Cisco reaffirms support for Master accreditation

Vendor adamant about benefits to partners of Master and Big Bet schemes

Wightman: We are absolutely committed to the Master accreditation

Cisco’s UK channel chief has reasserted the vendor’s commitment to its Master accreditations and has talked up the benefits of the vendor’s Big Bet programme.

The vendor recently introduced its third Master accreditation in managed services, which joined the existing badges in security and unified communications (UC). Since the accreditations’ launch in 2006, five UK partners have gained the UC stamp, but there are no security Masters yet.

Bernadette Wightman, UK and Ireland channel director at Cisco, claimed she expected the first Master security accreditations to be awar-ded this year.

“We are absolutely committed to the Master accreditation for the comfort and the differentiation it gives partners in this market,” she said.

Scott Nursten, managing director of Gold partner s2s, claimed he had intended to pursue Master security, but that the plan was “off the roadmap” for the time being.

“Master is great from the perspective that it is aspirational,” he added.

“It is an accreditation I would still like to acquire, but our view is that end users do not see the Master certification the way the channel does.”

Nursten added that Cisco should invest in increasing end-user awareness of the Master’s significance.

Cisco is also about to unveil the latest of its yearly Big Bet schemes, where it co-funds business plans with partners. Money can be allotted for marketing, events, staff, demo facilities and other initiatives.

The vendor will plough in an investment representing a twentieth of the growth the plan is expected to facilitate. Some money is paid up front and some in later instalments.

Nursten said s2s had received investment for a number of marketing initiatives.

“It is a fantastic programme that has helped us to fund programmes that we could not otherwise have embarked upon,” he said.

Tom Kelly, managing director of integrator Logicalis also expressed his support for the scheme. “Once you pick your areas carefully, the investment is protected,” he added.