Marc Surplus

I just returned from our annual Cisco Partner Summit in Las Vegas. It was a jam-packed three days, and it was so great to be back together in person with our amazing partners. I want to highlight a few of the Partner Program updates.

This week at Partner Summit, we are unveiling three new solution specializations into the portfolio, joining our SASE, Full-Stack Observability (FSO) and the Hybrid Work from Office specializations that were launched in September.

Cisco is committed to moving from a linear economy, where products are used and then thrown away, to a circular economy that makes better use of our limited natural resources. Today, we are excited to share that Cisco launched its Environmental Sustainability Specialization, a new business specialization available to all Cisco partners.

For 11 straight years, Cisco has been honored to receive CRN’s 5-Star rating in their Partner Program Guide. This is a huge honor and our AppDynamics team also earned 5-Star status for their continued dedication to partners.

Since we launched our Cisco Partner Program last year, the integrator and provider roles went live with great momentum. Now, I’m happy to share with you that the developer and advisor roles are open for business.

The theme of this year’s Partner Summit conference is “Everything Possible,” and it ties perfectly to what’s happening with our partner programs, where we are expanding your possibilities on many levels.

Cisco has the best partners in the industry, and our new program validates their expertise and excellence in a way that customers can easily recognize. As we up-level our value exchange in the new program, here are the highlights.

Starting today, we are working with Intelisys, a leading master agent, and their 1,700+ channel sales professionals. Intelisys agents are now authorized to offer Webex Meetings, Webex Calling and a select group of Webex Devices to their customers who are interested in cloud collaboration products and services for an inclusive hybrid workplace.

As companies seek guidance and help to navigate their IT journey post-COVID, the role of partners has become more vital. Guest blogger Steve White, Program Vice President at IDC, discusses how the Cisco Partner Program can help companies adapt and evolve by using iDC's five-stage model for enterprise recovery.