Specializations retiring

The Data Center, Advanced Data Center Architecture, and Master Data Center and Hybrid Cloud specializations are being retired. For complete details and timeline, please see the announcement from January 30, 2023.

Partner Architecture Specializations

Collaboration, data center, networking, security, service provider, and more

Architecture specializations showcase your expertise in specific architectures and the value you bring to prospective customers. They also allow you access to incentives and promotions that can help increase your bottom line.

Three levels of architecture specializations

Specializations, advanced specializations, and master specializations

Several of our architecture specializations are available in three levels. Choose the level that's right for you.

How do individual career and specialist certifications relate to partner specializations and partner role levels?

Looking for training?

To find training for a specific specialization, go to the page for that specialization and view the requirements document.

For training in general, see the Cisco Training page.

Looking for talent?

Find top-notch, Cisco focused job candidates in Talent Bridge, a free sourcing and recruiting service for Cisco partners.

Get started with Talent Bridge Matching Engine.

Collaboration specializations

Help your customers empower people to engage and innovate anywhere, on any device.

Collaboration SaaS Specialization

Sell, deploy and support Webex Meetings, Teams, Calling and subscription-based collaboration solutions to customers. Requirements

The Collaboration SaaS Specialization 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.

The Collaboration SaaS Specialization trains partners to gain the foundational knowledge of Cisco collaboration SaaS solutions to effectively sell these cloud-based services. The specialization 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 Specialization, 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 the Cisco collaboration pricing program and eligibility for rebate programs and the NFR Collaboration SaaS.
  • Take advantage of VIP rebates as part of the Collaboration Annuity track.
  • Gain recognition in the Cisco Partner Locator.

Advanced Collaboration Architecture Specialization

Specialize to help your customers better connect with their customers, partners, and suppliers. Requirements

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.

The Collaboration Architecture Specialization satisfies a requirement for Premier and Gold levels.

You can also:

  • Get bigger deals through a solution-based sales approach.
  • Take part in incentives.
  • 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. Requirements

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 incentives, 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 support resources.
  • Find and sell our tested, validated collaboration solutions at special price points.

Unified Contact Center Express Specialization

Deliver Cisco Contact Center Express products to small to mid-market customers. Requirements

The Unified Contact Center Express Specialization is available to all Advanced Collaboration Architecture Specialized partners, providing more flexibility in terms of which collaboration solutions to invest in.

The Cisco Contact Center portfolio now includes three specializations: Unified Contact Center Express Specialization (small to mid-market); Unified Contact Center Enterprise Specialization (enterprise market); and Webex Contact Center Specialization (cloud).

With the Unified Contact Center Express Specialization, you can:

  • Build and promote your brand as a trusted Cisco specialized partner, able to deliver Cisco Contact Center.
  • Gain recognition on the Cisco Partner Locator.
  • Differentiate your Contact Center Express capabilities from non-specialized partners.

To learn more, contact your partner account manager.

Unified Contact Center Enterprise Specialization

Deliver Unified Contact Center Enterprise (UCCE) products to enterprise customers. Requirements

Provide intelligent call routing, network-to-desktop computer telephony integration, and contact management solutions to enterprise agents over an IP-based network.

To apply for this specialization you must be associated with an Advanced Unified Contact Center Enterprise Specialization partner from another business entity of the same parent company and within the same Cisco-defined theater. The Unified Contact Center Enterprise Specialization partner must be a separate business entity from their fully qualified Advanced Unified Contact Center Enterprise Specialization partner and from another country within the same theater.

With the Unified Contact Center Enterprise Specialization, you can:

  • Market and sell UCCE solutions in countries within the theater that are outside of the country where the Advanced Unified Contact Center Enterprise Specialization qualification is held.
  • Identify, qualify, train, enable, and promote country-based presales teams to build market share in that theater.
  • Ensure high-level, end-to-end global project management for total customer engagement.
  • Ensure excellence in customer satisfaction with the UCCE solution.

This specialization is by invitation only. To learn more, contact your partner account manager.

Advanced Unified Contact Center Enterprise Specialization

Deliver Cisco Contact Center to enterprise customers. Requirements

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 an Advanced Collaboration Architecture Specialization.

With the Advanced Unified Contact Center Enterprise Specialization 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 specialization is invitation-only. To learn more, contact your partner account manager.

Webex Contact Center Specialization

Deliver the Cisco Webex Contact Center to mid-market customers. Requirements

The Webex Contact Center Specialization enables select partners to sell, implement and support the Cisco Webex Contact Center offer to mid-market customers.

The Webex Contact Center 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 Webex Contact Center Specialization, you can:

  • Build and promote your brand as a trusted, Cisco specialized partner, able to deliver Cisco Contact Center.
  • 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 VIP rebates as part of the Collaboration Annuity track.

This specialization is invitation-only. To learn more, contact your partner account manager.

Data center specializations

Help your customers transform their data centers and use the latest cloud strategies.

Data Center Specialization

Show you are an expert in optimizing data center networks and servers, from sales to support. Requirements

This specialization helps your company develop sales, technical, and service capabilities for integrated data center server solutions. 

You can:

Advanced Data Center Architecture Specialization

Become an expert in converged infrastructure, multicloud hybrid computing, application or infrastructure as a service, and analytics. Requirements

Specialize to advance your skill set. Meet customers' diverse data center needs for the digital era.

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.
  • Use the Design Zone.
  • Find and sell tested, validated data center solutions at a special price point.

Master Data Center and Hybrid Cloud Specialization

Integrate the three pillars of cloud: cloud applications and services, data centers, and networks. Requirements

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 VIP rebates.

HyperFlex Specialization

Sell and implement hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) technology through Cisco HyperFlex Solutions. Requirements

The HyperFlex Specialization is designed specifically to enable partners to sell and implement HCI technology through Cisco HyperFlex Solutions. With the HyperFlex Specialization, 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 Specialized partners.

The HyperFlex Specialization will:

  • Build and promote your brand as a trusted Cisco Specialized Partner, able to deliver Cisco HyperFlex solutions.
  • Offer additional up-front discounts to specialized partners on HyperFlex products.
  • Gain recognition in Cisco Partner Locator and other Cisco tools.
  • Have exclusive access to learning maps and training opportunities in advances in HCI Technology.

Networking specializations

Help your customers transform their networks to meet today's digital demands.

Networking Specialization

Jump-start your Cisco networking business, focusing on on-premises switching, routing, wireless, and security solutions. Requirements

Jump-start your Cisco networking business with our Networking Specialization. It focuses on on-premises switching, routing, wireless, and security solutions. It also covers cloud-managed solutions, including the Cisco 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 Integrator.
  • Qualify for incentives.

Advanced Enterprise Networks Architecture Specialization

Specialize to get the training you need to sell Cisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access) and SD-WAN solutions. Requirements

Specialize to get the training you need to sell Cisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access) 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:

Master Networking Specialization

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. Requirements

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 businesses. 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.

You can also:

Security specializations

Help your customers grow their business more securely.

Security Specialization

Focus on customer business outcomes and threat-centric solutions. Requirements

The Security Specialization helps you focus on customer business outcomes and threat-centric solutions. The simple requirements make it easy for you to receive additional discounts on new, registered security solutions.

With the Security Specialization you can:

Advanced Security Architecture Specialization

Give customers more advanced security solutions for their business needs—whether they're small businesses, large enterprises, or anything in between. Requirements

Achieve a higher level of security technical expertise than most IT partners have. You can give customers more advanced security 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.
  • Qualify for VIP rebates.
  • 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 Cisco Partner Locator.

Master Security Specialization

Learn how to add security to all aspects of your customers' networks. Adapt to new threats and help your customers get the security coverage they need. Requirements

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 support resources.

Cisco Umbrella for MSSPs Specialization

Get access to a cloud security service that gives customers a first line of defense, so your customers can stop threats before they ever reach an organization's network or endpoints. Requirements

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 a specialized Cisco partner.
  • Have two system engineers complete the Cisco Umbrella MSSP training and Level 2 COLT exams.
  • Provide frontline support.
  • Preferably have an operational SOC and an API developer or team.

Service provider specializations

Help your service provider customers make the shift to digitization.

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. Requirements

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 earning VIP rebates and selling higher-value solutions.

This specialization satisfies a requirement for Gold, Premier, and Select levels of the Integrator role.

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. Requirements

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 Specialized 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

More specializations

Specialize in IoT (Internet of Things) or Small Business.

IoT Specialization

The IoT Architecture Specialization is being retired. See notification. View requirements.

Our specializations portfolio continues to evolve in response to shifts in the market, customer needs, and technology innovation. As part of this revolution, we recently launched the Industrial IoT Solution Specialization and Commercial IoT Solution Specialization.

Solution Specializations are lightweight, lower cost, offer more flexibility and they count toward Select, Premier and Gold level requirements. Visit the Solution Specializations page for more details on the benefits and how to get specialized.

IoT Advantage Specialization

The IoT Advantage Architecture Specialization is being retired. See notification. View requirements.

Our specializations portfolio continues to evolve in response to shifts in the market, customer needs, and technology innovation. As part of this revolution, we recently launched the Industrial IoT Solution Specialization and Commercial IoT Solution Specialization.

Solution Specializations are lightweight, lower cost, offer more flexibility and they count toward Select, Premier and Gold level requirements. Visit the Solution Specializations page for more details on the benefits and how to get specialized.

Small Business Specialization

The Small Business Specialization has been updated. See the new Small and Medium Business (SMB) Specialization page for details.

How to get and keep a specialization

Review the requirements to see that you qualify. Apply and agree to the terms and conditions. After achieving approval, ensure that you maintain the requirements. Renew your specialization annually. (Partner admin must apply and renew).

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