Partners Pick Cisco for Multiple CRN Product of the Year Wins

Cisco’s goal is to deliver best-in-class solutions that make a difference for our customers and the world. But, just as important, we are committed to delivering those solutions in lockstep with our partners. Our partners enjoy a unique vantage point because they work with Cisco, as well as with other industry leaders. So, when The Channel Company’s CRN 2018 Products of the Year awards were announced recently, we were honored to see partners had elevated Cisco to the top in multiple product categories!

CRN editors made their decision by reviewing top new products on the market across 22 technology categories. Then they polled partners to help choose winners and finalists who outperformed on technology, revenue and profit opportunities, and customer demand.

We have teams around the world—spanning all functions—working day and night, driving R&D innovation, and bringing those innovations to market together with our partners. It’s truly a team effort. And we are incredibly appreciative of the recognition CRN and our partners bestowed on us, because it’s an extended family that makes all of the magic possible.

Now, the envelopes please:

Cisco received 3 overall wins in these categories:

Software-Defined Networking: Cisco SD-WAN
Partners liked the end-to-end capability boost from integrating the Viptela platform we acquired to the Cisco IOS XE software. CRN says improvements that pushed this networking solution to the top of the list included, “centralized management and visibility, optimized connectivity and automated workflows.” Partners can learn more about Cisco DS-WAN here.

Networking: Cisco Catalyst 9000 Updates
Highlights in this series of switches included the Network Assurance Engine and Cisco DNA Center Assurance, part of our intent-based networking platform. Partners noted the benefit of a phased approach that gives customers all the consumer analytics they’re looking for, in a way that allows for an intelligent stack on existing network operations – meaning the most functionality with the least disruption.Learn more about the fastest selling switch in Cisco history here.

Collaboration: Cisco Webex Updates
The new version of Webex Meetings received praise for its updated dashboard, streamlined scheduling and one-button joining capabilities. Partners liked the new Webex Assistant and Webex Share features that allow for a better user experience across all devices. The decision to bring the Spark platform into the rebranded Webex Teams also helped us stand out from the crowd. Learn more about our collaboration solutions here. Our collaboration portfolio has been a role model of our evolution towards Software and SaaS, and, representative of our choice to lead with partners even as our portfolio transforms.

We were a Subcategory Winner for General-Purpose Servers:

Customer Demand, Revenue and Profit: Cisco UCS C4200

And, last but never least, we were finalists in these categories:

Internet of Things: Cisco UCS C480ML

Hyper-Converged Infrastructure:Cisco HyperFlex 3.0

Security Network: Cisco Meraki Insight

The competition was tough, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Thanks to our partners, and to everyone in the industry for another year of top-tier innovation. We’re on a journey to ‘Perform and Transform’ with our partners as we continue to elevate the role we collectively play for our customers. Technology priorities have never been more closely interwoven with business priorities, so we will keep stepping up our game. It’s an exciting time to be in IT, and I’m looking forward to a great 2019 with our partners!

For a full list of CRN winners, click here. Learn about the latest updates on our innovation and over-arching strategy at our Cisco Partner Summit site.  Read more on how CRN’s awards validate Cisco’s vision for intent-based networking.