Vendor University: Is It Getting Better?

CISCO SETS THE STANDARD IN NETWORKING TRAINING

In channel satisfaction surveys, solution providers consistently give Cisco Systems top ratings for training and certification, leaving little doubt that, in the networking world, the vendor sets the standard.

One thing that separates Cisco, San Jose, Calif., from the pack is that its expectations are high, and it doesn't waver, solution providers said. Partners who invest time and money in certification are not going to be undercut by one-off deals that give product access or benefits to non-certified partners.

"That creates value for the whole process, which requires a big investment on our part and a big investment on theirs," said Mont Phelps, president of NWN, a Cisco Gold partner in Waltham, Mass.

Cisco also is clear about requirements, giving partners an unambiguous path to follow in order to reach their goals, solution providers said. "It's probably the most well-defined program I've seen," said Ethan Simmons, partner at NetTeks Technology Consultants, a Cisco Premier partner in Boston.

While clarity and consistency are important, VARs often put the greatest emphasis on the quality of training when assessing vendor programs.

Cisco pushes the bulk of its training through the channel via a handful of partners authorized as learning centers. The quality remains high because the vendor keeps tight control over the content, constantly updating it to keep it fresh, said Mike Zanotto, COO of Skyline Advanced Technology Services, a Cisco Silver solution provider and authorized training partner in Campbell, Calif. Cisco also requires a lot of hands-on training. "About 70 [percent] to 80 percent is hands-on," he said. "Others do the bulk of their training with e-learning. Cisco has that, too, but the vast majority of the content, especially for the advanced technologies, is instructor-led."

Another factor is assessing the vendor's willingness to subsidize partner training. Among networking VARs surveyed by CRN, 40 percent reported receiving some free training. That was higher than any other area except managed services.

Cisco partners said they fund training in a variety of ways, paying for some outright while, in other cases, getting help from Cisco or its distribution partners. As a member of Ingram Micro's VentureTech Network, Information Networking gets most of its Cisco training free through the distributor. "Very seldom do we have to pony up," said John Riddle, president of the Irvine, Calif., company. "That is because of our network relationships."

As it aims to provide more differentiation for channel partners, Cisco's requirements become stiffer, creating a challenge for partners—particularly smaller players—to keep up, solution providers said. The vendor earlier this year rolled out a new, lower-end specialization that requires partners to traverse multiple technology areas, part of Cisco's effort to ensure that all of its partners have a strong foundation on which to build broad solutions.

The moves put Cisco between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, the company is striving to cut down on the complexity of its programs. On the other, since existing partners have already invested in Cisco's training and certification, they don't want requirements to become too lax for newcomers.

"They have some work to do to make it easier to do business with them," Simmons said. "But I don't want them to make it too easy because I've already invested there."

Jennifer Hagendorf Follett

JOHN LONGWELL contributed to this story.