Updated: Jan 08, 2026
With Cisco moving fully to the Cisco 360 Partner Program in January 2026, the way enterprises assess Cisco partners has changed materially. Legacy labels such as Gold, Premier, and Select no longer provide a complete or current view of partner capability.
As Cisco Preferred Partner becomes the primary customer-facing designation, verifying a partner’s status is no longer a formality. It is a practical step to reduce delivery risk, ensure portfolio-level expertise, and avoid reliance on outdated credentials.
For Indian enterprises issuing RFPs or evaluating long-term Cisco engagements, verification is now part of due diligence.
Cisco Preferred Partner is a portfolio-specific designation awarded under the Cisco 360 Partner Program. It indicates that a partner has met Cisco’s performance thresholds within a defined technology domain, based on delivery outcomes and lifecycle engagement.
Unlike earlier partner tiers, Preferred status is not organisation-wide. A partner may hold Preferred recognition in one portfolio and not in another. This makes independent verification essential.
For a detailed explanation of how this designation works, see the foundational guide on what Cisco Preferred Partner status means.
Cisco provides customers with direct mechanisms to verify partner status. These sources should always be treated as authoritative. The primary verification tool is the Cisco Partner Locator. This allows users to search for partners by name and location and view their recognised designations and portfolios.
When using the Partner Locator, buyers should verify not just the partner name, but also the specific portfolio in which Preferred status is claimed. Portfolio-level validation is central to the Cisco 360 framework.
In addition to the Partner Locator, Cisco account teams can confirm portfolio recognition during opportunity alignment. This is particularly relevant for enterprise and regulated environments.
One common mistake is assuming that legacy Gold Partner status automatically translates to Cisco Preferred Partner recognition. Under the Cisco 360 Partner Program, this is no longer the case.
Another frequent issue is relying on marketing collateral, presentations, or website badges without independent verification. These assets may not reflect current or portfolio-specific recognition.
Buyers also sometimes verify the partner name but overlook the portfolio context. Preferred status must always be checked against the relevant technology domain.
Proactive Data Systems is recognised as a Cisco Preferred Partner in India across multiple portfolios, including Networking, Security, Cloud & AI, and Collaboration.
This status can be independently verified using Cisco’s Partner Locator by searching for Proactive Data Systems and reviewing the listed portfolio recognitions.
For an overview of Cisco Preferred Partner designations in the Indian context, refer to the central Preferred Partner hub. In India, Portfolio-specific validation can also be explored through individual capability pages, such as the Cisco Preferred Security Partner page.
As Cisco Preferred Partner becomes the primary benchmark, Indian enterprises should update RFP language and evaluation criteria accordingly. RFPs should explicitly reference Cisco Preferred Partner status for relevant portfolios and require partners to demonstrate current verification through Cisco-authoritative sources. This approach aligns partner evaluation with Cisco’s own assessment framework and reduces ambiguity during selection.
Verifying Cisco Preferred Partner status is no longer optional in a post-Gold partner landscape. It is a necessary step to ensure that partner claims reflect current, portfolio-level capability.
For Indian enterprises, using Cisco’s official verification mechanisms provides clarity, reduces risk, and supports more informed partner decisions under the Cisco 360 Partner Program.
