Rather than working with generalists, Cisco s new partner program emphasizes specialization like wireless, security and switching. The challenge for Cisco partners is to choose where to invest their relatively limited training and marketing dollars to maximize their own profits. But at least one specialty is a rather long shot for the foreseeable future. Available now for the Cisco VPN 3000 Concentrator series, the unified framework eventually will enable VPN connectivity between all desktop, laptop and PDA clients, and all Cisco VPN-enabled concentrators, firewalls and routers. Cisco also released to the channel its multiclient VPN 5001 Concentrator, which supports all Windows, Mac, Solaris, Linux and Intel clients, as well as IPX and AppleTalk protocols.
Some partners are upbeat about that.
Storage networking is another target of Cisco s initiatives. The Cisco SN 5420 Storage Router, which utilizes the emerging iSCSI standard, enables access to pools of Fibre Channel storage over IP networks. More than 60 resellers and system integrators have been certified for the SN 5420. Broadband market analysts agree that cable operators are unlikely to pursue business customers any time soon. General Growth Properties, which owns 130 malls, is another Cisco cable customer.