SAN JOSE, Calif., June 25, 2001 Highlighting its commitment to help channel partners identify and penetrate new market opportunities, Cisco Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, today announced two new specializations focused on the service-provider market. The new Universal Dial Access and DSL Specializations provide a structured training roadmap and verification process to ensure channel partners have the expertise to plan, design, implement and support Universal (data/voice/fax/wireless) Dial Access and DSL solutions from Cisco.
"Margins for traditional Internet connectivity services are eroding and service providers are turning to IP services as a means to capture new revenue opportunities," said Surinder Brar, senior director of Worldwide Channels at Cisco Systems. "For many service providers the challenge is in building an Internet infrastructure that delivers IP services beyond basic connectivity. This market inflection represents a tremendous new opportunity for our channel partners."
Premium IP-Based Internet Services
To accelerate the transition to premium IP-based Internet services, service providers need a single, scalable and reliable network to deliver them. Cisco has created its new DSL Specialization to address these needs. The DSL Specialization accelerates the adoption of DSL technology by training channel partners on how to address the many challenges service providers face in building reliable and scalable DSL networks, including overcoming the distance and availability issues of first-generation DSL solutions.
Revenue Generating IP Services
The advent of unified (data/voice/fax/wireless) network solutions has drastically changed the landscape of the dial access market. Until now, service providers wanting to add additional IP services had to deploy an overlay edge network for each new service. Central to the Universal Dial Access Specialization is a unified network architecture, which enables channel partners to deploy multiple service capabilities on the same network, lowering costs and increasing network utilization. Because Cisco is the only company offering a truly unified network architecture, channel partners that achieve the Universal Dial Access Specialization are uniquely positioned to help service providers increase revenue by delivering premium IP-based Internet services, such as wholesale dial, VPN, unified communications and Internet gaming to name a few.
Focused Career Training
Every Cisco specialization requires a channel partner to place skilled individuals into specific job roles of account manager, system engineer and field engineer. Traditionally, the engineering roles are required to be filled by either a Cisco networking associate or professional-level career certified technician. The DSL and Universal Dial Access Specializations are the first to use the new Cisco Communications and Services career certifications as another fulfillment option. The Cisco Communications and Services career certifications are service provider focused and will help channel partners develop and recruit skilled professionals who can plan, design, implement and support service provider specific networks.
For Universal Dial Access, an account manger is responsible for the sales methodology of the Cisco unified dial access network. The system engineer, responsible for the network planning and design, is required to be career certified as a CCDA. (Cisco Certified Design Associate), CCDP. (Cisco Certified Design Professional) or the new CCIP (Cisco Certified Internetwork Professional). The field engineer, responsible for the implementation and support, is required to be career certified as either a CCNP. (Cisco Certified Network Professional) or CCIP. In addition, both the system engineer and field engineer must pass the Cisco Universal Dial Access Specialization exam.
For DSL the account manager is responsible for the sales methodology for Cisco GlobalDSL solutions. The systems engineer, responsible for the network planning and design, is required to be career certified as a CCDA, CCDP or the new CCIP. The field engineer, responsible for the implementation and support, are required to be career certified with CCNA., CCNP or CCIP certification. In addition, both systems engineers and field engineers must pass the Cisco DSL Specialization exam. DSL field engineers must also pass the Cisco SCM Operations and Maintenance exam.
Cisco Specializations
The new service-provider-focused specializations are the latest addition to the Cisco specializations, which encompass key technologies such as IP telephony, VPN/security, WAN switching, voice access, SNA/IP integration, network management, wireless LAN, cable and now DSL and Universal Dial Access.
The new DSL and Universal Dial Access Specializations are worth 25 points each toward a partner's certification status. If you are a partner interested in learning more about the Cisco Channel Partner Program, go to www.cisco.com/warp/public/765/partner_programs. For specific training roadmaps, exams and applications for the DSL and Universal Dial Access Specialization, go to www.cisco.com/go/specializations.
