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VIP 46: The Final Sprint Before Cisco 360

Mike Johnson

Head of Customer Success at Netformx

What does a head of Customer Success do at Netformx? That can range from working with a customer to find an easy way to provide business metrics to their clients or helping one of our strategic representatives show a Netformx ROI to a CEO. Internally, I provide our product development…
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NETFORMX – We’re Still the One

VIP 46: The Final Sprint Before Cisco 360

Hello,

As Cisco Partners, you’ve navigated the Value Incentive Program (VIP) for 23 years. Now, with VIP 46, you’re entering the final chapter of that journey. This is more than just another incentive cycle—it’s the last opportunity to earn under the familiar VIP rules before the Cisco 360 Partner Program and the new Cisco Partner Incentive (CPI) take the lead in February 2026.

What Remains the Same in VIP 46

Cisco kept the structure steady on purpose:

Tracks & Subtracks: No changes across Architecture, Annuity, or Solutions.
Enrollment Requirements: Identical to VIP 45.
Payout Calculations: Same formula based on net bookings of eligible SKUs.

This stability gives you a rare advantage: you can focus entirely on execution without having to relearn any new wrinkles in the program. At this point, simpler is better, Cisco.

Why VIP 46 Still Matters

Cisco has officially designated VIP 46 as the program’s swan song. In Cisco’s own words:
“The Incentive will retire on January 24, 2026, and transition into the Cisco Partner Incentive with the launch of the Cisco 360 Partner Program.”

For partners, this means two things:

The rules you know remain unchanged—no new learning curve.
The clock is ticking to maximize final earnings.

ICYMI — NEW! Key Dates & Payouts

While the structure remains identical to VIP 45, the timelines shift—and that impacts your cash flow.

VIP 46: The Final Sprint Before Cisco 360

What Do the New Dates Mean for You?

For more than 10 years, Netformx ChannelXpert and Pipeline Insight Tool (PIT) have helped you audit, track, analyze, and report on Cisco opportunities and bookings.

Strategic takeaway: VIP 46 payouts will land in mid-to-late 2026—well after CPI has launched—providing a cash buffer during the transition. The important thing to note from the newly published VIP 46 payout dates is that although the Cisco 360 Program launches in February, VIP payments will extend well beyond that.

That means Netformx VIP solutions will remain essential for tracking and reporting at least through July/August 2026. Please keep that timing in mind when extending your Netformx ChannelXpert and PIT subscriptions into 2026.

New Payouts – Uplifted Rebates

VIP 46 delivers increased earning opportunities on networking deals with Unified Licensing, AI-ready infrastructure, optics, and PTZ 4K cameras. It also maintains elevated rebates on Security Suites that keep everything connected and protected. Additionally, VIP continues to promote the circular economy with rebates on an expanded list of Cisco Refresh products, including select legacy refurbished SKUs.

My Final Thoughts

VIP 46 is not business as usual—it’s your last lap in a profitable race you already know how to win. Cisco’s message is clear: sprint hard now, then use your payouts and preparation to hit the ground running in Cisco 360.

Your VIP 46 Game Plan

Still have questions about Cisco 360?

Find answers fast with the Netformx C360Advisor—our free AI-powered assistant trained on everything we could get our hands on about Cisco 360. I dare you to test it out!

Maximize final payouts:

Leverage tools like Netformx Pipeline Insight Tool and ChannelXpert for VIP 46 through August 2026.
Review your pipeline now and prioritize VIP-eligible deals that can close before Jan 24, 2026.
Use incentive modeling tools to forecast and set aggressive, achievable sales targets.
Position refresh opportunities around emerging needs like AI readiness and stronger security. Read the blog.

Prepare for CPI:

Start mapping deals to CPI metrics like Total Contract Value (TCV) and Annual Contract Value (ACV).
Use Netformx Pipeline Insight Tool and ChannelXpert to see how current deals will perform under Cisco 360 CPI.
Deploy Netformx AssetXpert to uncover EOX hardware and security gaps—fueling both VIP 46 bookings and future CPI opportunities.

Check out this solution paper: Accelerating Revenue Growth with Network Assessments for Cisco Partners.