New Cisco Partner Program Targets Vertical Markets

HONOLULU—At its Partner Summit here this week, Cisco Systems introduced its Solution Technology Integrator program for partners producing integrated vertical market solutions featuring Cisco technology.

Solution Technology Integrator partners are technology manufacturers that integrate specific Cisco technologies with their own to sell, service and support specific vertical market solutions. These partners, selected by Cisco, must sign and qualify for specific contracts. They can then sell the integrated solution directly or through their own channel partner community.

Edison Peres, vice president of Advanced Technologies, Worldwide Channels at Cisco Systems, said the program adds “a new type of partner to our channel community. Forming these relationships broadens the reach of our channel partner community, enabling us to strengthen our value proposition and address new market opportunities, representing incremental business for Cisco, and our Solution Technology Integrator partners.”

One such partner is Intermec, a developer of mobile and wireless data collection tools, including RFID solutions, based in Everett, Wa.

Dick Mahany, vice president of Intermec, said “as a Cisco Solution Technology Integrator, we now have the ability to combine our handheld devices with Cisco Aironet wireless LAN technology to create a complete integrated solution for our customers. Forming a relationship and integrating with an industry leader like Cisco, will give Intermec and our channel partners a significant competitive advantage in a number of data collection markets, including retail, homeland security and hospitality.”