Cisco Systems Inc. on November 18 and 19 plans to host a virtual summit for established and aspiring managed service providers. I learned about the summit while navigating a few Facebook links last night. Here are some preliminary details about the event.
According to Cisco’s teaser information, the virtual summit will allow attendees to:
“Connect with Cisco executives, top industry experts, and analysts and chat with service provider peers from around the world… It is the only forum dedicated exclusively to learning how to create, expand, and launch managed services faster, helping you increase customer loyalty and identify new revenue opportunities.”
The registration page for the event highlights the following confirmed speakers:
- Curtis Price, program VP, IDC
- Richard Duggan, Cisco Powered Program
- Al Safarikas, senior director, managed services marketing, Cisco
- Will Scott, director, service provider marketing, managed services, Cisco
- Joel Conover, marketing manager, network systems, Cisco
In a potentially related move, Cisco on November 11 plans to announce a “revolutionary telecommunications product for service providers.”
Cisco’s Balancing Act
Cisco has been working overtime to polish its messaging to managed service providers.
Safarikas in April 2008 told me Cisco had no plans to become a service provider. Instead, the technology giant wants to help MSPs develop long-term relationships (rather than one-off engagements) with customers.
It sounds like we’ll learn more about that strategy on Nov. 18 and 19.
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Tags: Al Safarikas | Cisco Systems Managed Services | Cisco Systems Powered Virtual Summit | Joel Conover | Richard Duggan
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