After the first day of Cisco Partner Summit focused on its ‘Navigate to Accelerate' vision, the second day was centred on technology transformation, with the introduction of new channel programs, career certifications and unified computing systems (UCS) C-Series servers to help customers migrate to the next-generation data centres.

"We believe virtualisation is fast emerging, data centres have become more efficient. Cisco is very uniquely positioned to lead this transformation," said Chief Technology Officer, Padmasree Warrior (left) at the global news conference. "Unified Computing Systems is a $20bn opportunity," she continued, as she quoted the recent Goldman Sachs survey of 100 IT executives, in which two thirds expect increased presence for Cisco servers in their data centres in the next two-three years, while 18% in the next 12 months.

To accelerate the transition towards data centre virtualisation, Cisco introduced several channel programs designed to help their partners gain new revenue opportunities and evolve their business towards a data centre practice. To motivate channel partners to invest in building a unified data centre practice, Cisco expanded its existing Value Incentive Program (VIP) for all of Cisco's data centre technologies, including unified computing, storage networking and WAN optimisation, as well as for its existing partners in switching.

In addition, Cisco announced the new Data Centre Channel Solutions Program. "The expansion of Cisco data centre channel program embraces the Unified Computing architecture to offer us an opportunity to build on our existing end-to-end data centre practice," said vice president, Corporate Business Development, World Wide Technology, Bob Olwig.

Cisco also opened its Unified Computing to a broader range of its partners, and announced an Authorized Partner Program (APP) to support the new Unified Computing C-Series Rack-Mount servers, an addition to Cisco UCS product line (available Q4 2009) that extend the standards-based innovation, reduced total cost and increased business agility to customers who require rack-mount servers.

"In a rapidly changing marketplace, the Unified Computing C-Series Rack-Mount server will provide us new services opportunities and a unique on-ramp that appeals to a wider range of our customers that are planning to integrate Unified Comuting in their existing data centres," added Olwig. All Cisco Data Centre Network Infrastructure (DCNI) Specialized partners (the fastest-ramping specialisation in Cisco's history) will be able to sell the new rack-mount servers after completing online training and examination from Cisco.

Two new IT individual certifications have been created, targeting both customers and channel partners - Cisco Data Centre Unified Computing Design Specialist and Cisco Data Centre Unified Computing Support Specialist - in order to validate design and support expertise across multiple data centre technologies that make up the unified computing architecture (information available Q3 2009 at www.ciscolearningnetwork.com).

"If you have the capability to integrate new solutions, integrate the new technologies, and throw at your customers TCO, I can guarantee you can differentiate yourself from another partner," said Director go-to-market strategy John Crowdon. "Our channel partners share Cisco's vision and excitement around data centre virtualisation and unified computing," added Peres. "Together, we will lead the market transition toward data centre virtualisation and unified computing," he concluded.

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