ABSTRACT
Cisco is the world’s leading supplier of products to power the Internet. A small portion of Cisco’s $50 billion annual revenues goes through direct channels, well over 85 percent through 28,000 channel partners in 160 countries. Previously, Cisco sold direct to end users, but in the late 1990s shifted its major efforts to three intermediary types:
• Tier 1 partners. Systems integrators including global players – Accenture, Oracle, SAP – but also well-established local partners. Tier 1 partners integrate Cisco products with technology products from other firms to provide end users with complete solutions.
