Cisco has rolled out a major overhaul of its global partner ecosystem with the launch of the Cisco 360 Partner Program, a framework the company says is designed to help customers reach transformative AI outcomes faster while giving partners clearer paths to growth and profitability in an increasingly AI-driven market.
Announced on January 26, 2026, the new program is the result of 15 months of co-design with Cisco’s global partner community. It reflects a strategic shift as enterprises accelerate investments in AI-ready data centers, future-proof workplaces, and digitally resilient infrastructure—areas where Cisco believes close collaboration with partners is now essential rather than optional.
“With our partners, we’ve strengthened what is already a world-class ecosystem to deliver even greater value and help our mutual customers connect, protect, and thrive,” said Tim Coogan, Senior Vice President of Global Partner Sales at Cisco.
Built to support a wide range of partner business models, from developers and consultants to managed service providers, resellers, and distributors, the Cisco 360 Partner Program is intended to simplify how partners engage with Cisco while strengthening their ability to deliver measurable customer outcomes.
The initiative also introduces new tools that make it easier for customers to identify and assemble the right partner teams across Cisco’s core portfolios, including Security, Networking, Collaboration, Services, Splunk, and Cloud and AI Infrastructure.
A central goal of the program is to give partners more clarity and predictability when it comes to earnings. At the heart of this effort is the Cisco Partner Incentive, now live, which consolidates and streamlines previous incentive structures. By aligning partner rewards more closely with Cisco’s roadmap and go-to-market priorities, the company aims to help partners plan more confidently and scale their businesses alongside customer demand for AI-ready solutions.
For customers, Cisco has also introduced a new Partner Locator tool that allows organizations to search for partners based on specific expertise and portfolio needs. New partner designations are meant to reduce friction in the buying process by clearly signaling a partner’s capabilities, technical depth, and lifecycle support.
All participants are recognized as registered Cisco Partners, with higher tiers reflecting demonstrated expertise, mature practices, and the ability to deliver end-to-end solutions.
“The Cisco 360 Partner Program helps us differentiate based on our expertise. We appreciate that we’re measured on the value we bring; that only benefits our mutual customers,” said Nicko Roussos, Senior Vice President for Cisco Strategy and Transformation at TD Synnex.
The launch comes as Cisco’s own AI Readiness Index highlights how preparedness for AI has become a competitive differentiator across industries. According to Cisco, meeting this demand requires coordinated efforts across infrastructure, services, and AI-native capabilities—an approach the new program is designed to encourage.
By recognizing partner expertise and rewarding value creation across the entire customer lifecycle, Cisco aims to enable partners to deliver secure, agile solutions that support long-term digital transformation.
Several new resources are being introduced alongside the program to help partners stand out and grow. These include temporary Cisco Partner Incentive bonuses tied to One Cisco initiatives such as Secure Networking and Secure AI Infrastructure, available through the end of July 2026.
Cisco is also expanding its Partner Value Index framework to include dedicated indexes for developers and advisors, mass-scale infrastructure partners, and distributors, each with tailored learning paths and growth opportunities. A new Distributor Development Fund is being rolled out to strengthen alignment and enablement across the distribution ecosystem, while an enhanced Cisco AI Assistant within the Partner Experience Platform is designed to help partners work more efficiently and focus on customer value.
“The Cisco 360 Partner Program was designed with partners to foster collective success, enable differentiation, and help partners scale with confidence. It’s about making our ecosystem’s unique value clear to the market and our customers,” said Elisabeth De Dobbeleer, Senior Vice President of the Cisco Partner Program.
Early partner feedback suggests the redesign is already having an impact. “We’ve already actively engaged in the Cisco 360 Partner Program leading up to the launch and are already seeing the benefits of the Cisco Partner Incentive Estimator for planning. This insight plays a critical role in ensuring we deliver the most competitive solutions to our customers,” said Lane Irvine, Director of Strategic Alliances at Long View Systems.
Others highlighted the collaborative nature of the redesign process. “Cisco has invested significant time and effort in the redesign of this program. While there was understandable hesitation at the start, it’s clear that the refinements made along the way have strengthened the overall approach. I especially appreciate that partner feedback was actively listened to and thoughtfully actioned throughout the process,” said Alex Schank, Senior Partner Operations at Pomeroy Technologies, LLC.
For solution providers, the alignment with outcome-based delivery is seen as a natural evolution. “Insight is fully aligned with the Cisco Partner 360 Program and its focus on delivering meaningful customer outcomes. This approach reflects how we engage every day — leaning in to solve complex business challenges and accelerate transformation. Together, we are positioned to create even greater impact and measurable value for our shared customers,” said Kevin Brown, Vice President of Partner Management at Insight.
Industry analysts see the program as a signal of where partner ecosystems are headed. “Cisco 360 is a bridge to the new partner model: high-touch, high-value, outcome-based, and AI-ready. The partners who embrace the Partner Value Index not as a scorecard but as a business plan will find that 2026 is not a year of consolidation but of unprecedented profitability,” said Anurag Agrawal, Founder and Chief Global Analyst at Techaisle.
With the Cisco 360 Partner Program now live, Cisco is betting that deeper alignment, clearer incentives, and AI-focused collaboration will allow its ecosystem to move faster—and help customers navigate the complexity of the AI era with greater confidence.