Cisco 360: What Partners Need to Know Ahead of February Launch

Back in October 2024, networking and security leader Cisco unveiled its new Cisco 360 Partner Program, which is formally set to launch this year.

Program first announced in 2024 promises increased partner support and enablement

The partner program was developed to change how Cisco and its partners create, deliver, and capture AI value. It will also address customers’ evolving and complex needs by modernizing infrastructure, powering AI workloads anywhere, and keeping customers’ organizations secure, resilient, and high-performing.

Cisco has developed the program with partners and customers, guiding them through a 15-month transition period with a full launch in February 2026.

“To further strengthen what is already a world-class partner ecosystem, this new program allows us to recognize and reward successful partners and better address the evolving needs of our customers,” said Elisabeth De Dobbeleer, Senior Vice President, Cisco Partner Program. “Our goal is to transform partner success, elevate Cisco partners, and upgrade the partner experience to align with Cisco’s strategic vision.”

What to know ahead of launch: program elements and Tim Coogan’s leadership

In November 2025, Cisco announced key elements of the Cisco 360 Partner Program.

The program includes new paths to profitability for solutions that drive customer value, including campus refresh, AI, security, collaboration, and mass-scale infrastructure, helping partners potentially earn as much or more through the existing program.

The partner program will also include two partner tiers: Cisco Partner and Cisco Preferred Partner. This two-tier structure will include designations that can be earned for each portfolio – for example, partners aiming for security recognition can be recognized as a Cisco Preferred Security Partner.

Further, Preferred Partners can earn new specializations aligned with Cisco’s critical infrastructure for the AI era.

Additionally, in August 2025, Cisco announced that Tim Coogan would step in to replace Rodney Clark as Senior Vice President of Global Partnership Sales, moving from his prior role as SVP for U.S. Commercial at Cisco.

“This program is critical to our mutual success with partners,” said Coogan. “The Cisco 360 Partner Program serves the agile partner ecosystem that reacts and adapts quickly, innovates continuously, and scales efficiently through platform and ecosystem effects.”

Recently launched program elements

Among the new elements for the program are: 

• enhanced incentives tied to customer priorities 
• specializations to recognize AI infrastructure expertise 
• expanded partner enablement 
• marketing investment for program launch

The Cisco Partner Incentive introduces the Eligible Offers list and rebate rates that accelerate growth and incentivize adoption in key innovation areas. 

Partners can model profitability using the Cisco Partner Incentive Estimator and unlock two additional bonuses as they advance expertise and accelerate portfolio growth.

The two bonuses – including the Cross Sell Bonus, which rewards portfolio breadth, and the Next Generation Specialization Bonus, which rewards deep expertise or greater value – deliver predictable growth and position partners to earn as much, or more, than with the previous program by focusing on integrated solutions that drive customer outcomes. 

Coming in February 2026, Cisco Preferred Partners will be able to earn two new specializations: Secure AI Infrastructure and Secure Networking. 

This will recognize partners who deliver comprehensive solutions from design through ongoing customer engagement using Cisco’s integrated hardware, software, and services. 

These specializations unlock an additional Cisco Partner Incentive bonus and increase partners’ profitability as they build deep expertise in the AI era.

Further, the expanded partner enablement includes training, tools, and demo environments, such as: 

• Cisco Partner Learning Journeys: This resource offers clear, role-based training paths for both technical and sales professionals at every level, with recognition through the Cisco 360 Partner Value Index that accelerates the development of the skills that drive business growth.
• Cisco AI Assistant for Partners: Offers streamlined access to high-quality, multi-language content and training, available in Learning Journeys and Partner Experience Platform. 
• Advanced dCloud Demo Experiences: This resource provides customizable virtual labs that replicate real customer environments, allowing Preferred Partners to demonstrate Cisco’s full capabilities alongside their own solutions, while reducing physical equipment needs and lowering training and sales costs.
• Cisco U. AI Skills Expansion: Provides practical training in AI skills, data analysis, and AI APIs usage for designing AI pilot projects, fostering an agile ecosystem that supports partner success, and innovation in a rapidly evolving technology landscape. 
• “Learn with Cisco”: This service will now include the new Cisco AI Infrastructure Specialist Certification within the CCNP Data Center Certification track to help partners build and validate skills on Cisco data center infrastructure.

Cisco’s AI-powered IQ Program

This announcement of the partner program is also buoyed by the newly announced Cisco IQ program in November 2025.

Through the program, Cisco can leverage AI to deliver more personalized resources via an on-demand, automated delivery vehicle.

“Cisco IQ is our boldest step yet in reimagining how customers interact with Cisco – from planning and design to optimization and transformation,” said Liz Centoni, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Experience Officer, Cisco. “With AI at its core, Cisco IQ doesn’t just react. It intelligently anticipates, personalizes, and transforms how you assess, deploy, and operate, providing one connected experience to reduce complexity and empower IT teams to act with clarity and confidence.”

Ahead of the 2026 launch, Cisco discussed the channel’s key role in market success at the Partner Summit 2025. Learn more about how Cisco engages partners early in the process and how the organization is leveraging AI and building out API stacks.