Latest news with #AgenticOps
Channel Post MEA
3 days ago
- Business
- Channel Post MEA
Cisco Unveils Secure Network Architecture For AI Transformation In Workplace
Cisco has unveiled a new network architecture to power the campus, branch, and industrial networks of the future. The new architecture delivers unmatched operational simplicity through unified management, next-generation networking devices purpose-built for AI workloads, and advanced security capabilities embedded into the network. Cisco is setting a new standard for how organizations navigate the challenges of skyrocketing traffic, rising cyber threats, and critical uptime requirements created as enterprises rush to harness the potential of AI in the workplace. According to the Cisco IT Networking Leader Survey, 97% of businesses believe they need to upgrade their networks to make AI and IoT initiatives successful, and the stakes are high: a single severe outage can inflict nearly $160 billion in losses globally. Faced with these challenges, IT teams need a new approach to scale operations, reduce downtime, and unlock new levels of efficiency and innovation. 'As AI transforms work, it fuels explosive traffic growth across campus, branch, and industrial networks, overwhelming IT teams with complexity and novel security risks at a time when downtime has never been more costly,' said Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer, Cisco. 'With a new architecture, breakthrough devices optimized for AI, and AgenticOps, we're leapfrogging the industry and reimagining how networks are managed and secured.' Simplifying Operations with Unified Management and AgenticOps Operational complexity is among the greatest challenges facing IT teams today. Cisco's unified management platform addresses this by bringing together management of Meraki and Catalyst devices, along with support for next-gen wireless, switching, routing, and industrial networks—all in a single platform that supports any cloud, on-prem, or hybrid deployment. Cisco's unified management platform is further differentiated by ThousandEyes assurance—which now extends to mobile endpoints, and industrial IoT—and delivers deeper, more actionable visibility into enterprise networks and Microsoft Azure. A new ThousandEyes and Splunk integration adds real-time insights from network to application. This multilayered approach delivers comprehensive assurance and observability across both owned and unowned infrastructure, helping ensure consistent performance and operational resilience. Supercharging the platform is AgenticOps, Cisco's AI-driven approach to running modern IT operations that turns real-time telemetry, automation, and deep domain expertise into intelligent, end-to-end actions —at machine speed and with IT teams still in control. Cisco's AgenticOps capabilities are powered by a new Deep Network Model— a domain-specific LLM trained on decades of Cisco expertise, from CCIE-level content to Cisco U. courseware. The Deep Network Model also powers the Cisco AI Assistant, a natural language interface that identifies issues, diagnoses root causes, and automates workflows. The result is AI that understands networks and works the way IT does, reducing task time from hours to minutes. Also, Cisco is introducing the all-new AI Canvas, a new AgenticOps capability, a generative AI user interface for customer dashboards that enables NetOps, SecOps, and DevOps teams to collaborate, optimize operations, and reduce IT strain. Next-Gen Network Devices Designed to Scale for AI To meet the unprecedented demands AI workloads will place on networks, Cisco is unveiling purpose-built hardware that delivers low latency, high capacity, and robust security for the AI-powered enterprise. Each device is tailored to meet the specific demands of its environment: New Cisco C9350 and C9610 Smart Switches to Power Campus Networks: Cisco is launching a new generation of Cisco Smart Switches, powered by Silicon One, that delivers up to 51.2Tbps of throughput, below 5 microsecond latency and quantum-resistant secure networking to power high-stakes AI applications. Cisco is launching a new generation of Cisco Smart Switches, powered by Silicon One, that delivers up to 51.2Tbps of throughput, below 5 microsecond latency and quantum-resistant secure networking to power high-stakes AI applications. New Cisco 8100, 8200, 8300, 8400 and 8500 Secure Routers: As AI transforms branch operations and customer interactions, new Cisco Secure Routers offer native SD-WAN and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) integration, next-generation firewall (NGFW), and post-quantum security into a single-box WAN solution—with up to three times the throughput of previous generations. As AI transforms branch operations and customer interactions, new Cisco Secure Routers offer native SD-WAN and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) integration, next-generation firewall (NGFW), and post-quantum security into a single-box WAN solution—with up to three times the throughput of previous generations. Expanded Wireless Portfolio: Cisco is extending its Wi-Fi 7 portfolio with the Cisco Wireless 9179F Series Access Points for stadiums and large venues, and is delivering seamless, cloud-managed roaming for large campuses with the new Cisco Campus Gateway. Cisco is extending its Wi-Fi 7 portfolio with the Cisco Wireless 9179F Series Access Points for stadiums and large venues, and is delivering seamless, cloud-managed roaming for large campuses with the new Cisco Campus Gateway. Expanded Industrial Portfolio: To meet the rigorous performance and reliability demands of industrial AI use cases, Cisco is introducing new ruggedized switches in a variety of form factors to support applications including visual quality inspections and autonomous mobile robots. Additionally, new critical wireless use cases are now connected with the integration of Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul (URWB) together with Wi-Fi technology in a single access point. Security Integrated Seamlessly into the Network Today's enterprise networks face a complex and dynamic security landscape. To combat these continually evolving threats, Cisco is integrating advanced security seamlessly into the network, and is unveiling new protections across three critical layers: Securing Network Infrastructure: New Cisco Live Protect provides kernel-level compensating controls, block exploits and defend campus switches and routers — without requiring reimaging or downtime. New Cisco Live Protect provides kernel-level compensating controls, block exploits and defend campus switches and routers — without requiring reimaging or downtime. Defending Data in Transit: To safeguard data in transit, Cisco has added post-quantum-ready MACsec, WAN MACsec, and IPsec encryption to defend against 'harvest-now, decrypt-later' attacks. In addition, the new Cisco C9000 Smart Switches are Hypershield-ready. This will help enhance network segmentation to contain threats at machine speed. To safeguard data in transit, Cisco has added post-quantum-ready MACsec, WAN MACsec, and IPsec encryption to defend against 'harvest-now, decrypt-later' attacks. In addition, the new Cisco C9000 Smart Switches are Hypershield-ready. This will help enhance network segmentation to contain threats at machine speed. Protecting Users, Endpoints, and Applications: Starting from a strong foundation of microsegmentation, AI-powered device classification, and common policy, Cisco is extending protections for every device and application connected across the network. With intelligence from Cisco Identity Services Engine, Cyber Vision, and Cisco Talos combined with Cisco Secure Access SSE, organizations can enforce security effectively at every point in the network. 'Organizations are at a critical juncture. The promise of AI is immense, but the reality is that existing enterprise networks are simply not equipped to handle the scale, security, and reliability requirements that AI demands,' said Matt Eastwood, IDC. 'Cisco's new secure network architecture marks a critical evolution in networking and provides a future-ready foundation for enterprises to confidently embrace AI without sacrificing performance or security.'
Techday NZ
4 days ago
- Business
- Techday NZ
Cisco launches secure AI-optimised network for global firms
Cisco has introduced a new secure network architecture targeting the growing demands and security concerns facing enterprises as AI-driven workloads reshape the modern workplace. The architecture is designed for deployment across campus, branch, and industrial network environments, and focuses on operational simplicity through unified management, hardware optimised for AI applications, and security embedded within every layer of the network. Enterprise demands The new architecture comes in response to surging network traffic, tighter uptime requirements, and heightened cyber security threats as organisations accelerate the integration of AI across their operations. Cisco cited findings from its IT Networking Leader Survey, which revealed that 97% of businesses believe network upgrades are necessary for the success of AI and IoT initiatives. The survey also indicated that single severe outages could result in global financial losses approaching USD $160 billion. Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer at Cisco, explained the challenge: "As AI transforms work, it fuels explosive traffic growth across campus, branch, and industrial networks, overwhelming IT teams with complexity and novel security risks at a time when downtime has never been more costly. With a new architecture, breakthrough devices optimized for AI, and AgenticOps, we're leapfrogging the industry and reimagining how networks are managed and secured." Simplified operations Operational complexity is frequently cited as a pain point for IT departments. The Cisco unified management platform seeks to address this by enabling management across Meraki and Catalyst device ranges, wireless, switching, routing, and industrial networks. This integrated approach allows deployment in any environment—cloud, on-premises, or hybrid. The management platform incorporates ThousandEyes assurance—which now extends to mobile endpoints and industrial IoT—offering more comprehensive visibility into networks and into Microsoft Azure. Cisco has also introduced an integration between ThousandEyes and Splunk, delivering real-time insights from network to application. This is expected to give organisations greater assurance and operational resilience across both internal and third-party infrastructure. Central to the management advances is AgenticOps, Cisco's AI-enabled operational strategy that combines real-time telemetry, automation, and domain knowledge for data-driven actions. This is underpinned by the Deep Network Model, a domain-specific large language model trained on Cisco resources, from advanced certifications to courseware content. The platform also debuts the Cisco AI Assistant, a conversational interface designed to identify and diagnose network issues, reducing the time required for common tasks. In addition, Cisco is launching AI Canvas—a generative AI dashboard interface intended to help NetOps, SecOps, and DevOps teams collaborate and optimise operations while reducing the strain on IT staff. New hardware for AI workloads Cisco has also announced a new range of devices tailored to the requirements of high-volume AI traffic, low latency, and robust security. The new Cisco C9350 and C9610 Smart Switches, powered by Silicon One, reportedly offer up to 51.2Tbps throughput, latency below five microseconds, and incorporate quantum-resistant security capabilities. The new Cisco 8100, 8200, 8300, 8400 and 8500 Secure Routers include native SD-WAN and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) integration, next-generation firewalls, and post-quantum security within a single device. Cisco states that these routers deliver up to three times the throughput of previous generations. The expanded wireless portfolio features the Cisco Wireless 9179F Series Access Points for high-capacity venues, and a new Campus Gateway to provide seamless roaming on large campuses. For industrial environments, newly ruggedised switches and Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul integration aim to support critical applications such as quality inspections and autonomous mobile robots. Security measures Cisco's approach integrates security at multiple layers. The new Cisco Live Protect introduces kernel-level controls designed to block exploits and protect switches and routers without requiring downtime or system reimaging. To secure data in transit, post-quantum-ready MACsec, WAN MACsec, and IPsec encryption have been added, with the new C9000 Smart Switches now Hypershield-ready for enhanced segmentation. Security is likewise extended to users, endpoints, and applications. Cisco's updates include expanded microsegmentation, AI-powered device classification, and unified policy management. With the support of Cisco Identity Services Engine, Cyber Vision, Cisco Talos, and Secure Access SSE, the architecture aims to enforce security measures at all network points. Industry response Commenting on the development, Matt Eastwood of IDC stated: "Organizations are at a critical juncture. The promise of AI is immense, but the reality is that existing enterprise networks are simply not equipped to handle the scale, security, and reliability requirements that AI demands. Cisco's new secure network architecture marks a critical evolution in networking and provides a future-ready foundation for enterprises to confidently embrace AI without sacrificing performance or security." Availability The new architecture will be available through Cisco and certified partners, with unified management, licensing, and support. The unified management platform is available immediately, with Cisco AI Assistant in public beta and AI Canvas to be trialled with selected customers later in the year.
