Cisco partners given recertification deadline
New-look specialisation approach to cover all renewals from August 2012
The clock is ticking for Cisco VARs to snag the complete set of the vendor's new Architecture Specialisations to hold onto their Gold and Silver badges.
Officially unveiled today are the Advanced Borderless Network, Advanced Collaboration and Advanced Datacentre Architecture Specialisations. To achieve Gold partner status, VARs must attain all three, while Silver status will require one. Premier partner status can be obtained with either one Advanced architectural badge or the Cisco Express Foundation Specialisation.
From August 2012, partners wishing to renew their current certifications must adhere to the new rules. This means VARs will have between 16 and 28 months to get their houses in order, depending on when their partner anniversary falls.
Cisco claims the new-look certification process will shave $50,000 (£30,600) off the price of attaining Gold partner status for the first time. Total training hours required will be cut by a quarter, said the vendor, and the first 500 resellers to go through recertification will be given $5,000 in learning credits.
Going hand in hand with the revamped reseller programme is a change to how Cisco manages its learning partners. Associate learning partners will focus on educating end users on core technologies, while Specialised training houses will address the ins and outs of the new Architecture Specialisations.
The plan to move to a certification model based on architectures, rather than technologies, was first unveiled at Cisco's 2010 partner summit. At the time, Edison Peres (pictured), Cisco's senior vice president for worldwide channels, denied the revamp would reduce Gold partner numbers.
"As the role of the network expands, Cisco and our partners must evolve together to capture market opportunities," added Peres today. "The new Cisco architecture specialisations recognise and build on our partners' network advantage, enabling them to evolve their business, increase profitable growth and become more relevant to their customers."