Cisco has announced what it is calling the most significant evolution of its industry-leading partner program in nearly three decades.
The new Cisco 360 Partner Program is designed to accelerate the value partners bring to customers by better addressing their rapidly evolving and complex needs – modernising infrastructure, powering AI workloads anywhere, and keeping customers’ organizations secure, resilient, and high-performing.
Developed in collaboration with partners and customers, Cisco will guide them through a 15-month transition period leading up to the program’s launch in February 2026.
The new program reflects a strategic shift in how Cisco and its partners create and deliver value for their customers in today’s fast-paced, competitive market.
The program will redefine what it means to be a successful Cisco partner measuring value over transactions: how partners serve the needs and ambitions of their customers while harnessing the collective strength of Cisco’s partner ecosystem in ways that drives growth.
It is expected to elevate partners’ stature with customers and upgrade the partner experience with simplified processes and new ways to plan and track performance.
The first of Cisco’s tangible enhancements to the partner experience is an $80-million investment into new partner initiatives to boost skills and provide the tools needed to compete in the market.
Of that investment, $60-million will support qualified partners with benefits including all-access Cisco U subscriptions for skill development and certification. An additional $20-million will fund quarterly training events for all partners, focusing on AI, security, and networking through self-paced learning, hands-on labs, and continuing education credits.
“Today, it’s about helping customers unlock the power of technology to achieve their business outcomes,” says Rodney Clark, senior vice-president of partnerships and small and medium business at Cisco. “That’s the foundation of the Cisco 360 Partner Program. Whether through lifecycle practices, technical capabilities, or managed services, partners can drive profitable growth with our new value-based program. With a 15-month transition, partners have time to prepare and maximize their potential in Cisco 360 Partner Program.”
The Cisco 360 Partner Program will include:
- Redefining Partner Value: a simplified framework that recognizes the diverse ways partners add value to customers. This approach will measure the value partners deliver within specific portfolios or across multiple portfolios, rewarding partners on how their business model supports lifecycle and managed services, skills investment, customer base expansion, and engagement across the customer journey and partner ecosystem. Qualified partners will gain access to a broad range of benefits like the Cisco Partner Incentive and other non-financial benefits.
- Elevating Partner Stature: to simplify and improve our partners’ value proposition and awareness with customers, Cisco is moving to two designations: Cisco Partner and Cisco Preferred Partner. Partners can earn these designations for each portfolio, such as Security or Networking, giving partners the ability to be recognised and market themselves as a Cisco Preferred Security Partner or a Cisco Preferred Networking Partner.
- Future of Specialisations: Cisco will continue to help partners differentiate their market position by developing deep expertise in specific or across multiple portfolios. The new program will continue to shift from traditional Architecture Specialisations to Solution-Based Specializations, and ultimately to next generation specializations that will be accessible to Preferred Partners only.
Cisco also announced its first specialisation focused on AI – the Cisco AI-Ready Infrastructure Solution Specialisation – to position partners as experts in delivering AI-ready infrastructure, security, and observability solutions and services to customers throughout their AI adoption journey.
The Cisco 360 Partner Program will fully transition in February 2026. The rollout will be gradual, with new elements introduced and piloted to keep partners and distributors informed and supported throughout the process. Current levels, roles, and lifecycle practice investments will be recognized until the program is fully implemented, ensuring partner investments are protected.
“To further strengthen what is already a world-class partner ecosystem, this new program allows us to recognize and reward successful partners and better address the evolving needs of our customers,” says Elisabeth De Dobbeleer, senior vice-president: Cisco Partner Program. “Our goal is to transform partner success, elevate Cisco partners, and upgrade the partner experience to align with Cisco’s strategic vision.”