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The Cisco Partner

Program
November 2023
Table of Contents
Program Overview

Roles
• Integrator
• Provider
• Developer
• Advisor

Specializations
• Overview
• Solutions Specializations
• Business Solutions
• Cisco Powered
• Architecture Specializations

Incentives
• Incentives overview
• Key incentives to drive profitability
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Program Overview
The Cisco Partner Program
At Cisco, we know that in the Age of the Partner, your people are the true differentiator.
Everything we do is meant to support you through transitions, differentiate your
expertise, maximize your resources with customers and reward you in proportion to the
value and outcomes you deliver to customers. We are leading a new era by capturing
market opportunities and outpacing the competition.

The Cisco Partner Program is designed to focus on simplicity and value to create
consistency for our partners with roles based on the way you drive transformation and
deliver value to customers. The Cisco Partner Program supports all types of partner
business models offering extensive training, marketing resources, and incentives to
help you capture every opportunity. Everything we do is driven by a single goal—to
move you forward faster, profitably—through all routes to market.
The Cisco Partner Program Bookmark the Cisco Partner Program page.
Get details about incentives and benefits.

Designed for how you do business

Roles showcase how partners engage

with their customers

Levels represent the breadth of

expertise across Cisco solutions

Specializations reflect partner’s Cisco

practice and expertise

Each of the above unlocks benefits and

incentives

You asked for more flexibility and better ROI… we listened.

How are the four roles defined?

Depending on your needs, you can join one role or

take advantage of all four. Requirements vary
across roles, but your investment can count toward Use your unique expertise and Cisco technology to Proven ability to build, provision, manage and
multiple roles, so you have more flexibility and build and deploy customer solutions that solve support managed services built on Cisco’s
better return on investment. critical customer business challenges. portfolio to deliver outcome-centric value
propositions.
Learn more
Learn more

Create unique solutions using your products, Consult with customers to solve complex business
software, and services integrated with Cisco’s challenges, based on your deep industry
industry-leading technologies. knowledge.

Learn more Learn more

Three levels of partnership
Cisco’s Gold brand is the industry-recognized cornerstone of the Cisco Partner Program and extends across all roles: Integrator, Provider, Developer, and Advisor.
While extending the Gold level across all roles, we continue to enhance Premier and Select levels to your investment and expertise in the market.

Entry-level partnership for partners that deliver Deep level of expertise in one or more Cisco Highest and broadest level of Cisco expertise to
expertise in at least one technology or service. technologies or service offerings to deliver deliver comprehensive customer value throughout
targeted customer value. the lifecycle.

Learn more about Select, Premier, and Gold levels for Integrators, Providers, Developers, or Advisors
Committed to your success and rewarding your
investment
Your Cisco practice is as valuable as ever, and you can expect it to become even more important in this complex and ever-changing
technology landscape.

The Cisco Partner Program:

Recognizes your proven capabilities to deliver Brings greater differentiation to all partners by Positions you for opportunities and increased
value to your customers. We are expanding your aligning your expertise, level of service and unique profitability by shifting from a product lifecycle to
ability to differentiate and showcase your unique value drivers with the four roles (Integrator, a customer lifecycle. Incentives and specializations
value with new specializations, enhanced benefits Provider, Developer, and Advisor) and levels (Gold, are designed to drive synergy across roles, build
and support from Cisco. Premier, and Select). on your existing investments, and accelerate value
as you expand Cisco portfolio and develop your
expertise.
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Integrator Role
Cisco Partner Program – Integrator role

The Integrator role is for partners who build and deploy customer solutions
using Cisco technology. Integrators add their unique value and expertise to
solve critical customer business challenges. Cisco is committed to investing in,
rewarding, and building Integrator partnerships that increase differentiation and
profitability.

Integrators connect new solutions with existing infrastructure to ensure that all
systems operate smoothly and efficiently. Many dedicated systems integrators
are large firms that manage multi-year projects on behalf of enterprise clients.
Most resellers perform systems integration for clients.

If you are a current Cisco partner, the investments made towards building a
Cisco practice remain relevant and will continue to count toward achieving
Select, Premier, and Gold program levels.

Visit the Integrator webpage for additional details.

The value of the Integrator role
Investing in the Cisco Integrator role unlocks benefits and financial incentives throughout the entire
lifecycle, rewarding you for expertise and practice capabilities.

Together, we can become faster, smarter, and more profitable. Our number one goal is partner profitability. Pair our
technology with your unique IP and services to deliver solutions that solve our customers’ most critical business
challenges.

• Discounts and deal protection: Use deal registration incentives like hunting and teaming to get the best possible
pricing and deal protection.
• Focused training and best practices: Access trainings that let you demonstrate expertise in specific technologies
and qualify for incentives.
• Exclusive NFR benefits: Get generous discounts on products used for internal use and customer demos.
• Rebates and competitive incentives: Take advantage of rebates and other financial incentives to enhance
profitability throughout the lifecycle.
• Access to Cisco ecosystem of partners: Work with our ecosystem of partners to increase deal size and accelerate
growth.
• Cisco Capital offers: Flexible payment solutions help you make the most of your IT budget with affordable,
streamlined financing.

The complete list of benefits by level can be found with the Cisco Partner Program Benefits Filter
What benefits are available for Integrators?

VIP ✓ ✓ ✓

Deal Registration ✓ ✓ ✓

up to $20K quarterly up to $60K quarterly

Perform Plus* up to $50K quarterly earnings
earnings earnings

up to $6K quarterly up to $6K quarterly

Perform Plus Activate up to $6K quarterly earnings
earnings earnings

Lifecycle Incentives ✓ ✓ ✓

$300K purchase limit $500K purchase limit $3M purchase limit

(standard) (standard) (standard)
Not for Resale (NFR)
$1M purchase limit $1M purchase limit $7M purchase limit
(enhanced) (enhanced) (enhanced)

*Numbers listed reflect Americas and APJC only

Click here to see all Integrator benefits

What are the requirements to become an Integrator?
Any 1 specialization except for the
Specializations Any 1 specialization 4 specializations
Environmental Sustainability Specialization

Customer Success Practice Recommended Recommended Required

Cisco Career Certifications Recommended 2 required (minimum 2 CCNA) 12 required (minimum 4 CCIE)

• 24 hr/7 day customer support

• One-hour callback
• Escalation process
• 8 hr/5 day customer service
• Pre-sales and post-sales support
Service and Support 8 hr/5 day customer service • One-hour callback
• Ability to demonstrate a technology or
• Pre-sales and post-sales support
solutions specialization
• Minimum services revenue and attach
rate requirements

Customer Satisfaction Survey N/A N/A (as of June 8, 2023) N/A (as of June 8, 2023)

Audit N/A N/A Required

See all Select requirements See all Premier requirements See all Gold requirements
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Provider Role
Cisco Partner Program – Provider role

The Provider role is for partners who have coupled their deep managed service
capabilities with Cisco Powered Service standards or Cisco managed service
offerings to build and deliver world-class, multi-architecture managed services
that drive enhanced business outcomes.

Providers who invest in managed services based on Cisco's portfolio participate

in higher levels of value exchange with Cisco including:

• Profitability with discounts and incentives for each Cisco Powered Service.
• Showcasing how you successfully deliver multi-architecture managed
services based on Cisco’s portfolio.
• Leveraging industry-recognized logos and GTM resources to brand and
differentiate your practice

Visit the Provider webpage or Provider e-book for additional role details.
What benefits are available for Providers?
Provider programmatic pricing ✓ ✓ ✓
Managed Services Deal Registration ✓ ✓ ✓
Flexible consumption / MSLA integration ✓ ✓ ✓

Provider MDF ✓ ✓ ✓
PIF ✓ ✓ ✓
Marketing benefits ✓ ✓ ✓
https://ebooks.cisco.com/story/the-new-cisco-partner-program/page/4/2
Branding - Provider and Cisco Powered Regional Global Global

VIP Annuity - Provider parity —

Open full table in browser: ✓ ✓
VIP Gold Provider bonus —
https://ebooks.cisco.com/story/the-new-cisco-partner-program/page/4/2
— ✓
VIP Cisco Powered Service bonus — ✓ ✓
https://ebooks.cisco.com/story/the-new-cisco-partner-program/page/4/2
Perform Plus or Perform Plus Activate ✓ ✓ ✓
https://ebooks.cisco.com/story/the-new-cisco-partner-program/page/4/2
CSPP ✓ ✓ ✓
https://ebooks.cisco.com/story/the-new-cisco-partner-program/page/4/2
Lifecycle Incentives ✓ ✓ ✓
https://ebooks.cisco.com/story/the-new-cisco-partner-program/page/4/2
NFR Provider parity ✓ ✓ ✓
What are the requirements to become a Provider?

Click here to review all Provider role eligibility requirements

Provider Pricing overview
Provider Pricing is designed to provide pre-approved, upfront, predictable
When Can I Use Provider Pricing? discounts for easier quoting to accelerate sales. It is applicable only for
managed services orders that are supported by service- level agreements
You may use Provider Pricing for managed services orders as desired. Now, (SLAs) between the partner and end-user.
products purchased under Provider Pricing are eligible for VIP.
SLAs must have:
• A term of 12 months or greater
• Define the service obligations of the partner to the end-user
• Proactive monitoring

Stackable incentives
Where can I accept the terms and conditions? • Hunting & Teaming with MS Deal Registration
• Takeback Incentive
Provider Pricing Terms and Conditions are in the Channel Program Incentive
Agreement (CPIA) in the PPE tool.

Make sure to accept CPIA in all country groups where you wish to use Provider
Pricing. The agreement is valid for 50 years.
Provider Market Development Funds (MDF) summary
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Developer Role
The Cisco Partner Program – Developer role

The Developer role rewards and recognizes partners who dream,

design, and build innovative software applications and solutions
that deliver business outcomes through integrations. Cisco
supports Developers at every stage - from lab setup with NFR,
solution testing, promotion on the Ecosystem Exchange, GPL
listing with SolutionsPlus, and GTM tools through Marketing
Velocity.

The Developer role helps you monetize the value of innovative

software applications and solutions that deliver business
outcomes. It elevates those who invest in becoming solution
specialized, showcases differentiation through Cisco Compatible
and SolutionsPlus branding, and enhances your ability to co-sell
with Cisco’s ecosystem.

Visit the Developer webpage or Developer ebook for additional details

Value of the Developer role
The benefits of investing in the Developer role

The Developer role supports partners at every stage—from demo lab setup with Not for Resale (NFR), solution testing, resources to
showcase your success, GPL listing, and GTM tools through Marketing Velocity.

Promote your solution Enhance your credibility Co-sell with Cisco Build demo labs
Showcase your solutions and services Differentiate your business with Join forces with our ecosystems to Unlock generous discounts on using
directly with partners, customers, and customizable partnership logos that deliver increased value of jointly NFR on Cisco products used internally
Cisco sales through your custom highlight your relationship with Cisco. developed solutions that drive for non-revenue generating activities,
listing on the Ecosystem Exchange. business outcomes. such as training and lab testing.

Qualify for Co-Sell MDF

Incentives
Earn incentives when you complete an
eligible, co-funded activity or when
you refer a net new opportunity to
Cisco.

The complete list of benefits by level can be found with the Cisco Partner Program benefits filter.
What benefits are available for Developers?

Cisco branding, resources and tools ✓ ✓ ✓

https://ebooks.cisco.com/story/the-new-cisco-partner-program/page/5/3
Eligibility for Solutions Plus ✓ ✓ ✓
https://ebooks.cisco.com/story/the-new-cisco-partner-program/page/5/3
Joint business developement and financial incentives — ✓ ✓
https://ebooks.cisco.com/story/the-new-cisco-partner-program/page/5/3
Specialized incentives aligned to partner business — — ✓
What are the requirements to become a Developer?
Co-sell MDF incentive
Co-Sell MDF (Market Development Funds) is a global incentive to drive co-development and co-selling initiatives with Cisco. When
you build, market, refer, and sell solutions and services built on platforms you earn Co-Sell MDF.

Two powerful ways to earn

Developers and Advisors earn Co-Sell MDF by executing approved business-development or marketing activities or referring a new-
to-Cisco opportunity that results in a closed deal.

Co-Sell MDF – Activity Co-Sell MDF – Referral

Leverage Co-Sell MDF to help grow your business with business We love to reward partners who bring us net new opportunities!
development and marketing activities. Check out the list of Bring us a new logo and earn!
approved activities.

• Non-resale activity list

• Resale activity list

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Advisor Role
The Cisco Partner Program – Advisor role

The Advisor role is for partners who offer a wide variety of

independent consulting services and customer solution
recommendations. As a Cisco Advisor, you help your customers
identify business requirements that can be addressed with
technology solutions and then scope those solutions. As a
trusted advisor, you are in a position to ensure that your
customers get the best solutions to deliver business outcomes.

Visit the Advisor webpage or Advisor e-book for additional details

Value of the Advisor role
Advisors are the bridge between technology and how it can solve today's most complex business challenges. We are increasing our
investment in advisors as critical allies, where the deal size for everyone grows.

Build partnerships with Cisco Connect Qualify for Co-sell MDF

Ready for bigger deals? Using artificial intelligence, this partner community Earn incentives when you complete an eligible, co-funded activity or when you
matches partners to promote discovery, collaboration, and co-selling. refer a net new opportunity to Cisco.

Co-sell with Cisco Demonstrate customer success

Develop a multi-partner co-selling sales motion with Cisco to reach new buying Showcase how you deliver value and expertise to customers with Cisco
centers and deliver differentiated value to your customers. innovations. Find inspiration with success stories and testimonials and share
your own.
Showcase your partnership
Differentiate your business with customizable partnership logos that highlight Network with Cisco
your expertise with Cisco technology, offers and solutions. Don't miss out on Cisco events, like our flagship Partner Summit. Get ready to
be inspired, learn, and network with innovators like yourself.

The complete list of benefits by level can be found with the Cisco Partner Program benefits filter
What benefits are available for Advisors?

Cisco branding, resources and tools ✓ ✓ ✓

https://ebooks.cisco.com/story/the-new-cisco-partner-program/page/6/3
Not for Resale ✓ ✓ ✓
https://ebooks.cisco.com/story/the-new-cisco-partner-program/page/6/3
Joint business development and financial incentives — ✓ ✓
https://ebooks.cisco.com/story/the-new-cisco-partner-program/page/6/3
Specialized incentives aligned to partner business — — ✓

The complete list of benefits by level can be found with the Cisco Partner Program benefits filter.
What are the requirements to become an Advisor?

One of the following:

Cisco compatible solution
Cisco certified employee (any current career
Competencies Any advanced specialization By VP invitation (GSPO)
certification)
Advanced level "industry recognized"
certification

Regional coverage

Business practices Cisco sponsor Open full table inDedicated

browser:headcount By VP invitation (GSPO)
Cisco certified employee
https://ebooks.cisco.com/story/the-new-cisco-partner-program/page/6/4
Defined offer(s)

Co-sell bookings >$10M or all of the

following:
Cisco-approved GTM plan and co-sell
Cisco sales engagement N/A By VP invitation (GSPO)
Open full table inpipeline
browser:> $20N, Partner to Partner
Collaboration Program (P2P), Customer
https://ebooks.cisco.com/story/the-new-cisco-partner-program/page/6/4
success stories (3), Customer solution demo
Co-sell MDF incentive
Co-Sell MDF (Market Development Funds) is a global incentive to drive co-development and co-selling initiatives with Cisco. When
you build, market, refer, and sell solutions and services built on platforms you earn Co-Sell MDF.

Two powerful ways to earn

Developers and Advisors earn Co-Sell MDF by executing approved business-development or marketing activities or referring a new-
to-Cisco opportunity that results in a closed deal.

Co-Sell MDF – Activity Co-Sell MDF – Referral

Leverage Co-Sell MDF to help grow your business with business We love to reward partners who bring us net new opportunities!
development and marketing activities. Check out the list of Bring us a new logo and earn!
approved activities.

• Non-resale activity list

• Resale activity list

Developer and Advisor portal
Offers a “one stop” with links to
program benefits and other available
Cisco assets and platforms

• Completely novel design built on

years of experience
• Displays a uniquely-configured
view specific to your company
• Makes tailored, relevant
suggestions on next steps
• Provides the rationale and value
of next steps and activities
• Embedded “active guidance”
throughout, including best
practices
• Supports multiple users working
within multiple roles in your
company

Check it out!
Frequently asked questions
Can the same partner achieve the Integrator and Adviser If a partner is enrolled as an Integrator and Advisor, can they
roles? For example, if an integrator has a consulting firm, receive incentives within the Advisor and the Integrator
can they be part of the Advisor role? roles?

Partners can play multiple roles in the Cisco Partner Program and The new Cisco Partner program is a unified program that
need to meet eligibility requirements for any role they want to includes unified incentives, yet enrollment in multiple roles does
join. not automatically imply multipliers for incentives. For example, a
partner would not be eligible for referral fees for referring
business to themselves. Still, if a partner acts as an independent
consultant, there would be opportunities for market development
incentives.

How incentives are applied across multiple roles continues to

evolve and is central to our strategy for partner evolution and
transformation, which, as you know, is key to growth and
profitability.
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Specializations
Developing partner expertise
Customers look for partners who have the business and technical expertise they need to meet their business goals. Typically, they
look for:

Competencies demonstrate broad Specializations highlight in-depth Certifications showcase individual

technical and business capabilities in partner expertise in specific technical capabilities, awarded to
Cisco’s products and technology, as well architectures, business models and individuals through proctored exams
as each customer’s business. processes, and solutions. (individual career certifications).

Partners develop competencies through Cisco Specializations, as well as through their own customer experience and enablement by
other organizations.
Build expertise with Cisco Partner Specializations
Cisco has always rewarded partners for their expertise. More importantly,
customers reward partners who they trust because they offer the skills and expertise
needed to grow their businesses. The fundamentals of building expertise never
changes.

Customers value partner expertise and experience, and Cisco is there to help at
each phase of the customer lifecycle. Specializations validate your business and
solution expertise. To advance in program levels, you need to achieve critical
specialization milestones.

Learn more about Cisco partner specializations.

Solution Specializations
Solution specializations are partner-level designations that recognize knowledge,
Available Solution Specializations
practice, and experience in key industry solutions.

The Solution Specializations: • Full-Stack Observability (FSO)

• Are aligned to Cisco's strategy and innovation

• Hybrid Work from Home
• Count toward Integrator levels
• Expand opportunities for partner differentiation
• Secure Access Service Edge
• Reflect partner practice and experience, rooted in existing capabilities
(SASE)

• Hybrid Cloud Computing

• Hybrid Cloud Networking

• Hybrid Cloud Software

• Extended Detection and Response

(XDR)

• Small and Medium Business (SMB)

Cisco Powered Services

Cisco Powered Services showcase our Providers’ ability to successfully build, Cisco Powered Services
provision, manage and support managed services built on Cisco technologies to deliver
outcome-centric value propositions. Future of Work
• Cloud Calling
• Foundational to Provider role eligibility requirements for Gold and Premier levels • Webex Contact Center

• Includes managed services capability on Cisco technologies and SLAs End-to-End Security
• Cloud Managed Security
• Objectively reviewed and validated • Meraki Security
• End to End Security: Managed Security

Enables Providers to differentiate their managed service capabilities and achieve Secure Agile Networks
greater value exchange with Cisco. • SASE
• Hybrid Cloud
• Managed SD-WAN (Meraki, Viptela)
• Access (Secure, Meraki)

Collaboration
• Webex
• Unified Comms
• Contact Center
Business Specializations
Business specializations help you build and deliver services across customer lifecycles and increase revenue opportunities. Cisco
currently offers three Business specializations:

Customer Experience Specialization Environmental Sustainability DevNet Specialization

Helps you develop new skill sets to drive software Recognizes your commitment to a circular Provides a path toward a software development
adoption, recurring revenue and build a sustainable economy and reduction of emission when practice to help customers unlock the value of
lifecycle practice. This specialization opens new migrating customers to new Cisco equipment. software automation and stay ahead of the curve.
opportunities for partners to interact with Partners can leverage the Environmental It's focused on each partner’s software
customers, create value, and positively impact Sustainability specialization to differentiate development practice, with an emphasis on
customer business outcomes. themselves with environmentally-friendly automation and programmability. Learn more.
Learn more. solutions, move customers to more sustainable
equipment, and responsibly recycle old gear.
Learn more.
Architecture Specializations
Architecture specializations help you expand your business an expert in specific technology areas

Learn more about Cisco architecture specializations

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Incentives
Grow your business and profit with Cisco partner
incentives
Together, your specializations, program role (Integrator, Provider,
Developer, Advisor), and program level (Select, Premier, Gold)
unlock a variety of benefits and incentives. Cisco expands your
opportunities to earn – throughout the lifecycle and across
consumption models and routes to market.

Incentives vs. Promotions

Incentives are broadly defined as ongoing rebates, discounts,

and rewards such as VIP, Advantaged Pricing, and Seller
Rewards.

Promotions are more specific, often time-limited, offers to

drive technology sales, such as Account Breakaway and Fast
Track.

Learn more about Cisco partner incentives

Key Incentives to drive profitability

Driving preference and demand Deal protection and predictable pricing

• Not for Resale (NFR) • Deal Registration Incentives

Buy for demos, labs, testing and training Get Advantaged Pricing via Hunting and Teaming

• Co-Sell MDF • Provider Pricing

Earn funding for co-selling and co-development initiatives Gain upfront Provider partner discounts

• Provider MDF • Takeback Incentive

Earn funding for marketing and sales activities Focus on customer refresh or migration opportunities

• Lifecycle Incentives
Focus on lifecycle selling and customer success
Key Incentives to drive profitability

Product and service proiftability Seller incentives

• VIP • Seller Rewards

Sell in key growth areas Complete sales and activity challenges to earn points and
tickets
• Perform Plus
Earn for overall growth, fuel with cross-selling and portfolio • Cisco Shogun
bonuses Get rewarded for learning and staying ahead of the curve

• Perform Plus Activate

Get rewarded for consistent bookings

• Services Partner Program

Create consistent, recurring revenue
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Resources
Resources
Cisco Partner Program

• Cisco Partner Program

• Integrator
• Provider
• Developer
• Advisor
• Benefits and Incentives
• Specializations

Additional links

• Cisco Commerce
• Training (SalesConnect)
• Marketing Velocity
• Support Case Manager

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