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The Cisco 360
Partner Program
The Cisco 360 Partner Program helps partners deliver more value as customer needs evolve, modernizing IT, running AI workloads across environments, and keeping operations secure and resilient. It’s a strategic shift in how Cisco supports partners, centered on agility, personalization, and digital-first learning, and it rewards results over process, recognizing the full range of partner contributions with incentives matched to each business model.
Cisco Partner Since
1996
Guaranteed to Run Classes
100%
Partner Value Index
Your PVI is calculated per portfolio across four categories. Clear the line and you earn a portfolio designation and CPI rebates; clear the higher bar and you become a Preferred partner with richer rewards.
These 4 pillars decide your score:
Foundational
Practice maturity in lifecycle and managed services.
Capabilities
Career certifications (CCNA, CCNP, CCIE) and Black Belt expertise.
Performance
Your ability to land, grow, and retain the customer base.
Engagement
Driving adoption across the full customer lifecycle.
Weights vary by portfolio. For Security, Networking, and Cloud & AI, certifications alone can account for roughly 45% of the total index, making Capabilities the biggest single lever you can pull.
Your score decides your standing and your rebates.
- Cisco Partner: The baseline for any partner
- Cisco Portfolio Partner: Certified capability in a portfolio
- Cisco Preferred Portfolio Partner: Higher rebates, specializations & bonuses
The certifications that count
Career certifications and Black Belt accreditation carry the most Capability weight.
Pick a level and we’ll help you build the path.
| Portfolio | Popular tracks | Levels | Format | PVI impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Networking Core portfolio |
CCNA, CCNP Enterprise, CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure, SD-WAN / SD-Access, ENCOR & ENARSI, Automation (DevNet) | Associate to Expert | Instructor-led + labs | High, Capabilities |
| Security Core portfolio |
CCNP Security, CCIE Security, Firewall & IPS, Identity (ISE), Secure connectivity / VPN, Fire Jumper accreditation | Professional to Expert | Instructor-led + labs | High, Capabilities |
| Cloud & AI Growth portfolio |
CCNP Data Center, CCIE Data Center, ACI & Nexus, Compute (UCS), Automation & orchestration, AI-ready infrastructure | Professional to Expert | Instructor-led + labs | High, Capabilities |
| Collaboration Portfolio |
CCNP Collaboration, CCIE Collaboration, Webex platform, Calling & meetings, Contact center, Devices & endpoints | Professional to Expert | Instructor-led + labs | Adds portfolio breadth |
Built to make skills stick
The program is built to teach skills engineers actually use, not just what’s on the exam.
Skills that mirror the job
Curriculum built around the tasks engineers face day to day.
Hands-on practice
Extensive hands-on practice on real topologies and equipment.
Know where you stand
Regular checkpoints show exactly where you stand.
Continuous learning
A journey of learning and assessment that keeps skills current.
Turn training into a higher PVI
Tell us which portfolios you’re building and we’ll map the certifications that lift your score fastest, in classes that are guaranteed to run.
Cisco 360 Program Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cisco 360 Partner Program?
It’s Cisco’s redesigned partner framework that replaces the old Gold, Premier, Select, and Registered tiers. Instead of fixed status levels, each portfolio you work in is scored on its own with a new metric, the Partner Value Index (PVI), which determines your designation and rewards.
What is the Partner Value Index (PVI)?
The PVI is the score Cisco uses to measure your value in each portfolio. It’s calculated across four categories, Foundational, Capabilities, Performance, and Engagement, and it directly sets the size of the rebate you can earn.
How is this different from the old incentive programs?
Legacy incentives like VIP, CSPP, and Lifecycle Incentives are consolidated into a single rebate called the Cisco Partner Incentive (CPI). Rather than being rewarded for individual deals, you’re now rewarded for capability and customer outcomes across the full lifecycle.
Why do certifications matter so much under Cisco 360?
Certifications are the single heaviest lever on the Capabilities pillar, which is the largest component of your PVI in key portfolios. Investing in career certifications (CCNA, CCNP, CCIE) and Black Belt accreditation is the fastest, most direct way to raise your score.
How does Sunset Learning help us raise our PVI?
We map the certifications that move your score to the portfolios you’re building, then deliver them through instructor-led training and hands-on labs, taught by certified engineers in classes guaranteed to run.