Renton D’Souza, Vice President, Comstor MEA and Priya Limaye, Partner Organisation Lead, Cisco Gulf Region discuss the value of the Cisco 360 Partner Program in this exclusive interview.
How does Cisco 360 differ from the various programs Cisco has introduced throughout its 30-year history?
Priya: The new Cisco 360 Partner Program represents the most significant evolution of our industry-leading partner program in nearly three decades. It is designed to accelerate the value partners bring to customers by better addressing their rapidly evolving and complex needs – modernising infrastructure, powering AI workloads anywhere, and keeping customers’ organisations secure, resilient, and high-performing.
The new program reflects a strategic shift in how Cisco and its partners create and deliver value for their customers in today’s fast-paced, competitive market.
What objectives does Cisco seek to accomplish with the rollout of the program?
Priya: The program will redefine what it means to be a successful Cisco partner measuring value over transactions: how partners serve the needs and ambitions of their customers while harnessing the collective strength of Cisco’s partner ecosystem in ways that drives growth. The program will elevate partners’ stature with customers and upgrade the partner experience with simplified processes and new ways to plan and track performance.
For the Cisco 360 Partner Program, we invited partners into the process early to help build it. Our focus is clear: helping partners achieve predictable and profitable growth. We are shifting incentives toward areas like technology innovation rooted in campus refresh, AI and security, software adoption, renewals, and deeper customer engagement to drive long-term success.
How does Cisco 360 introduce a new way to measure partner value through its Partner Value Index?
Priya: The Cisco 360 Partner Program introduces the Partner Value Index, a new framework that measures the partner’s contributions across four key dimensions. First, it assesses the foundational aspect, which reflects the maturity of partner’s lifecycle or managed services practices. Next, it evaluates capabilities, focusing on partner’s investment in technical and other skills. The framework also considers performance, looking at how effectively the partner is able to land, retain, and renew customer value. Finally, it measures engagement, examining how the partner connects with customers throughout their journey. This approach ensures that the partner’s unique strengths—whether in Security, Networking, Collaboration, Cloud & AI, Services and Observability, or across multiple portfolios—are recognised and rewarded.
Which new designations are included in the program, and how do they enhance a partner’s value to customers?
Renton: Cisco is introducing two new partner designations—Cisco Partner and Cisco Preferred Partner—to replace the Gold, Premier, and Select levels. This change is designed to showcase partner investments and capabilities, helping customers select the best partner for their needs. As Cisco transitions to the 360 Partner Program, the focus will shift from traditional Architecture Specialisations to Solution-based Specialisations. Cisco is also creating next-generation Specializations for Preferred Partners to highlight their deep technical expertise in specific portfolios or across multiple areas.
How is Comstor assisting partners to achieve a seamless transition to the Cisco 360 program?
Renton: At Comstor, we are dedicated to helping our partners maximise the benefits of this program. We have been actively raising awareness through training sessions, webinars, and focused discussions during our channel events. Our sales and business development teams are working closely with partners to facilitate a seamless transition to the new program. Additionally, our teams are ensuring full alignment with Cisco to co-innovate and grow together.
Image Credit: Comstor & Cisco
