The Cisco Cloud Partner Program is an initiative by Cisco to help its channel partners enter the cloud computing marketplace. The Cisco Cloud Partner Program consists of three tracks: Cloud Builder, Cloud Provider and Cloud Services Reseller.
The Cloud Builder designation identifies consultants, value-added resellers and service providers who design and implement cloud-ready infrastructures or fully provisioned private or public clouds for customers. The designation is intended to validate partners’ competency in three aspects of building Cisco-centric clouds: cloud infrastructure, cloud management applications and cloud professional services.
The Cloud Provider designation identifies Cisco partners who sell their own public cloud-based services to customers. It allows partners to brand their service as being “Cisco Powered.”
The Cloud Services Reseller designation identifies Cisco partners who offer white-label or resell a Cloud Provider’s “Cisco Powered” cloud service.
Cisco promotes the Partner Program as a way to help its partners enter the lucrative business of cloud computing. However, it is also a marketing tool that benefits Cisco because it requires partners to build their cloud infrastructure with Cisco products.