Over the past few years, one of our key slogans has been, "Building the partner of tomorrow." We firmly believe it is our job to empower our partners to deliver the most comprehensive cybersecurity portfolio, so each day is safer and more secure than the one before. To achieve this, we have embraced all partner types and developed a framework that provides one program with five different paths to success. With the latest enhancements to our partner program framework, we are taking our commitment to our partners even further with the addition of more NextWave program product and service specializations.
In the last installment of our Breakaway 1=5 series, I shared the five guiding principles used when building our partner blueprint for success – embrace, enable, expand, enhance and empower. While we continue to optimize new routes to market, enabling our partners to differentiate themselves is the next critical step. Product and service-specific specializations, as well as future proficiencies, will now allow partners to extend their expertise beyond the firewall.
Product Specializations
Based on customer demand for more specialized security expertise, we have more than doubled our number of Product Specializations. They cover sales, technical pre-sales and fundamental technical post-sales capabilities for Hardware Firewall, Software Firewall, Prisma SASE, Prisma Cloud, Cortex XDR and Cortex XSOAR.
Product Specializations are available to all NextWave partners and have been added to the requirements component of our new program paths. We aim to strengthen partner expertise through capabilities (certified resources) and customer activity (engagement points). Each product specialization offers multiple benefits, which can be found in our Product Specialization Guide in the partner portal.
Service Specializations
Customers are not just demanding more in-depth security product expertise. They are also asking for partners to provide specific service deliveries of Palo Alto Networks products, which is why we now offer Service Specializations. We have started integrating several stand-alone programs, such as the Certified Professional Services Partner (CPSP) and the Authorized Training Partner (ATP), to align with our goal of delivering one unified program. These Service Specializations will further differentiate partners as it allows them to demonstrate their depth of expertise in PANW-specific service delivery.
CPSP is an ecosystem of partners enabled and certified via the most advanced learning paths and curricula that Palo Alto Networks offers. A partner with a CPSP Specialization will have market differentiation, access to technical enablement, indirect leads and delivery assurance. Customers will have confidence that CPSPs are leveraging best practice deployment methodologies with the support of our Professional Services subject matter experts (SMEs) and resources.
ATPs are authorized training partners that have demonstrated best-in-class instructional delivery capabilities and expertise, driving the necessary skills to help customers maintain their security posture while playing a major role in the enablement and long-term satisfaction of the customer. A partner with ATP Specialization will receive access to our team of Education Services SMEs and a variety of assets designed to aid in the delivery of services. This provides customers with the trust that ATPs are leveraging gold-standard training methodologies, supported by our Global Enablement team and rigorous quality standards.
Building an ecosystem of diverse partners with deep Palo Alto Networks product and service expertise highlights our commitment to listen, learn and act on feedback to breakaway from the competition.
Read more of our Breakaway 1=5 blog series where you will learn about the evolution of our partner program, as well as how we are driving simplicity and delivering on frictionless selling to become the vendor of choice for partners.
For more than 10 years, our award-winning NextWave program has been the catalyst for partner change, guiding our partners to success by enabling them to capitalize on market transitions. There has never been a better time to become a NextWave partner. If you’re already a partner, learn more about our new product and service specializations in the portal.