NETWORKING

This blog is co-authored by Ammar Rayes, Cisco Principal Engineer,and Matt Denapoli, Software Engineering Leader Today, enterprises use Wi-Fi as their main wireless access network indoors, and VPNs and borderless connections over cellular networks for mobile workers and assets. With digitization & automation, enterprises are discovering the limits of Wi-Fi for fixed and public cellular access technologies. Industry 4.0 requires the highest levels of resiliency, low latency, and security. 5G networks are the next generation…

In Cisco IT we have plenty of practice bringing acquired companies into the fold. We’ve added fourteen from January 2020 through August 2021 alone. We’re responsible for connecting the new offices to our network and delivering shared services like Cisco Webex, Office 365, and Salesforce. When Cisco acquired Acacia Communications in March 2021, we needed to bring their global offices and contract manufacturers onto our network. Before replacing Acacia’s SD-WAN with our own enterprise backbone…

The Transformational Tech series highlights Cisco’s nonprofit grant recipients that use technology to help transform the lives of individuals and communities. Food insecurity is defined as the lack of consistent access to enough food to live an active, healthy life. According to Feeding America, more than 38 million people, including 12 million children, face food insecurity in the United States. Barriers to food access may include inescapable factors like COVID, inflation, limited income, limited store…

“I can’t because of work.” How many times have you heard someone say that, or even worse, uttered that phrase yourself? I’m betting it’s been far too many times, and it is soul crushing when you miss out on something that has personal meaning to you “because of work”. At Cisco, it’s different. I’ve experienced a very different phenomenon in my 11 years at Cisco where I’m able to do all the things that have…

Digital acceleration is driving the agendas of State CIOs like never before. Recently, 49 state and territory CIOs provided their perspective on the current state of government IT and what they see on the horizon. Their thoughts, captured in the NASCIO 2021 State CIO Survey, reveals a shift in momentum as states transition to new technologies and strategies to improve citizen experiences, mitigate risk, and provide more inclusive broadband access. A strategic move to the…

The FCC auction for a prime band of 5G wireless spectrum has attracted $21.8 billion in bids, underscoring the importance of the frequency blocks that range from 3.5GHz to 3.55GHz. Of the 4,060 blocks available for discrete geographic areas throughout the country, all but 19 sold during the 29-day auction, according to the FCC. Carriers have been hungrily buying up this mid-range spectrum that some call the Goldilocks Zone because its transmissions propagate over a…

Xilinx has introduced its latest data-center accelerator, the Alveo U55C, which it says is its most powerful accelerator yet thanks to a memory change. For the most part, the FPGA-powered Alveo U55C is similar to its predecessor, Alveo U280. But the U280 has 8GB of HBM2 memory and 16GB of DDR4 DRAM, while the U55C comes with 16GB of HBM2 memory, and no DDR4. HBM2 is considerably faster and more expensive than DDR4 memory. By…

The two new spinoffs on the block—Kyndryl and VMware—have expanded their relationship and promised to help customers with their app modernization and multicloud plans. Under the agreement the companies say they will focus on developing a range of services aimed at multicloud infrastructure and management, digital workspace, managed applications, and other areas. “Our combination with VMware is especially important as Kyndryl continues to invest in our industry-leading skills in key areas, most notably in cloud,…

We are extremely honored to receive the CRN 2021 Tech Innovator Award for the Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platform in the Networking – Enterprise category. Consumer Reseller News (CRN) is a leading technology news and information source for solution providers, IT channel partners, and value-added resellers (VARs). Each year, the staff at CRN selects products in the IT industry that offer both strong differentiation and significant partner opportunities.  CRN noted that the Cisco Catalyst 8000…

I recently had to shop for a new dishwasher for the first time in six years.  Wow, how the experience has changed. The selling dynamic has shifted from lengthy discussions about models and capabilities to a tailored conversation about my needs in use and care. At the end of the day, I purchased a plan (with ongoing services) so that my family and I can focus on using the dishwasher in the ways that support…