Cisco outlines channel direction for '09

R Dhamodaran, Senior VP-Channel Operations and Commercial Strategy, Cisco has
discussed the company's key channel initiatives and plans with media across
Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru via Cisco's TelePresence.

He highlighted his primary focus of strengthening Cisco's relationships with
its partner community.

Through Cisco's vision of the 'collaborative channel', the company sees a
unique platform for channel partners to grow and become integral to their
end-customers. Over the past few months, Cisco has launched a number of
initiatives such as MSCP and ISPN and invest­ments that underlines its
commitment towards its partners.

Dhamodaran said, “Cisco has always endeavored to develop innovative programs
that recognize and reward efforts of esteemed members of our channel community.
Given the relationships that we have forged within the channel community, as
well as the encouragement from our OEM partners, we are poised for tremendous
growth.”

R Dhamodaran, Senior VP-Channel Operations and Commercial Strategy, Cisco

The company plans to transform how channel partners attract, develop and
retain talent. At the recently concluded Partner Summit 2008 in Hawaii, Cisco
announced a list of initiatives to continue the company's ongoing collabora­tion
and build stronger relationships with the partner community. The summit also
identified talent as the prime inhibitor to growth. As a result, Cisco launched
several talent innovations, including its next-generation partner talent
platform, the Partner Talent Network. This new platform uses advanced social
networking capabilities and interactive video to transform how channel partners
attract, develop and retain employees.