The network is rapidly becoming the platform for all communications, collaboration and interactions. As a result, today's networks are growing in complexity. Customers are demanding integrated technology skills breadth, technology skills depth, and a full lifecycle services approach to implementing business solutions.
A Cisco Certified Partner can choose to be a provider of broad, integrated networking solutions, highly sophisticated solutions, or both. And by integrating the Cisco Lifecycle Services approach, our partners are equipped to successfully deploy, operate, and optimize Cisco solutions and become a trusted technology advisor for your business.
The Cisco Resale Channel Program is based on partner certifications and specializations. The program measures criteria such as customer satisfaction and presales and postsales support capabilities - critical factors in choosing a trusted partner.
The Cisco Resale Channel Program's certification levels reflect a partner's technology skills breadth. Certifications are tailored to deliver the broad, integrated networking solutions you need. There are four certification levels:
Gold Certification: The partner has the broadest range of expertise in advanced technologies, has integrated Cisco Lifecycle Services into its offerings, and has demonstrated a measurably high level of customer satisfaction.
Silver Certification: The partner has critical expertise in Cisco advanced technologies, has integrated Cisco Lifecycle Services into its offerings, and has proven levels of customer satisfaction.
Premier Certification: The partner has achieved technical competency in the integration of basic routing and switching, wireless LAN, and security technologies.
Select Certification: The partner has technology and business expertise specific to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with fewer than 250 employees.
Specializations: Technology Skills Depth
The Cisco Resale Channel Program's specialization levels directly reflect a partner's technology skills depth. The number and type of specializations determines a partner's certification level. Four specialization levels are available:
Master Specialization: Recognizes Cisco partners with the greatest capability in given technology areas or architectures, and who have met stringent requirements that demonstrate their master-level capabilities. Cisco Master Specializations are partners to turn to for complex Cisco Unified Communications, Security, and Unified Data Center solutions.
Advanced Specialization: The partner has achieved advanced specializations in unified communications, security, wireless LAN, routing and switching, and data center technologies.
Express Specializations: The partner has achieved one or both of the following: Express Foundation Specialization which provides integrated training on routing and switching, wireless LAN, and security technologies; and/or Express Unified Communications Specialization which provides a basic introduction to converged data, voice, and video networking.
SMB Specialization: The partner has completed technical training in switching, routing, security, and wireless solutions for SMBs with fewer than 250 employees.
The Cisco Lifecycle Services Methodology
The Cisco Lifecycle Services methodology, tools, and processes help partners define the activities needed to deploy and operate Cisco solutions, optimize technology performance, and reduce your deployment risk.