Cisco to up ante on security channel strategy - sources

Networking giant set to announce raft of changes designed to give security greater prominence in its channel plans

Cisco will make a series of announcements designed to show partners it is serious about the security market at its upcoming global partner shindig, CRN understands.

The networking giant has invested heavily in security in recent years but that is not necessarily reflected in its partner programme, with security currently bundled in as part of its Borderless Networks architecture specialisation.

But according to channel sources, Cisco will use its annual partner knees-up in Las Vegas later this month to announce that security will be broken out as a specialisation in its own right.

Measures to lower the bar for partners to become accredited on its security wares are also set to be unveiled. According to sources, Cisco's Advanced Security accreditation will be broken into four badges around next-generation firewalls, email security, web security and intrusion prevention, the last of which is based on its recent $2.7bn (£1.6bn) acquisition of Sourcefire, to make them more accessible.

Terry Greer-King, director of security for Cisco UK and Ireland, would not comment in detail ahead of Cisco's partner event, but confirmed the vendor is ramping up activity in the security market.

"We're looking to on-board new partners and create new programmes," he said.

Currently, Cisco's top partners must hold each of its three architectural specialisations: Borderless Networking; Collaboration; and Datacentre.

Some were supportive of Cisco potentially breaking out security as a fourth architectural specialisation on which they must skill up.

Jon Pickering, chief executive of Cisco Gold partner Block Solutions, said it is "no secret" that Cisco is planning to focus more on security as an architecture in its own right.

"Cisco's objective will be to get partners more focused on security, as this is an area in which they've invested a lot of money and will want to get a return," he said. "Its portfolio is becoming quite strong and it's getting further into the top-right quadrants.

"We've got strength and depth around security already so the prospect of needing to train another three distinct people wouldn't concern me."

However, Greer-King said the emphasis will be on engaging more partners and not forcing them to commit more manpower to security.

"They will either have a long period of grace, or it won't be enforced at all. This is more about on-boarding new partners," he said.