SAN JOSE, Calif., December 13, 2004 - As part of a continuing commitment to the small- business market, Cisco Systems® today announced it is adding an Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) offer for one of its most successful U.S. channel marketing programs, Success Builder. In addition, Cisco is expanding the OIP component of the IP Freedom program to include small businesses. These incentives will reward channel partners with additional discounts for the presales investment associated with securing new and incremental business.

These offers complement the current U.S. channel marketing programs—Success Builder, focused on routing and switching, and IP Freedom, for IP Communications—which already include competitive leasing, complementary learning credits and sales tools.

"The small and medium-sized business (SMB) market is the fastest-growing segment we compete in, representing a dramatic growth opportunity for us and our channel partners," said Chuck Robbins, vice president, U.S. Channels at Cisco Systems. "Our strategy, in the United States, is to reward and recognize channel partners that secure new and/or incremental Cisco® business. Together with the IP Network Defender offering we announced in November, these incentives confirm our commitment to drive mutual success in the SMB market."

"Cisco listens to us and develops programs that recognize the contributions we make," said Chris Zettervall, vice president, ABS Technology Architects, a Cisco Premier Certified Partner. "The new Cisco Opportunity Incentive Program offerings will help us grow our overall revenue and deliver tailored solutions and services to our smaller clients."

Opportunity Incentive Program

To participate in the new offers, Cisco channel partners are required to be a participant in Success Builder, IP Freedom or IP Network Defender. For more information, visit: http://www.cisco.com/go/oip.

• Success Builder - Targeted at the 20- to 500-employee small-business market, Success Builder provides Cisco certified and registered channel partners a one-time-only incentive on new implementations of Cisco SMB-Class routers and switches, including the recently introduced integrated services routers. To be eligible, the opportunity must include one integrated services router, one switch and one year of either Cisco or partner technical support services.
• IP Freedom - Expanded to include the sub-500-employee small-business market, IP Freedom provides Cisco IP Communications Specialized or IP Communications Express Specialized channel partners a one-time-only incentive on implementations of Cisco IP Communications solutions. To be eligible, the opportunity must include a Cisco CallManager system (Cisco CallManager Express qualifies), a minimum of 25 IP phones, one Cisco PIX® security appliance or K9 secure router, Cisco Unity® Express system, one in-line power switch and one year of either Cisco or partner technical support services.
• IP Network Defender - Available to all Cisco market segments and introduced in November 2004. IP Network Defender provides Cisco Security Specialized or Security Express Specialized channel partners an incentive on implementations of Cisco network security solutions. To be eligible, network security must represent 40 percent of the total sale and the opportunity must include one year of either Cisco or partner technical support services.