According to CRN, Cisco has revealed comprehensive details about its Cisco 360 partner program overhaul at Partner Summit 2025, with the new program launching January 25, 2026. The company is consolidating multiple partner programs including VIP, Perform Plus, and CSPP into a single Cisco Partner Incentive structure. New specializations in Secure AI Infrastructure and Secure Networking will be available starting February 2026, with partners able to earn additional bonuses by achieving both. The program introduces a Partner Value Index measuring partners across four areas and a partner incentive estimator launching November 10. Tim Coogan, senior vice president of global partner sales, emphasized that close to 90% of Cisco’s revenue comes from its global partner ecosystem, making this overhaul critically important.
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The Great Consolidation
Here’s the thing about partner programs – they tend to get bloated over time. Cisco’s had VIP, Perform Plus, CSPP… it was getting complicated. Basically, they’re taking all these separate programs and folding them into one unified structure. That’s actually smart because partners were probably spending more time navigating the bureaucracy than actually selling.
But consolidation always comes with risks. When you streamline, someone’s ox gets gored. The Gold partner designation is going away, replaced by Cisco Partner and Cisco Preferred Partner. That’s going to ruffle some feathers – companies pay good money for those designations and the marketing value they bring.
Show Me the Money
The new Cisco Partner Incentive is where things get interesting. They’re keeping the core VIP logic – you book business, you get paid. But they’re adding layers for expansion and adoption. The Cross Sell Bonus rewards portfolio breadth, while the Next Generation Specialization Bonus pays for deep expertise.
Now, the partner incentive estimator launching November 10 is crucial. Partners need to model their earnings before they commit to big deals. As one partner put it, they’ve got “very large deals that are closing” and need to understand profitability. Without that visibility, you’re basically flying blind when bidding on major projects.
Where the Real Money Is
The new specializations tell you everything about where Cisco sees growth. Secure AI Infrastructure and Secure Networking – that’s the future right there. Companies are terrified about AI security, and Cisco’s positioning partners to address that fear.
What’s clever is making these specializations portfolio-specific. A partner might be Preferred in security but not networking. That creates clearer differentiation in the market. And earning both unlocks additional bonuses – smart way to drive adoption across the board.
The Trust Factor
Tim Coogan’s comments about trust are telling. “We will evolve and co-design and maybe occasionally, fail, but we’ll do that together with the basis of trust.” That’s basically admitting they know this transition could be messy. Partner program changes always are.
They’ve made “near countless changes” based on partner feedback, which is good. But the real test comes in January 2026 when this thing goes live. Will the promised simplicity materialize? Will partners actually earn “just as much, if not more” as promised? Those are the billion-dollar questions for a company where partners drive nearly 90% of revenue.
