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Content Networking Q&A with Surinder Brar

December 3, 2001

Release: Cisco Helps Channel Partners Capitalize on the High-Growth Opprortunities of the Content Networking Market

Cisco Systems Inc. today announced its latest specialization, the Content Networking Technology Specialization, to help Cisco channel partners capitalize on this markets high-growth opportunities. The new specialization provides channel partner with a structured training roadmap and verification process to ensure they have expertise to plan, design, implement and support Cisco content networking solutions. By achieving the new Content Networking Technology Specialization, channel partners will earn credibility, differentiate themselves from their competitors and be able to penetrate this new high-growth market.

With this new specialization being introduced, channel partners now have 12 specializations, including two service-focused specializations, to select from. Nine of these 12 specializations were introduced in 2001, highlighting Cisco's commitment to help channel partners quickly learn about the latest technologies needed in the marketplace.

In an effort to understand why this new Specialization is so important to channel partners, we sat down with Cisco's Surinder Brar, senior director, Marketing Worldwide Channels. Brar explained that as channel partners compete in this rapidly evolving Internet Economy, specializations are critical to channel partner success.

Why are Specializations so important to channel partner success?In the Internet Economy, general expertise in routing and switching is no longer enough to ensure success for our channel partners. This is a significant change in our industry, presenting channel partners with new challenges as well as unprecedented opportunities. The challenge for channel partners is, how to develop a technology specific expertise that enables them to provide the services that differentiates their offering. The reward, the ability to capitalize on new market opportunities. Cisco specializations help channel partners accelerate their transition from generalist to specialized expert.

Why did Cisco introduce a Content Networking Technology Specialization?Content Networking is tornado market that according to IDC will be a $5 billion market in 2005. We need to help our channel partners obtain the expertise to capitalize on this rapidly growing market. In addition, as more channel partners earn the Content Networking specialization Cisco will be able to expand its customer base, accelerate the adoption rate of these technologies and extend our leadership position in this market.

Why would a channel partner want to earn this specialization? The tremendous increase in e-commerce transactions and bandwidth intensive applications, such as e-learning, makes content networking a potentially huge market for our channel partners. Channel partners who earn the Content Networking specialization can gain the expertise and recognition that enables them to differentiate themselves from the competition. This competitive advantage will enable channel partners to quickly penetrate this nmarket.

How does this support Cisco's overall channel strategy?Cisco's overall channel strategy is designed to encourage channel partners towards higher value-add and thus more profitable business models. Under our new Channel Partner Program, channel partner benefits are based on specialized expertise, customer satisfaction and other capabilities instead of resale volume. Our new Content Networking Technology Specialization is yet another step toward enabling our channel partners to evolve towards a services-based channel model.

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