The Cisco 360 Partner Program is a global framework that defines how Cisco evaluates, supports, and recognises its partners for delivering consistent, high-quality outcomes to customers. It focuses on a partner’s overall capability across technical expertise, customer success, managed services maturity, and lifecycle excellence—helping businesses identify the most trusted technology partners worldwide.
Why It Matters to Customers
When a Cisco partner is recognised under the 360 framework, it means their services and processes have been rigorously audited against Cisco’s highest operational and delivery standards. For customers, this translates to greater reliability, faster deployments, and stronger return on technology investments.
The 360 Program brings transparency and accountability into partner selection. It ensures that Cisco’s ecosystem is built on measurable performance metrics rather than just sales volume. Customers engaging with a 360-recognised or Preferred Partner work with a company that has demonstrated proven capability across networking, security, collaboration, cloud, and AI portfolios.
How It Works
The program evaluates partners through a structured, evidence-based assessment across several areas:
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Customer Experience (CX): How effectively the partner helps customers adopt, optimise, and realise value from Cisco solutions.
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Managed Services Maturity: The ability to deliver proactive, automated, and SLA-backed managed services.
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Operational Excellence: Governance, compliance, and support models that ensure consistent service quality.
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Innovation and Growth: Use of automation, analytics, and lifecycle practices that enhance business outcomes.
Based on these assessments, partners are scored through Cisco’s Partner Value Index (PVI), which quantifies their maturity and capability across multiple domains.
Connection to the Preferred Partner Designation
The Cisco 360 Partner Program forms the foundation of Cisco’s new Preferred Partner designation. Only partners that meet the 360 criteria and maintain high Partner Value Index (PVI) scores are recognised as Cisco Preferred Partners. This new tier replaces traditional classifications like Gold or Silver, shifting focus from transactional performance to long-term value creation.
For customers, choosing a Cisco Preferred Partner means working with an organisation that has demonstrated consistent excellence across design, deployment, support, and lifecycle management.
Why It’s Relevant in India
Cisco’s 360 framework ensures that enterprises, government agencies, and SMB customers can confidently identify Cisco Preferred Partners capable of delivering end-to-end outcomes. As Indian businesses modernise their networks, move to hybrid clouds, and strengthen cybersecurity, Cisco 360-certified partners like Proactive Data Systems play a vital role in accelerating this transformation.
