1. Step by step guide to becoming a Select Certified Partner
For existing SMB Select designated partners please follow steps 3-5 only.
Contents
Step 1. Become a Cisco Registered Partner
Step 2. Associate People with your Company
Step 3. Certify Individuals via Courses and Exams
Step 4. Apply for SMB Specialization
Step 5. Apply for Select Certification
Reference GuideŁ
2. Step 1. Become a Cisco Registered Partner
Contents
1. Review the Partner Registration User Guide:
http://www.cisco.com/web/partners/pr11/pr193 guide.html Step 1. Become a Cisco Registered Partner
2. Apply to the Cisco® Registered Partner Program: Step 2. Associate People with your Company
http://tools.cisco.com/WWChannels/IPA/welcome.do
Step 3. Certify Individuals via Courses and Exams
i. Apply for a Cisco.com (CCO) user ID (if you do not
already have one). You will receive an automated
Step 4. Apply for SMB Specialization
response with the assigned ID.
ii. Provide or verify your company and contact information. Step 5. Apply for Select Certification
iii. Review and accept the terms of the Indirect Channel
Partner Agreement (ICPA): http://www.cisco.com/web/
partners/pr11/pr193/index.html
iv. Submit the application: http://tools.cisco.com/RPF/
register/registerdo?app_id=CHANNELS
After you have completed the registration form and
clicked to accept the ICPA, you will receive notification
of your acceptance as a Cisco Registered Partner within
24 hours. As a Registered Partner, you will be granted
partner-level access to Cisco.com and will be eligible to
participate in the Cisco Channel Partner Program. Status
as a Registered partner is valid for 12 months and must
be renewed annually.
3. Step 2. Associate People with your Company
Contents
1. Use Partner Self-Service (PSS) at http://tools.cisco.
com/WWChannels/GETLOG/login.do to register your Step 1. Become a Cisco Registered Partner
company’s details, your partner tool administrators, and
the people associated with your company (Figure 1). Step 2. Associate People with your Company
i. You can download a Partner Self-Service User Step 3. Certify Individuals via Courses and Exams
Guide at http://www.cisco.com/web/applicat/
partserv/applications_training_tutorial_guest.html or Step 4. Apply for SMB Specialization
view a Quick Reference Guide at http://www.cisco.
com/warp/public/765/tools/pss/Reference.html Step 5. Apply for Select Certification
Figure 1 Cisco Partner Self-Service
4. Step 3. Certify Individuals via Courses and Exams
Contents
1. Visit SMB University at http://ww.cisco.com/go/ The same individual can fill both the account manager
smbuniversity to review learning maps for the and engineer roles. Once the candidates have passed Step 1. Become a Cisco Registered Partner
Cisco SMB Specialization role. the exams, please allow 10 business days for the results
to appear in the PSS tool and the Certification and Step 2. Associate People with your Company
2. Plan which people will fill the required roles (account Specialization Application (CSApp) tool. Both exams must
manager and engineer) and create a training plan for be passed before the SMB Specialization application can Step 3. Certify Individuals via Courses and Exams
those people to ensure that they meet any prerequisites be processed. See Step 4: Apply for SMB Specialization to
and know which courses and exams must be taken. Step 4. Apply for SMB Specialization
learn how to complete the Certification and Specialization
3. Prepare for the required exams by taking the Application. Step 5. Apply for Select Certification
recommended SMB Specialization training courses,
available in e-learning format. Instructor-led training Here are two tips to ensure that passed exams move
is also available in some areas. quickly from the testing center into Cisco’s databases:
i. Ensure that all people taking exams are associated
4. Once any desired training is complete, register for the with your company in PSS.
online exams, administered globally by PearsonVue
at http://www.pearsonvue.com/cisco/online/. ii. Each individual needs to sign the Cisco Career
Certification and Confidentiality Agreement in order
You can access the exams at www.testrac.com/ for the exam to show as completed. This agreement
pvuecisco. can be signed online.
This website includes easy-to-follow information on Once an exam has been passed, it can take up to 10
how to register and schedule exams. If the test taker business days before it registers in PSS (http://tools.
already has a Cisco.com user ID, he or she should cisco.com/WWChannels/GETLOG/login.do) or the
have it available. If the individual does not have a CSApp tool (http://tools.cisco.com/WWChannels/
Cisco.com ID, one will be sent upon completion of cpapp/selectGeo.do).
his or her first exam. A TesTrac ID is also required and
will be issued the first time the person registers for an If the partner has validated that the individual is associated
exam. The same TesTrac ID is used for all exams taken with the company and the certification agreement has
by that individual. If the test taker has not tested with been signed, but individuals who have passed tests
Cisco before, he or she will need to create an account are still not showing in the system, open a case with the
on the TesTrac site where the ID will be issued. Partner Relationship Team (PRT) online at www.cisco.
com/go/prt.
The Cisco SMB Specialization requires two roles:
one account manager (AM) and one engineer (EN).
The two required SMB Specialization exams are:
650-175 SMBAM: SMB Specialization
for Account Managers
650-180 SMBEN: SMB Specialization
for Engineers
5. Step 4. Apply for SMB Specialization
Contents
1. Use the CSApp tool at http://tools.cisco.com/WW- i. Select the SMB Specialization.
Channels/cpapp/selectGeo.do.The Specialization Step 1. Become a Cisco Registered Partner
Planner tab allows you to monitor the progress of the ii. Allocate the job roles to the individuals who meet
the requirements, then press the “Next” button.
individuals scheduled to fill the required roles. Step 2. Associate People with your Company
iii. Review the Summary page and press the
i. Select the theater and the country, add the name Step 3. Certify Individuals via Courses and Exams
“Next” button.
of your company, and press “Search.”
iv. Confirm the candidates who will hold the required Step 4. Apply for SMB Specialization
ii. Select the radio button for your company and
job roles on the Summary page.
press “Select.” Step 5. Apply for Select Certification
v. Accept the ICPA and terms and conditions.
iii. Select the Specialization Planner tab, the SMB
Specialization, and all (or the desired) roles. vi. If you are ready, submit your SMB Specialization
This shows you the requirements for each role application.
and any individuals who already meet these
requirements. 3. You can open the application for the SMB Specializa-
tion without completing it. It will have a status of “In
iv. If you’d like to see the status of the individuals
progress” within the CSApp tool for 90 days while
in your company, you can select the “Contacts
close to meeting requirements” hyperlink. you continue to make progress toward filling the roles.
This tab shows all company contacts and what
4. All company administrators will receive an email
requirements each is still missing.
from csapp-program@cisco.com notifying them
2. Once both specialization roles (account manager and that a new application has been submitted for the
engineer) are met by individuals and their information Cisco SMB Specialization. Within 24 hours, you
is available, use the Specialization Application tab should receive a notification that your company has
within the CSApp tool (http://tools. cisco.com/ achieved the SMB Specialization. This email will also
WWChannels/cpapp/selectGeo.do) to submit your be from csapp-program@cisco.com. From this point,
application (Figure 2). the CSApp tool will reflect your SMB Specialization by
showing the status as “Approved.” The specialization
Figure 2 Specialization Application tab within the CSApp tool is valid for one year, and so the anniversary date will
be one year from the date it was approved.
5. To receive the Cisco Select Certification, you must
now complete and submit the Select Certification
application in the CSApp tool, as described in Step 5.
6. Step 5. Apply for Select Certification
Contents
1. Enter the CSApp tool (http://tools.cisco.com/
WW-Channels/cpapp/selectGeo.do), choose Step 1. Become a Cisco Registered Partner
You can open the application for the Select
“Select Certification” from the list of certifications,
Certification without completing it. It will display
and press the “Next” button. Step 2. Associate People with your Company
a status of “In progress” within the CSApp tool
i. Select the theater and country, add the name for 90 days while you continue to make progress Step 3. Certify Individuals via Courses and Exams
of your company, and press “Search.” toward filling the roles.
Step 4. Apply for SMB Specialization
ii. Select the radio button for your company and All company administrators will receive an email
press “Select.” from csapp-program@cisco.com notifying them Step 5. Apply for Select Certification
that a new application has been submitted for
iii. Choose the Select Certification and press the
the Cisco Select Certification.
“Next” button.
Within 24 hours, you should receive a notification
iv. Check the appropriate boxes to validate your
support capabilities (no customer satisfaction that your company has achieved the Select
[CSAT] responses will be required) and press Certification. This email will also be from csapp-
the “Next” button. program@cisco.com. From this point, the CSApp
tool will reflect your Select Certification by showing
v. Review the Summary page and press the the status as “Approved.” The certification is valid
“Next” button. for one year, so the anniversary date will be one
vi. Review the terms and conditions and press year from the date it was approved.
the “Next” button.
vii. Confirm that all requirements are met and
Step 5 Continued >
submit the application (Figure 3).
Figure 3 Submitting the Certification and Specialization Application
