International communications specialist shows its mastery of technologies and Cisco culture in achieving the new Gold Certified Partner level

Paris, 01 March 2012 – NextiraOne, Europe’s leading expert in communications services, has achieved Cisco’s highest level of accreditation for its three architectures. This is the first time that Cisco has awarded all three certifications to a French partner organisation at the highest level.
NextiraOne Logo
NextiraOne Logo

Cisco’s certification programme is recognised by the business community as a clear measure of high levels of competency. Cisco has been undergoing a comprehensive evolution of its certification programme aimed at matching this to the evolution in the needs of enterprises. Until now the programme has been focused on technologies (security, wireless LANs, etc). From now on it will focus on the three main architectures defined by Cisco as: networks (Advanced Borderless Network Architecture), collaboration (Advanced Collaboration Architecture) and data centres (Advanced Data Center Architecture).

The new certifications, made up of four levels (Select, Premier, Silver and Gold), will eventually become obligatory for Cisco certified partners.

NextiraOne is the first French partner to have achieved certification in all three architectures at once, and has also achieved this at the highest level – Gold Partner. “This certification demonstrates our desire to position ourselves at the highest level of excellence, in France and at international level,” said Pascal Diancourt, Director of Alliances and Strategic Partners for NextiraOne France. “Our strategy is to be the communications specialist with the strongest ability to answer the needs of our customers, large and small. This very demanding certification programme matches the path that we ourselves have been taking.”

Yves Rochereau, Director General for partners and alliances, in charge of PME/PMI added: “Cisco’s certification programme is designed to validate the competency of its partners. It is natural to recognise those who invest in becoming highly proficient in Cisco’s offerings and therefore to attribute the highest Gold certification to NextiraOne. Gold certification is a part of Cisco’s global strategy in these three architectures – it is a major point of differentiation in terms of both technologies and partners.”
 
Gaining expertise in these complete architectures pre-supposes not only a profound knowledge of the products and techniques but also a full understanding of Cisco’s technological culture. NextiraOne has created teams dedicated to each architecture. Made up of several dozen people with highly technical backgrounds, these teams were instrumental in bringing together all the requirements to successfully meet the certification requirements. Their involvement in international projects is also benefitting the whole NextiraOne group and its multinational customers.