Cisco 360: What the New Partner Program Means for Customers and Why It Matters
January 26, 2026
Cisco has officially launched Cisco 360, a complete overhaul of its iconic partner program, and it’s more than a structural refresh. It’s a strategic shift that aligns how partners are measured, rewarded, and discovered with how customers actually buy, deploy, and operate technology in an AI-driven, hybrid world.
For customers, Cisco 360 signals a move away from transactional relationships and toward partners who can deliver outcomes across the full technology lifecycle — from architecture and deployment to adoption, optimization, and ongoing services.
Here’s what Cisco 360 really means and why it’s important.
A Program Built for the AI and Lifecycle Era
Cisco 360 was designed to reflect a fundamental change in enterprise IT:
- AI workloads are reshaping infrastructure requirements
- Security must be embedded end-to-end
- Hybrid and multi-cloud are now the norm
- Customers expect continuous optimization, not one-time projects
Cisco built the new program around these realities, with a focus on capability, lifecycle value, and partner expertise, rather than just deal volume or size. Cisco executives have described this as a shift toward rewarding partners who help customers connect, protect, and operate more intelligently across the entire environment. (CRN)
The Partner Value Index (PVI): Measuring Real Capability
At the core of Cisco 360 is the Partner Value Index (PVI) — a new measurement framework that scores partners across key Cisco architectures, including:
- Security
- Networking
- Collaboration
- Services
- Cloud & AI Infrastructure
- Splunk / Observability
Rather than a single, generic partner level, PVI reflects portfolio-specific capability, allowing customers to more easily identify partners with deep expertise in the areas that matter most to their business.
This change directly benefits customers by making partner differentiation clearer and more meaningful, especially for complex, multi-architecture environments. (CRN)
One Incentive Model Focused on Outcomes
Cisco 360 also consolidates multiple legacy programs into a single structure: the Cisco Partner Incentive (CPI).
CPI replaces programs like VIP and Perform Plus with a unified model that measures partners across:
- Foundational requirements
- Capabilities and specialization
- Performance
- Engagement and lifecycle investment
This aligns partner profitability with customer success, rewarding partners for delivering integrated solutions, lifecycle services, and cross-portfolio expertise, not just point products. (CRN)
A Major Shift: Goodbye Gold, Hello Portfolio and Preferred
One of the most visible changes is the retirement of the long-standing Cisco Gold Partner designation.
In its place, Cisco now offers two portfolio-based designations:
- Cisco Portfolio Partner
- Cisco Preferred Partner
These designations are earned by portfolio and reflect demonstrated technical depth, lifecycle capability, and customer impact, not just scale.
Preferred Partners can also earn advanced specializations such as:
- Secure AI Infrastructure
- Secure Networking
For customers, this makes it easier to find partners who are not only certified, but truly equipped to design, deploy, and support modern environments.
Smarter Discovery and Partner Tools
Cisco 360 also introduces enhanced tools designed to improve how customers and partners engage:
- An upgraded Cisco Partner Locator to help customers find qualified partners by portfolio and capability
- An enhanced Cisco AI Assistant within the Partner Experience Platform
- New tools to model incentives and lifecycle opportunities
These investments are intended to simplify how customers identify the right partner and how partners plan long-term success aligned to Cisco’s roadmap.
What This Means for ANM and Our Customers
ANM has achieved Preferred Partner status in the Cisco 360 Partner Program, reflecting our deep technical expertise, lifecycle focus, and commitment to delivering measurable customer outcomes.
For our clients, this means:
- Access to validated, portfolio-level Cisco expertise
- Proven capabilities across networking, security, cloud, and infrastructure
- A partner aligned to Cisco’s most advanced architectures and lifecycle strategy
- A team built to support planning, deployment, optimization, and long-term success, not just initial installs
Cisco 360 reinforces what our customers already expect: partners who can design for today’s complexity while preparing environments for what’s next, including AI, advanced security, and hybrid operations.
Bottom Line
Cisco 360 represents a meaningful shift in how Cisco defines partner excellence and how customers should evaluate who they trust with critical infrastructure and security decisions.
The program is designed to surface partners who can:
- Architect for AI-ready environments
- Integrate security across the stack
- Deliver lifecycle services and optimization
- Drive predictable, long-term outcomes
As a Cisco 360 Preferred Partner, ANM is positioned to help organizations navigate this next phase with the technical depth, lifecycle focus, and customer-first mindset required to succeed in today’s IT environment.