This week marks a historic time for Cisco. And for you, our partners. A new era of networking is here, and I couldn’t be more excited! We are leading a breakthrough from the traditional, manual “set and forget” network to a new intuitive network that’s more agile, intelligent, automated, and secure. With this week’s new innovations, Cisco delivers a network that is constantly learning, constantly adapting, and constantly protecting. According to Gartner, there are 8.4 billion devices connected today and more coming online every hour. It’s critical that customers have a flexible, software-driven network that can evolve with their business demands. As customers embrace the digital revolution, it’s more important than ever that you are equipped to meet their networking needs.
With Cisco Digital Network Architecture, we are reinventing the network from the ground up. We’ve done this many times before, like when we first launched our Catalyst series of switches in 1993. Together, with you, we have continued to innovate and drive $130B in Catalyst revenues over the years. Today, we are building networks to scale for the digital age, and driving the biggest transformation in the history of networking.
I’ve been talking about this with many partners over the past several weeks, and they are already embracing the new solutions. Brian Ortbals, VP of advanced technology at World Wide Technology, shared “The new Cisco network is secure, simple, and based on software, with always-on analytics that allows our customers to make better business decisions faster – with lower cost and with less risk.”
I’d like to walk you through a few highlights of this announcement, and the benefits you can start bringing to customers:
Network automation will allow customers to set policies and easily apply them across the network with unparalleled agility and programmability. Cisco’s Software-Defined Access decouples hardware from underlying software, allowing customers to fully automate the network infrastructure and decrease resources allocated to network management. Cisco SD-Access is estimated to reduce time required to provision networks by up to 67%.
Advanced analytics and assurance lead to real business insights with Cisco Network Data Platform, that lets customers predict issues before they happen. The network can now collect device, application, and user data for customers to leverage predictive intelligence, rapidly troubleshoot issues, and automate changes.
Data security has dominated both business and IT conversation in 2017. Cisco is building security into everything we do, and dramatically increasing the ability to see and act on threats across the network with 99.99% accuracy. Cisco Digital Network Architecture with Encrypted Threat Analytics is the first self-protecting network, armed with detection, mitigation, and automated response tools.
Software-based subscription licensing will flip traditional network purchasing on its head and match today’s flexible consumption and OpEx needs. Customers will benefit from predictable budget allocation and partners will gain value through predictable revenue streams. Customers can stay on the cutting edge by purchasing only what they need, and updating to the most innovative technologies at a manageable cost.
You can learn more about all of these solutions in our comprehensive sales guide which we have developed to help you hit the ground running. And be sure to watch the partner launch broadcast now available for replay.
For those of you who know my background at Cisco, you know that I started my career in Catalyst 6500 new product development; later in my career, I led support globally for our Core Networking portfolio – Core networking is near and dear to my heart. Which means everything we’re announcing is so near and dear to me!
The network has never been more critical to business success. And you’ve never been more critical to Cisco’s business. Our partners will lead the digital transformation market by selling the most advanced and intuitive digital network available and enabling customers to respond quickly to changing demands. I’m excited to be part of this next era. And I look forward to making more history together.
Questions or Comments? Feel free to connect with me on Twitter.
I attended the product launch and announcement today in Doha, Qatar. This has been a wonderful launch and a big step in SDN with ongoing Cisco innovation. I was always thinking about the missing pieces in Cisco’s SDN story and today I can see that Cisco’s Vision and strategy is right up there leading the world in right path for SDN. Being a Cisco Partner Solution Architect for Network and Security I am very excited and looking forward for many more wonderful events like this and giving the world direction for future Networks.
Cisco making the world a better place to work and live.
Cisco always transforms the way we live, work , play and learn…. Cisco SDA is another great example!
Great read Nirav. Thank you!
It´s a big step in the network operation field: better control through DNA Center, fast, confident and secure access to users and their applications through SD-Access, better quality of experience via Analytics and Assurance, better security through Encrypted Traffic Analytics and many more features to come.
The networks capabilities literally changes the way we do business and handle our day-to-day operations. By reinventing the network from the ground up, Cisco has changed the industry for the better. A fully automated network infrastructure and a subscription based software/ licensing consumption model gives clients the ability to budget, manage and enhance their networks sustainability. Good article Nirav, thank you for sharing!