Italtel Achieves Cisco Master Cloud Builder Specialization in Italy

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Jan 28, 2014, 09:00 ET

CISCO LIVE EUROPE, MILAN, January 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Cisco Specialization Distinguishes Channel Partners With Highest Level of Cloud Builder Expertise

Italtel, leader in next generation networks and services and IP communication, announced today that in 2013 it has achieved the Cisco® Master Cloud Builder Specialization. This specialization recognizes Italtel as having the capabilities to build and deploy cloud-ready integrated infrastructures based on Cisco solutions and technology ecosystem partner cloud offerings across storage, virtualization, cloud management and virtual desktop.

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"This new certification is the final achievement in our journey to the Cloud, started in 2010 and built through major awards from Cisco. This specialization recognizes our value in the market and our ability to develop business for data center infrastructures on Cisco technology and its ecosystem partners such as NetApp, VMware, EMC," said Camillo Ascione, co-head Product Unit Network & System Integration at Italtel. "Today Italtel is focused on completing its offer in Cloud by moving gradually towards the IT area. To the infrastructure components traditionally in our portfolio and dedicated to delivering data center or cloud solutions, we are adding IT components, in particular Big Data with a focus on Analytics."

"This specialization brings together data center infrastructure, cloud management, eco-partner relationships and cross-vendor solution capabilities like VCE Vblock, NetApp Flexpod and Cisco VXI," said Eric Moyal, Head of Indirect Sales Channels at Cisco Italy. "It's the customer's 'one-stop shop' for the highest level of competencies for data center and cloud. Italtel's Cisco Master Cloud Builder Specialization is an outstanding achievement."

The Cisco Master Cloud Builder Specialization is granted to a specific group of partners that possess in-depth technology and architecture skills. These partners also have demonstrated customer success in providing sophisticated, value-added Cisco Data Center and Cloud solutions including sales, deployment and services for Cisco data center and cloud solutions. Partners with a qualified data center and cloud practice can achieve a Master Cloud Builder Specialization regardless of certification level.

The Cisco Resale Channel Program provides a framework for partners to build and showcase the sales, technical and Cisco Lifecycle Services skills required to successfully deliver Cisco solutions to end customers. Through the program's specializations and certifications, Cisco recognizes a partner's expertise in deploying solutions based on Cisco advanced technologies and services. Using a third-party audit process, the program validates a partner's technology skills, business practices, customer satisfaction, presales and postsales support capabilities, and other critical factors that customers consider when choosing a trusted partner.

Italtel wants to go further beyond the Cisco Master Cloud Builder Certification, proposing new business models to its customers. In June 2013, Italtel was awarded "Cloud Builder of the year in the South EMEA market". The award and the last acquired certification chart a course for Italtel to become an actual Cloud Provider enabler, supplying services and applications, first among everything Cisco HCS (Hosted Collaboration Solution).

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