A Clear Definition
A Cisco Preferred Security Partner is a Cisco partner that has been validated under the Cisco 360 Partner Program for its delivery capability within the Security portfolio. This designation confirms that the partner has demonstrated consistent ability to design, deploy, optimise, and support Cisco security solutions across the customer lifecycle. It is a portfolio-specific recognition and does not apply across all Cisco technologies by default.
From January 2026, Cisco Preferred Partner designations replace legacy tier-based labels as the primary customer-facing benchmark.
How Cisco Preferred Security Partner Status Is Awarded
Cisco awards Cisco Preferred Security Partner status based on measured performance rather than tenure or organisational scale.
Under the Cisco 360 Partner Program, Cisco evaluates partners on how effectively they deliver security outcomes in real-world customer environments. This includes architectural depth, deployment quality, customer adoption, and ongoing operational performance.
The designation must be sustained through continuous execution and is not a one-time certification.
What Falls Under the Cisco Security Portfolio
The Cisco Security portfolio covers technologies designed to protect users, devices, applications, and data across enterprise environments.
This typically includes network security, identity and access security, zero trust architectures, secure access service edge components, threat detection, and policy enforcement capabilities.
A Cisco Preferred Security Partner is validated specifically for competence across these security domains.
Cisco Preferred Security Partner vs Legacy Cisco Gold Partner
Under the earlier partner framework, Cisco Gold Partner status was awarded at an organisation level. While it indicated scale and investment, it did not always reflect portfolio-level security delivery depth.
Cisco Preferred Security Partner status replaces broad assumptions with explicit validation. It confirms where a partner has proven security expertise, rather than implying capability across all technologies. For customers, this distinction improves clarity and reduces delivery risk.
Why Cisco Preferred Security Partner Status Matters
Enterprise security environments are complex and continuously evolving. Poorly designed or operated security architectures can expose organisations to operational, financial, and regulatory risk.
Cisco Preferred Security Partner status helps organisations:
- Validate security expertise before engagement
- Reduce implementation and operational risk
- Align partner selection with Cisco’s own evaluation framework
- Ensure lifecycle ownership beyond initial deployment
This is particularly relevant for regulated, distributed, or high-risk environments.
What Customers Should Look for in a Cisco Preferred Security Partner
Beyond the designation itself, customers should evaluate how a Cisco Preferred Security Partner approaches security architecture, deployment, and operations.
Key considerations include security design methodology, integration with existing environments, governance processes, and the ability to support ongoing threat management over time. Verification of portfolio-specific Preferred status should always be part of due diligence.
Cisco Preferred Security Partner in the Indian Context
In India, organisations face a diverse threat landscape, regulatory requirements, and growing digital adoption. Security partners must combine global best practices with local execution capability.
Cisco Preferred Security Partner status provides Indian enterprises with a clearer signal of validated security delivery capability, aligned to Cisco’s global evaluation framework and local operating realities.
Where Proactive Data Systems Fits In
Proactive Data Systems is recognised as a Cisco Preferred Security Partner in India under the Cisco 360 Partner Program.
This recognition reflects consistent delivery across network security, identity, and zero trust security environments, supported by lifecycle ownership and pan-India execution capability.
The Practical Takeaway
Cisco Preferred Security Partner status reflects Cisco’s shift toward outcome-based, portfolio-specific partner validation. For organisations strengthening or modernising their security posture, this designation provides a more reliable indicator of proven security delivery capability.
