According to CRN, Cisco has unveiled the long-awaited details of its Cisco 360 partner program overhaul at Partner Summit 2025, with the new program set to launch on January 25, 2026. The company is eliminating separate partner programs including VIP rebates, Perform Plus, and the Cisco Services Partner Program, folding them into a single Cisco Partner Incentive structure. The program introduces new specializations like Secure AI Infrastructure and Secure Networking available from February 2026, while replacing the Gold partner designation with Cisco Partner and Cisco Preferred Partner tiers. A new Partner Value Index will measure partners across four areas, and a partner incentive estimator launches November 10 to help model earnings. Close to 90% of Cisco’s revenue comes through its partner ecosystem, making this overhaul particularly significant for the company’s channel strategy.
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Massive simplification play
Here’s the thing about channel programs – they tend to get ridiculously complex over time. Cisco’s been running multiple separate programs with different rules, incentives, and requirements. Now they’re basically saying “enough is enough” and collapsing everything into one unified structure. The Partner Value Index and Cisco Partner Incentive are supposed to create a single source of truth for how partners get measured and paid.
But let’s be real – anytime a vendor says they’re “simplifying,” partners get nervous. Remember when Microsoft did their New Commerce Experience? That was messy. Cisco seems to be learning from those lessons by giving partners tools like the incentive estimator and keeping core principles like “you book business, you get paid” intact. Still, any change this big is going to create winners and losers.
Betting big on AI and security
The new Secure AI Infrastructure and Secure Networking specializations tell you exactly where Cisco sees the market going. They’re basically putting their money where their mouth is – if you invest in these high-growth areas, we’ll reward you. It’s a smart move given that every enterprise is trying to figure out their AI infrastructure strategy right now.
What’s interesting is how they’re tying these specializations directly to financial incentives. Earn both and you unlock additional bonuses. That’s Cisco basically saying “we’ll pay you to develop expertise in the areas we think will drive future growth.” It creates alignment between their strategic priorities and partner investments.
The partner perspective
Lane Irvine from Long View Systems gave what sounds like cautious optimism. Partners have apparently been very clear with their feedback, and Cisco seems to be listening. That’s crucial because partner programs live or die based on whether the people actually selling the stuff find them workable.
The timing question is huge though. Partners are making decisions RIGHT NOW about 2026 bids and deals. They need to know what their profitability will look like. The November 10 launch of the incentive estimator can’t come soon enough for many of them. Large deals take months to put together, and not knowing your rebate structure makes pricing incredibly difficult.
Where this fits in the market
Look, every major vendor is rethinking their partner programs right now. The shift to cloud, SaaS, and AI is forcing everyone to reconsider how they compensate and enable their channels. Cisco’s move feels like part of a broader industry trend toward simplification and alignment with strategic priorities.
But here’s what makes Cisco different – nearly 90% of their revenue comes through partners. That’s an insane number compared to many other tech giants. So when they make changes this fundamental, they absolutely have to get it right. The risk of disrupting their entire revenue stream is very real.
Basically, this isn’t just another program refresh. It’s Cisco betting the farm that they can create a partner ecosystem that’s more profitable, more predictable, and better aligned with where technology is heading. We’ll find out starting January 2026 whether that bet pays off.
