Cisco channel growth plans revealed

Cisco will continue to recruit new partners in emerging markets and technologies, says global channels senior VP Keith Goodwin. Having added the new Select certification last year, it now has nearly 7000 such partners selling to the SMB sector, out of a total of over 10,000. It does 90% of its business though these 10,000, but is increasingly looking to the Outsourcing companies and service providers as new routes to market, he told a group of investors and analysts in a webcast earlier this month.

Europe represents the largest region for partners, at 2896 with certifications, and while mature areas will be served largely by expansion of existing channels, as new geographies grow, Cisco is looking to recruit. It also wants to build on channel expertise in technology areas such as datacentres, where it has a relatively new interest, he says.