement quickly more automated and "autonomous" network which meets requirements of digital business. Cisco developed a number of the initiatives designed to help partners to implement these conversions.

• The program of encouragement of migration (Migration Incentive Program, MIP) gives to partners of an opportunity for migration of the customers using the legacy equipment on new technologies. The MIP program offers the accruing discounts for all software, hardware and service solutions of migration corresponding to certain criteria in the Cisco Commerce Workspace (CCW) system. The program also provides additional incentives of implementation for certain technologies and helps partners to save significantly time at signing of the contracts and implementation of the latest technical solutions.
• The accelerated registration of transactions. Improvement of process of registration happens in three directions: simplification of registration thanks to conversion of 15 programs of search of orders to 2 programs, simplification of the procedure of receiving confirmation (completion date — 4 hours), the general optimization giving the chance to partners to focus on sales, but not on execution of the transaction. As a result partners save time for the subsequent sales and reduce laid on operating costs at execution of transactions.

Income of lifecycle and regular income (Lifecycle and Recurring Revenue)

Cisco suggests partners to build sales strategy on the basis of lifecycle of the software. Such model simplifies sales and facilitates receiving a regular income. New incentives will help partners to accelerate sales of software solutions with the subsequent exit to partner services.

• VIP Activate. Cisco enters an activation bonus for the program of receiving an additional profit (Value Incentive Program, the VIP) which increases the postponed discounts (back-end rebate) for the solutions Cisco ONE and DNA Advantage and also for solutions of security of ISE and Stealthwatch. This bonus encourages software activation at initial sale and increases quantity of software technologies which are activated for each customer.
• VIP Annuity. Aiming to increase the income of partners, Cisco complemented the VIP program with an option of regular payments of Enterprise Networking and Data Center Annuity. This option promotes transition of partners to regular payments on the basis of performance using the simple predicted model of regular discounts.

2014

Cisco Systems submitted in March, 2014 the rebuilt program of work with the channel at the annual Summit of partners in Las Vegas. Changes affect a lot of things, from a certification process and before registration of transactions. The company takes away from 16 to 24 months on that partners passed to its new requirements. There are ten main changes about which partners should know to be prepared for transition.

Uniform registration of transactions

Within strategy since 2014 all earlier separate programs of registration of transactions, namely: Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP), Teaming Incentive Program (TIP) and Solutions Incentive Program (SIP), - come down in one now. However, these changes did not concern the VIP.

The integrated program of registration of transactions, tells Cisco, will have several lines of remuneration of partners which will be founded on the requirements similar to that were in former three programs, and these premiums will develop. The uniform program will simplify work with the company for partners, Cisco considers. Besides, partners will be able to receive up to 8 percent of a discount for registration of the transaction instead of 5 percent now earlier.

Status Cisco Small Cell Enterprise Select

Cisco announced the Cisco Small Cell Enterprise Select program in June, 2014. It will help operators to scale effectively the small cells developed at the enterprises requiring cost-efficient solutions for the organization of mobile communication.

According to the research Cisco under the name Cisco Visual Networking IndexTM if in 2013 only 4% of world business traffic on the Internet were the share of mobile networks, then by 2018 this indicator will reach 14%. In the light of problems which the enterprises face, organizing communication in buildings and providing mobility of employees, the Cisco Small Cell Enterprise Select program offers mutually advantageous model of implementation of a seamless, scalable and intelligent solution which both partners, and mobile operators, and the enterprises will be able to use.

The Cisco Small Cell Enterprise Select program represents the contribution Cisco to service methodology within which operators will be able to certify partners of Cisco and to maintain demand for communication services in buildings and their market competitiveness thanks to large-scale deployment of corporate small cells at the low cost of placement and involvement of customers.

Attracting an ecosystem of partners Cisco (Cisco Partner Ecosystem) which works more than 10 years with corporate mobile technologies, the new program allows corporate customers when implementing the solution of communication in buildings to deal with one entrusted partner. At the same time the real mobility will be provided irrespective of a basic technology, Wi-Fi, 3G or LTE.

At the heart of the Cisco Small Cell Enterprise Select program following:

• experience of partners in the organization of communication in buildings. The partner distributors of Cisco entering the growing ecosystem of partners of Cisco will be certified for sale and deployment of services 3G/LTE in buildings together with one of mobile operators that will allow to accelerate implementation of small cells at the enterprises. The extensive network of distributors of Cisco maintains the relations with the enterprises around the world and sees customers need in solutions for mobile communication in buildings. Cisco carries out work with operators to connect all concerned parties and to propose to the market the required solution. For training of partner distributors training, packets of additional services and material incentives which will allow the enterprises to feel economic effect of program implementation is provided.
• Basic technology. The solutions Cisco Small Cell Solutions with functionality of Cisco QuantumTM Self-Optimizing Network (SON) of the Cisco Evolved Services Platform platform are the basis for the program. This technology provides dynamic coordination in real time of local small cells and a cellular transmission network for large-scale self-optimization. The solution Cisco Small Cell Solution includes small cells of Cisco Enterprise Universal Small Cells (USC) for which deployment the power sources which are available for the enterprise, real estate and networks of transfer of traffic are used.

The last can use Wi-Fi-infrastructure of the enterprise based on autonomous access points of Cisco USC 7000 or the modules Cisco USC 5000 for access points of Cisco Aironet 3600 and Cisco 3700 Wi-fi. On a centralized basis the software of Cisco USC CloudBase providing the automated configuring and the guaranteed delivery of services will help to activate and configure small cells of Cisco USC to operators.

• Expanded range of services. Partners of Cisco provided creation of additional services and new advantages to the enterprises in comparison with the existing offers, thereby having even more increased the market potential of small cells. Being engaged in deployment of local networks Wi-fi in buildings more than 10 years, now they expand the portfolio, adding services of the small cells licensed for application in buildings and based on the general foundation architecture, analytical mechanisms and partner applications.

• Advantages to mobile operators. Participation in the Cisco Small Cell Enterprise Select program allows operators to organize cellular communication in buildings commercially. Considerably smaller cost of deployment and involvement of customers counting on one user allows mobile operators and distributors to enter the new, often empty business market of small cells. Using opportunities of a global partner network, operators will be able to set and service bigger number of small cells at much smaller operating costs.

The status Cisco Silver is abolished

The status of the "silver" partner of Cisco is cancelled in the program since 2014. The company explained that the decision was made proceeding from a feedback from partners and that circumstance that this status traditionally was considered only as "a transitional step" to "gold". For today there are about 70 "silver" partners of Cisco in the USA and 285 worldwide, the company reported^[1].

By April 1, 2016 all these partners should make the choice: or to undergo additional certification and to receive specializations to become the "golden" partner, or to move to lower level of Premier with Master specialization. Master specializations, Cisco reminded, demonstrate that the partner has profound knowledge of its specific technology or group of products that the company considers "extremely valuable".

Status Cisco Gold: it is more than services

Within the program of 2014 "golden" partners of Cisco should sell actively at least four offers of cloud or managed services of the company, and this mix should include at least one cloud service and at least one service of management of IT.

Can be such cloud products or Cisco Powered Cloud Services, such as Cisco Hosted Collaboration Solution (HCS), or cloud services of WebEx or Meraki. Services of management of IT can include own managed services of partners based on offers of Cisco or any of 11 services Cisco Powered Managed Services which include managed services for DPCs, in the field of security and joint work.

Status Cisco Gold Certified Partner

Since 2010 partners underwent certification on the changed rules: at the end of 2009 requirements to applicants on the "gold" status became complicated a little, was the new version of policy of certification - 3.1 is released and became effective. For example, according to new requirements at the partner service maintenance quality management processes should be adjusted. One of important factors which are taken into account by auditors of Cisco at the partner's assessment is existence of positive reviews from customers. Requirements for presence of the certified personnel (four specialists of the CCIE level) remained.

The status Gold Certified Cisco Partner is given to those companies which specialists show the highest level of knowledge of products of the developer and also have wide experience in the field of design, deployment and service support of solutions of Cisco. For obtaining the status it is necessary to undergo a procedure of substantive international audit for a number of business processes among which: customer interaction, preparation of business cases, maintaining projects on implementation of complete solutions and their subsequent support, quality control of works and satisfaction of the customer, etc. At the same time existence of relevant methodology on each of processes and confirmation of following to the regulating documents is taken into account.

Status Cisco Gold: sell directly in departments

One more new requirement to "golden" partners of Cisco in the new program - that at least one engineer in their state should have the new certificate of Cisco Business Value Practioner which is aimed at sale in divisions of the organizations, but not to IT department.

Status Cisco Premier: too services are necessary

The new program requires that partners of the Premier level (now it will become the second after "gold" as "silver" leaves) offered cloud and managed services also more actively. In particular, partners of this level should sell actively at least one offer cloud or the Cisco managed services and at the same time to have specialization of Cisco Express or Advanced Architecture.

Status Cisco Master Security Specialization

Master Security Specialization is the highest level of specialization of Security confirming existence of practical experience of the partner in the field of integrated solutions for security of networks. For obtaining the status Cisco Master Security the company should undergo audit of Cisco during which it is necessary to provide the implemented projects on creation of integrated solutions for security of network infrastructure, to fulfill all requirements for certification of specialists, to show the capability selling difficult solutions on security and also to demonstrate these solutions.

Status Cisco Powered Cloud Services for IaaS

Cisco is the company in the field of development of solutions for the organization of corporate cloud services, in particular IaaS. The solution Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) which forms a basis for creation of the uniform infrastructure allowing to cut down expenses, to optimize use of resources and to provide the most secure access to all offered services and also differs in the high level of security is the cornerstone of approach of Cisco to implementation of model of IaaS-services.

Статус Cisco Master Managed Services Channel Partner

Receiving Cisco Master Managed Services of the status confirms competences of specialists of the company integrator in the managed services covering all lifecycle of the solution including planning, design, implementation, support, operation and optimization.

Managed services, being a technology step to the sphere of professional outsourcing, allow to provide sustainable development of a service component of business.

For Russia Managed Services (managed services) - the arising direction. If earlier the Russian market was not ready to these services, then now, against the background of general cost reduction and improving competitiveness of the companies, this group of services received explosive demand growth. At the same time the companies require guarantees of a possibility of providing the stated service levels within SLA (The agreement on the service level). As such guarantee serves certification of provider of managed services within the MSCP program (Managed Service Channel Partner). Satisfy all conditions not easy – in addition to presence of skilled staff it is necessary to implement a complex of business and technology processes which will provide a possibility of accomplishment of the stated metrics and their SLA values and also automation systems of all these processes.

The solutions of the system integrator supplemented with new flexible offers in the field of the managed services allow customers to transfer smoothly to external technical support that part of IT infrastructure where problems of service come down to routine transactions. Redistribution of employment of resources will allow internal IT services of customers to pay bigger attention to problems of development and optimization of the IT applications which are directly connected with the main business processes. For receiving specialization of Master MSCP the partner should conform to certain requirements:

• Existence of the network operational center (network operations center – NOC)
• Presence of the specialist certified on ITIL® Foundation
• Existence of at least two Cisco CCIE® of the certified experts
• Existence in a service portfolio of the company not less than two solutions on the managed services based on Cisco Systems technology
• Compliance to these requirements should be certified by the audit booked by independent auditor agency.

Architecture specialization

Together with start of the new program of 2014 of partnership with Cisco channel enters also two new specializations of Master: Enterprise Networks and Service Provider Technology. New specialization of Enterprise Networks is given rise from former Borderless Networks which was subdivided into several specializations. It means that now there are four specializations of Cisco Architecture, namely: Data Center, Collaboration, Security and new Enterprise Networks. One more new specialization of Service Provider Technology is aimed at architecture of telecom operators and service providers. Specializations will still be divided into three categories: Master, Advanced and Express, - here changes nothing.

Specialization of Cisco Advanced Security Architecture guarantees the level of competence of the following areas: Cisco ASA firewalls for firewalling; the organization protected virtual private networks VPN and enciphering of communication channels; Cisco Sourcefire intrusion prevention system (serves for protection of networks against invasions and inspection of traffic); devices for protection of web traffic of Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) for preventive protection and control of functioning of Internet-applications; Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA) for protection of corporate mail; the platform of management of security policies of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) (automates and implements protected access to network resources of the organization).

Solutions specialization

In addition to Master-specializations of Enterprise Networks and Service Provider Technology the company enters also absolutely new group of specializations under the name Solutions. They will proceed from the current competence of partners, but in certain cases certain additional requirements of other vendors with which Cisco cooperates will also include. Today Cisco enters five specializations of Solutions, namely: Flexpod, VSPEX/Vblock, Desktop Virtualization, Enterprise Mobility and Cisco TeleHealth.

specialization of Advanced Core and WAN

Specialization of Cisco Advanced Core and WAN allows to use hardware and software systems of the producer for the organization of interaction of branches and head office of the client, providing it essential competitive advantages due to use of less expensive WAN technology with minimization of influence on performance, security and reliability of corporate network.

specialization of Advanced Unified Access

Specialization of Cisco Advanced Unified Access serves as the guarantor of competences of the partner in wired and wireless networks, network security and the BYOD mobile solutions which open opportunities for formation of the IT infrastructure providing reliable and safe failsafe connection to corporate systems for all users from different devices from any place in the world and at any time. The "networks without borders" entering a solution architecture, implementing the concept, are urged to create multi-scale network infrastructures with the distributed services and a possibility of operational and flexible scaling.

"Modular" approach to receiving specialization

The program of partnership of 2014 makes also changes to process by means of which VAR'Y receive specialization. The company calls the new approach "modular"; it means that there is a basic set of training courses and requirements which partners should execute, but then they can select different elective courses proceeding from the specific practice or a business model. The purpose, tells Cisco, - to introduce more flexibility and to give to partners more choice in this process. Further for specialization prolongation partners will need to study only new courses, but not to repeat all way again.

About points of satisfaction of customers

Earlier partners of Cisco had to gain certain points of satisfaction of customers according to the results of polls to confirm the level of certification. So, "golden" partners had to gain not less than 4.3 points from five to save the status.

In the new program since 2014 it is not required any more. Cisco will continue the polls of satisfaction of customers, but partners will not lose the status of certification because of these points any more. Instead, if assessment of the partner is lower expected, it will be offered to it to stay Cisco "conducted" in transactions. The company decided to change the policy as found out that some partners "too subtilized" with a system not to get insufficiently high point.

It is simpler to enter GPN

In 2014 Cisco entered changes into the global and international program of partnership, i.e. Global Partner Network (GPN) which reflect canceling of the status Silver. These changes will lower also an introduction barrier in the program for partners, the company considers.

Earlier, to enter the Multi-National program, the partner had to have the status "gold" at least in three countries and "silver" also at least in three countries. Now partners will need to have two "gold" and three statuses Premier to receive the international certification.

Status Cisco Contact Center Enterprise

Specialization of Cisco Contact Center Enterprise allows to implement projects on creation and/or expansion of contact centers Cisco Enterprise and also the solution of any level of complexity on integration of contact centers of Cisco Enterprise and information systems of customers. In addition to main advantages, the received specialization grants the right to perform delivery of the products Cisco CC Enterprise for creation of infrastructure of contact centers based on the equipment Cisco and also to carry out upgrade and to perform technical support of contact centers in which the solution Cisco Contact Center Enterprise is already implemented. Besides, the solution Cisco CC Enterprise will allow to solve all problems of the customers who are going to expand channels of communication with clients using E-mail, Web chat, Video-chat, the SMS, Presence, messages on social networks due to integration of contact center into applications for mobile devices and other, modern forms of electronic interaction.

2011

Status Cisco Cloud Partner Program, CPP

On March 1, 2011 on annual, already the fifteenth Partner summit the Cisco company announced the new program for partners in cloud computing (Cloud Partner Program, CPP). She allows to select the suitable place in the market of cloud computing and to develop the business models so that in the maximum degree to take advantage of this multi-billion market.

Besides, to help partners with development of professional services and to accelerate transformation of partners into suppliers complex communication and information technological solutions, or "architecture", Cisco announced the next innovative step to areas of "smart" services - Cisco Collaborative Professional Services (professional services of Cisco for joint work).

Program for "cloud" partners

The Cisco CPP program consists of three subsections helping partners to select the place in the market of cloud computing: Cloud Builder (builder of a cloud), Cloud Provider (supplier of cloud services) and Cloud Services Reseller (reseller of cloud services).

The Cloud Builder program is developed for those partners who project and develop the infrastructures ready to cloud computing, or create full-scale private or public network clouds. This program, in turn, is subdivided into three parts taking into account competence of the builder of clouds ("infrastructure", "managed applications" and "professional cloud services").

The Cloud Provider program is intended for the partners offering services of a public cloud. This program helps partners of Cisco to sell from among telecom operators under the trademark the cloud services based on Cisco technologies.

The Cloud Services Reseller program supplements the Cloud Provider program, offering suppliers of cloud services additional opportunities. The reseller of cloud services is the partner offering not branded services (i.e. the services allowing to resell them under the brand) or "Cisco Powered Service" offering services from other suppliers.

The Cloud Builder and Cloud Provider programs include support of partner trademarks, delivery of standard architecture, financing services and also access to funds of market development and other partners. All these opportunities facilitate to the partner entry into the market. Everything listed is provided in addition to those advantages which partners get from Cisco already today.

For the purpose of reduction of partner expenses the CPP program considers the existing certifications of Cisco and its partners in an ecosystem.

Professional services for joint work

Services of Collaborative Professional Services (CPS) represent the whole service portfolio, including an intellectual capital, engineering experience and automation of services of Cisco. All this helps partners to expand profitable the business and to implement new professional services. Services of several types available to partners of Cisco are a part of CPS:

• services of assessment (Assessment Services) represent the software tools allowing partners to collect and analyze data, to carry out their assessment and to automate delivery of services.
• Services in the management and development (Guidance and Development Services). Engineers of Cisco will help to estimate or develop technology design or the plan of implementation.
• Accelerators of practical works (Practice Accelerators). Service division Cisco (Cisco Services) will share the best practices in the field of new technologies and architecture with partners. It will help partners to develop and expand the range of professional services.

The portfolio of CPS includes 30 services of a corporate class covering all main Cisco technologies for networks without borders, joint work and virtualization of data processing centers. Within a year this portfolio will be expanded, and cloud services will be its part.

CPS helps certified partners of Cisco to enter quicker the new technology markets and to increase the effectiveness of the services using engineering resources, intellectual property, the checked methodologies and service automation of Cisco.

Cisco regularly obtains data on millions of customer interactions and uses this knowledge for delivery of the "smart" services giving to partners the chance to offer the automated services in an anticipatory order and it is profitable to increase the service business.

CPS, the freshest innovation of Cisco in the field of "smart" services, helps partners to increase customer satisfaction level using the anticipatory management and practical recommendations based on the "smart" analysis of network data in real time.

As expected, services will become available to partners of Cisco with the corresponding technology specialization in the 3rd quarter of 2011 financial year to joint work (Cisco Collaborative Services), i.e. until the end of April, 2011.

The Cisco company is going to bring the CPP program to the market in the 4th quarter of 2011 financial year, i.e. during the period from May to July of the current year.

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