Cisco 360 Associate Program for MSPs and Managed Providers

Technological innovation, supercharged by AI, is reshaping buyer expectations. Companies now demand outcomes—delivered with simplicity and agility—not simply expertise merchandise. This shift has propelled managed companies to the forefront of our {industry}, making it a essential differentiator and a high precedence for our companions. 

At Cisco, we’re dedicated to empowering our companions’ success on this transformation. As Tim Coogan, SVP, International Associate Gross sales  states, this can be a keystone of our channel technique and the brand new Cisco 360 Associate Program: 

“Our prospects are telling us loud and clear that managed companies are more and more how they undertake transformative expertise. And our companions are telling us that this enterprise mannequin is the place they count on the largest development. That makes managed companies essential to Cisco’s future as nicely. That is why we’ve constructed managed companies into the muse of the Cisco 360 Associate Program—as a result of we consider in assembly prospects the place they’re and empowering companions to ship outcomes that matter most.”

Buyer Demand Meets Associate Precedence

The information is evident: managed companies are the first development driver for B2B IT channel companions. A February 2025 Canalys survey of over 1,000 international respondents discovered that 49% named managed companies their most essential income alternative, far outpacing {hardware} gross sales at 16% with different initiatives following at precipitously smaller charges. The survey additionally recognized managed companies as the highest contributor to gross margin.¹ 

This deal with managed companies makes good sense when you think about the tangible benefits for companions:

• Boosted Profitability: Managed companies create predictable, recurring income streams with increased margins that may be optimized over time, boosting investor confidence and supporting funding issues. 
• Enhanced Buyer Engagement: Managed companies allow a full lifecycle engagement, guaranteeing you’ve continuous causes to interact along with your shoppers—from touchdown the preliminary sale and serving to the shopper onboard and undertake the answer to increasing the chance and renewing—resulting in elevated lifetime values, mindshare, and satisfaction. 
• Strategic Worth: By specializing in enterprise outcomes as an alternative of speeds and feeds, you elevate from being a vendor to an integral strategic advisor. It’s a lot tougher for a competitor to enter an account when the shopper feels compelled to name you first to debate new priorities. 

Cisco’s 3P Technique: Our Dedication to Your Managed Providers Journey 

I’ve beforehand written about Cisco’s dedication to MSPs by our “3P” technique: Platform, Desire, and Efficiency. This multi-faceted strategy continues to seize what’s most important for our shared success because the Cisco portfolio, our companions, and our companion program are continuously evolving.

• Platform: Begin with Nice Know-how –  Our “One Cisco” portfolio brings collectively the unparalleled power of our industry-leading expertise. From networking and safety to observability and collaboration, our platforms are designed with APIs for seamless integration, centralized administration, and automation. We proceed to spend money on MS-specific product managers who perceive the options wanted for operational success at scale, enabling you to ship complete, outcome-based options.
• Desire: The Keystone of Our Technique – We’re dedicated to elevating and simplifying the companion expertise for you as an MSP. This contains offering a wealthy set of instruments and assets, delivered by {industry} consultants, that can assist you combine platforms, optimize your apply maturity, and speed up your managed companies enterprise. We need to scale back the time and price of your evolution, irrespective of the place you’re in your journey.
• Efficiency: Rewarding Your Progress – The Cisco 360 Associate Program is designed to reward companions for development and for increasing their Cisco capabilities. It’s about recognizing your investments and celebrating your success in delighting prospects. We’re aligning you to the Cisco area sellers by frequent metrics and providing you with managed services-specific, portfolio aligned Cisco Powered Providers.

Associate Managed Providers: Embedded All through the Cisco 360 Associate Program

Single labels now not outline a expertise companion. As a result of most companions now function a number of practices, managed companies are deeply embedded within the Cisco 360 Associate Program—not as an add-on, however as a elementary measure of success. Your managed companies apply maturity and demonstrated capabilities straight contribute to your Associate Worth Indices (PVIs), that are central to unlocking your designations and advantages.

Right here’s how managed companies present up within the related metric classes:

• Foundational: We acknowledge your progress in constructing a strong managed companies apply, together with devoted roles and working a Community or Safety Operations Heart (NOC/SOC). Our three-level Managed Providers Observe Maturity framework, aligned with the TSIA LAER buyer engagement mannequin, helps you at each stage of your journey.
• Capabilities:  These metrics replicate your workforce’s experience by Black Belt enablement and Cisco profession certifications. Companions with a Managed Providers Observe Maturity can earn further advantages by sharing capabilities from a Heart of Excellence throughout a number of international locations by a versatile Hub and Spoke mannequin.
• Efficiency: Your managed companies bookings (ACV/TCV) and your use of MS-specific shopping for applications—the Managed Providers Enterprise Settlement (MSEA) and Managed Providers License Settlement (MSLA)—straight enhance your efficiency metrics. Flagging your managed companies bookings additionally helps justify continued funding in MSP-focused options and consultants.
• Engagement: Managed companies naturally embody full lifecycle engagement—from touchdown and adoption to growth and renewal. These motions translate straight into your Engagement actions and Cisco 360 outcomes.

Reaping the Rewards of Managed Providers Success

Success in managed companies is nicely rewarded within the Cisco 360 Associate Program.

• Differentiation: Reaching Cisco Powered Providers designations helps you stand out. They’re searchable within the enhanced Associate Locator, which helps prospects, Cisco sellers, and different companions discover you based mostly on demonstrated strengths.
• Programmatic Discounting: We respect that MSPs drive architectural choice. Programmatic discounting, aligned to your Observe Maturity and Cisco Powered Service attainment, helps you quote and promote with velocity and profitability, permitting you to populate your service catalog with well-priced affords.
• Cisco Associate Incentives (CPI): Again-end incentives by Cisco Associate Incentives (CPI) additionally improve your profitability. CPI rewards you for promoting the newest Cisco improvements—for instance, Wi-Fi 7 merchandise carry a better incentive than Wi-Fi 6E. Your earnings develop as you spend money on your Managed Providers Observe Maturity and capabilities, and attaining the Most well-liked designation unlocks an extra CPI bonus.
• Deal Registration: Protects your pursuits in aggressive conditions, whether or not you’re looking a brand new emblem, teaming with a Cisco gross sales workforce, or pursuing a renewal. It helps us handle forecasts and rewards you for constructing this movement into your gross sales course of.

These are just some of the methods we reward your success!

Your success with managed companies is significant to our mutual development. The Cisco 360 Associate Program is designed to create a flywheel impact: as you make investments and ship worth, you’re rewarded, enabling additional development. After we each make investments, we succeed collectively in a market ripe with demand.

Act Now: Your Path to Success

Maximize the Cisco 360 Associate Program transition alternative by:

• Investing in Cisco Platforms: Construct and improve your managed companies utilizing the industry-leading One Cisco portfolio.
• Reaching Cisco Powered Providers: Differentiate your companies and achieve higher visibility out there.
• Advancing your Supplier Function stage: These investments straight translate to Cisco 360’s Managed Providers Observe Maturity and defer the necessity for added validations for 18 months or extra from the launch on January twenty fifth
• Leveraging MS-Particular Shopping for Applications: Optimize your profitability by using software program shopping for applications designed for MSPs.
• Flagging Managed Providers in CCW: Guarantee your contributions are precisely tracked and acknowledged to assist us scale investments that assist your wants.
• Using the Associate Expertise Platform (PXP): Monitor your Associate Worth Indices and metrics to see how your efforts translate into program advantages.

Cisco is deeply dedicated to making sure our MSP companions have the platforms, assets, and incentives to develop profitably. By embracing managed companies with Cisco, you’ll be able to unlock new ranges of worthwhile development and create lasting worth to your prospects, all of which you will note mirrored within the Cisco 360 Associate Program

Collectively, we are able to obtain outstanding success. #GoManaged