Pelin Salem is a Radio Regulatory Technical Leader at Cisco who spearheaded an initiative that reduced testing time, improved energy efficiency, and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In our interview, she describes how collaboration is vital when developing new climate solutions.

​[[{"value":"

This blog is part of our focus on Cisco employees who are “Striving for Sustainability” by finding opportunities to integrate sustainability in their day-to-day work.

When I announced the company’s next generation environmental sustainability strategy, The Plan for Possible, last July, it led Cisco employees to wonder how to further integrate sustainability into their work. And this can be done in many ways, no matter what area you work in.

Meet Pelin Salem. She is a Radio Regulatory Technical Leader at Cisco who spearheaded an initiative on test optimization at Cisco to reduce testing time, improve energy efficiency, and help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. She shares more about her interest in sustainability, her professional background, and how collaboration is vital when developing new climate solutions.

When did your interest in sustainability begin?

Pelin: I have always been connected to nature and animals, volunteering for environmental and animal welfare causes. As a 7th grader, I served on the youth leadership team for a Turkish non-governmental organization (NGO) known as the TEMA Foundation (The Turkish Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion). I organized a youth march to protest the pollution generated by an iron and steel works factory, which was very well received and helped the community acknowledge that the next generation is trying to do something good and help.

Later in my life, while living in Sonoma, California, during the fall of 2017 with my then 6-month-old daughter, we experienced the fear of a natural disaster when a fire burned down half of the surrounding neighborhoods, and ash rained from the sky for weeks. It was very heartbreaking, and several of our friends and colleagues woke up in the middle of the night to their houses burning, and they had to run away barefoot from their homes and lost everything they owned. It was a difficult time to see everyone suffer, and there were aftereffects, like the air quality not improving for several months in that region. Since climate change can exacerbate natural disasters like wildfires, I knew we could not continue what we were doing. It made me realize that I should do my absolute best to support sustainability initiatives.

Tell us more about your professional journey and what brought you to Cisco.

At Giza pyramids in Egypt with daughter Lal

Pelin: My journey began with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering (EE), then I immersed myself in the defense industry while pursuing my master’s degree in EE. However, academia beckoned, and I seized the opportunity to embark on a Ph.D. journey. When my husband was offered a position at a newly established international research institution, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, I paused my studies to join him. At KAUST, I delved into bioscience pursuing a second master’s degree, driven by a desire to merge my radio frequency (RF) expertise with biomedical research that could make a positive impact on humankind. After a rewarding break to focus on raising my daughter and completing my Ph.D., I found my professional home at Cisco in January 2019. The company’s supportive culture and leadership resonate deeply with me, and I envision it as where I’ll build my future career and retire someday.

Can you explain how you started your work supporting sustainability at Cisco?

Pelin: I currently work as a Radio Regulatory Technical Leader within the Corporate Compliance team under the Product and Component Operations Team. Prior to my current role, I served as a New Product Introduction Test Development Engineer within the Industrial Internet of Things business unit (IOTBU). During my time in the IOTBU, I focused on designing manufacturing test lines in the factories for new products. This involved close collaboration with our manufacturing partners to design efficient test lines.

Pelin – Cisco Live Superstar

Cisco’s commitment to quality meant rigorous testing of products, which contributed to GHG emissions, especially in energy-intensive testing areas like the 2-Corner and 4-Corner test sections where the manufactured Cisco products are tested at the high-low temperature and voltage specification limits to support top performance at the edges of the defined operational conditions. 2-Corner testing is done at High Temperature – High Voltage and Low Temperature – Low Voltage corners, whereas 4-Corner testing has additional corners as follows: High Temperature – Low Voltage and Low Temperature – High Voltage. Limited capacity in these areas could lead to delays in production schedules.

To tackle these challenges, I initiated the “Test Optimization Dashboard” project in March 2021. This project aimed to automate and visualize the impact of test optimization efforts, reducing the time needed for optimization and increasing team enthusiasm. Working closely with sustainability subject matter experts (SMEs), we developed methods to measure GHG emissions reductions resulting from optimization.

After successful pilots, I presented our findings to executives, gaining support for wider implementation across business units. Transitioning to automated workflows streamlined the optimization process, significantly reducing manual entry. Collaborating with experts, we developed plans for further improvements, including an artificial intelligence (AI)-based model to estimate energy consumption.

Our ongoing efforts include collecting data to train AI models for GHG emissions tracking. By highlighting the environmental impact of testing processes and advocating for optimization, we aim to advance sustainability, product quality and innovation.

This sounds like a complex project. What kind of support did you receive for it?

Pelin with Jonathan Davidson at Cisco Live 2023

I am grateful for all the SMEs collaborating with me on this Cisco-wide effort. Cisco has top talent in such diverse areas, and I feel privileged to know them and get to work with them. My current organization was also supportive and provided me with the space to continue contributing to Cisco’s sustainability goals beyond my “regular job” duties.

I am forever grateful that our Executive Vice President and General Manager of Cisco Networking Jonathan Davidson opened such important doors for me and this project, and his support was invaluable for the Test Optimization Dashboard to reach a 75% enablement rate across Cisco. Receiving invaluable support and guidance from my executive mentors and sponsors immensely helped ideate, locate resources, and develop solutions that can help advance sustainability in manufacturing processes.

We know it takes a multifaceted approach when it comes to sustainability. What can Cisco employees do in their day-to-day jobs to help reduce our company’s environmental impact?

Pelin: Everybody can do so much. For example, Cisco has a goal that 100% of new Cisco products and packaging incorporate Circular Design Principles by Cisco´s fiscal year 2025. And, in another example, packaging engineers are helping to eliminate plastic bags, papers, and remove accessory items that are not required for a standard configuration in our packaging wherever possible.

Some engineers at Cisco work on IoT technology used in smart building technology that senses when lights should be turned off or blinds should be lowered. And our operations team moved away from paper cups and other single-use items in our break rooms and cafeterias.

Is there anything you do in your personal life to be more sustainable, and if so, what advice do you have for others?

Pelin: At home, I prioritize sustainability by reducing waste, conserving energy, choosing environmentally friendly products, supporting local and organic options, minimizing water usage, utilizing lower-emissions transportation (driving an electric vehicle or using public transit, keeping flight GHG emission scores under consideration when choosing flights, etc.). I also educate my daughter (who just turned 7) on making better choices for the planet.

Let’s start small with actions like recycling properly, conserving energy, and supporting local businesses. Every effort, no matter how small, helps to contribute to a more sustainable future.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my story and I hope it will be inspiring for others to start making change for a more sustainable future within their domains.

Pelin at a Technology & Quality (T&Q) event in Sunol, CA, Juy 2023

"}]]  Pelin Salem is a Radio Regulatory Technical Leader at Cisco who spearheaded an initiative that reduced testing time, improved energy efficiency, and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In our interview, she describes how collaboration is vital when developing new climate solutions.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

Cisco Defense Orchestrator (CDO) is now generally available in India and Australia. This expansion brings robust security management closer to our customers in these regions, ensuring enhanced performance and local compliance.

​[[{"value":"

We are thrilled to announce that Cisco Defense Orchestrator (CDO) is now generally available in two new regions: India and Australia. This expansion brings our robust security management capabilities closer to our customers in these regions, ensuring enhanced performance and local compliance.

CDO India

You can now access CDO India

For those interested in requesting a tenant in this region, please use our self-service provisioning portal. CDO India offers the same comprehensive capabilities as our other CDO regions, providing a seamless and efficient security management experience.

CDO Australia

Similarly, we are pleased to announce that CDO Australia is now live and available.

To request a tenant in the Australian region, please visit our self-service provisioning portal. Just like our other regions, CDO Australia offers the same powerful security management capabilities, ensuring that our customers receive top-notch service and support.

Both new regions, India and Australia, are fully equipped with all the features and functionalities that our customers have come to expect from CDO. This includes simplified policy management, streamlined threat detection, and comprehensive security insights, all designed to help you maintain a robust security posture.

Transition to Cisco Security Cloud Control

Furthermore, in Fall 2024, CDO is set to transition into Cisco Security Cloud Control, which aims to provide a more integrated cloud-native security management experience. This evolution is part of Cisco’s ongoing efforts to optimize security operations and enhance policy coordination across various solutions within a unified platform.

We are committed to continuously enhancing our services and expanding our global footprint to better serve our customers. Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to providing you with unparalleled security management solutions in these new regions.

For more information and to get started, please visit the respective links provided above. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to our support team.

Stay secure!

Reference

CDO Datasheet

Want to know what we’re doing with AI? Discover our latest advancements and initiatives on our blog, Managing Firewall complexity and Augmenting Effectiveness with AIOps for Cisco Firewall

We’d love to hear what you think. Ask a Question, Comment Below, and Stay Connected with Cisco Security on social!

Cisco Security Social Channels

InstagramFacebookTwitterLinkedIn

"}]]  Cisco Defense Orchestrator (CDO) is now generally available in India and Australia. This expansion brings robust security management closer to our customers in these regions, ensuring enhanced performance and local compliance.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

This playbook will serve as a great resource for coordinating AI security incidents among industry peers and global partners, ensuring a resilient and secure technological future

​[[{"value":"

I had the privilege of participating in an AI Security Incident tabletop exercise led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC). This exercise, which brought together industry leaders and government agencies, is a significant step toward enhancing our collective ability to respond to AI-related security incidents globally.

A Gathering of Minds

The exercise was a convergence of expertise from some of the most influential organizations in the AI and cybersecurity landscape. Participants included representatives from OpenAI, Amazon, Cisco, Cranium, HiddenLayer, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Palantir, Palo Alto Networks, Protect AI, Robust Intelligence, Scale AI, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Security Agency (NSA), and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), along with a few global partners.

The Objective

The primary goal of this tabletop exercise was to support the development of an “AI Security Incident Collaboration Playbook”. This playbook, set to be published later this year, aims to enhance AI security incident response coordination between the U.S. government, industry, and global partners. By promoting a unified approach to handling AI security incidents, the playbook will serve as a very important resource in our collective defense against cyber threats targeting AI-enabled systems.

The Simulation

The exercise simulated a cybersecurity incident involving an AI-enabled system. Participants were tasked with navigating the process, operational collaboration, and information sharing protocols for effective incident response of AI-related security incidents. Several scenarios were created to test our ability to coordinate effectively across different sectors and respond quickly to mitigate the impact of the incident.

Key Takeaways

Collaboration is key! The exercise underscored the importance of collaboration between government and industry peers. The diverse expertise and perspectives brought by the participating organizations were invaluable in eventually crafting a comprehensive response strategy and playbook.

Effective information sharing protocols are critical in the early detection and response to AI security incidents. The exercise highlighted the need for robust mechanisms to enable timely and secure exchange of information.

The rapidly evolving nature of AI technologies needs a proactive and more agile approach to cybersecurity. Threat actors will continue to attack AI systems, the AI supply chain, and will also continue to use AI to attack critical infrastructure. Regular tabletop exercises and continuous development of response playbooks are essential to staying ahead of new threats.

AI supply chain security is extremely important as threat actors increasingly target open source models and libraries to exploit vulnerabilities and disrupt the development, deployment, and operation of AI systems. Ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of the AI supply chain is essential to maintaining the trust and reliability necessary for AI technologies to thrive.

Establishing trust between public and private sectors is fundamental to effective incident response. The exercise provided a platform for building and reinforcing these trust-based relationships.

The insights gained from this exercise will directly inform the creation of the AI Security Incident Collaboration Playbook. This playbook will be a living document, evolving with the changing landscape of AI technologies and cyber threats. It will be instrumental in guiding coordinated response efforts, ensuring that we are well-prepared to tackle future AI security challenges.  Stay tuned for the release of the AI Security Incident Collaboration Playbook later this year.

We’d love to hear what you think. Ask a Question, Comment Below, and Stay Connected with Cisco Security on social!

Cisco Security Social Channels

InstagramFacebookTwitterLinkedIn

"}]]  This playbook will serve as a great resource for coordinating AI security incidents among industry peers and global partners, ensuring a resilient and secure technological future  Read More Cisco Blogs 

Cisco’s LA28 partnership will push the boundaries of possibility through the lens of sport while embodying our company purpose to power a more inclusive future.

​[[{"value":"

Today, we are proud to celebrate Cisco being named an Official Partner of the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games and Team USA.

For more than 100 years, the Olympic motto was Higher, Faster, Stronger. Ahead of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – with the world searching for a renewed sense of community in the wake of COVID – the International Olympic Committee (IOC) elevated the motto to “Higher, Faster, Stronger – Together,” emphasizing the power that unity can bring to our world.

As we look ahead to 2028 and what it means to support the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games in our own backyard, our focus on the importance of Together is greater than ever.

Delivering on the global stage, securely

Bringing the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games to life requires a massive and global ecosystem of passionate (and tireless!) subject matter experts. On the technology side, the scope and complexity of these events and today’s digital landscape means we must deliver on the largest stage in the world, when the lights shine the brightest and there is no room for error. And, with each new generation of Olympic & Paralympic Games, the complexity increases as the need for industry-leading network security grows. In Tokyo and now for Paris, Cisco acts as a trusted partner of the Organizing Committee to securely connect the Olympic & Paralympic Games through our networking equipment to:

deliver an always-on unified view of the organization’s entire digital footprint
proactively defend critical infrastructure
prevent outages
refine the network experience in real-time

Over the next four years, we expect AI to drive incredible transformation across industries and the world, and we are dedicated to making sure the LA28 Games have the secure connectivity at the global scale they need as we usher in the era of AI.

Amplifying the ideals of an inclusive future

We want our involvement to go beyond the LA28 Games themselves. With the platform of the LA28 Games, Cisco has a unique opportunity to positively impact Los Angeles beyond our networking equipment by inspiring young Angelenos to see a future for themselves in technology – with world-class training and hands-on learning readily available with Cisco Networking Academy – one of the longest-standing IT skills-to-jobs programs worldwide.

In LA, 35 active Cisco Networking Acadamy sites have supported 34,000 students since the program’s inception in 1997 with comprehensive education and training. While everyone involved in the LA28 Games will contribute differently, Cisco’s goal is to help prepare individuals in the region for the opportunities that the future of work will bring.

Pushing boundaries and striving for excellence

Through the lens of sport, the LA28 Games highlight our potential to push the boundaries of possibility and strive for excellence. We see examples of this spirit every day across the company, as our teams around the world work tirelessly to make an impact on our company and on the world. In particular, I would like to acknowledge our Cisco France team for their Herculean effort and execution these last several years to debut the new Cisco Innovation Center in the heart of Paris. In addition, the community program Generation Champions is making a country-wide impact in promoting the importance of sport for young people.

It’s also hard to overstate the pride we have in our 20 remarkable Cisco employees who were recognized for living out the Olympic motto every day. Each one of them is a passionate and committed ambassador of Cisco’s Purpose to power an inclusive future for all. Their stories will inform and inspire our journey to LA28 and beyond.

Our longstanding and cherished partnerships within the Movement and now with LA28 is a tribute to how Cisco’s Purpose-driven DNA aligns with the ethos of this global event. Just as the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games will bring out the best in athletes and audiences around the world, they will also bring out the best in Cisco. We are inspired to go higher, faster, stronger, and to do so together.

Read the press release:  Cisco Becomes Official Partner of the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games and Team USA.

Get inspired! Learn how LA28

is creating what comes next.

"}]]  Cisco’s LA28 partnership will push the boundaries of possibility through the lens of sport while embodying our company purpose to power a more inclusive future.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

GenAI users need valid data for their prompts or Vector Databases. See how model output can be more accurate when OpenAPI documents are used as a part of a prompt.

​[[{"value":"

Developer experience changes rapidly. Many developers and the Cisco DevNet community utilize Generative AI tools and language models for code generation and troubleshooting.

Better data = better model completion

The main challenge for GenAI users is finding valid data for their prompts or Vector Databases. Developers and engineers need to care about the data they plan to use for LLMs/GenAI interaction.

OpenAPI documentations is now available to download

The OpenAPI documentation is a specification that defines a standard way to describe RESTful APIs, including endpoints, parameters, request/response formats, and authentication methods, promoting interoperability and ease of integration.

We at Cisco DevNet care about developers’ experience and want to make your experience working with Cisco APIs efficient and with minimal development/testing costs.
You can find links to OpenAPI documentation in JSON/YAML format here: Open API Documentation page and Search related product API – Navigate to API Reference -> Overview section in left-side menu

Note: Some API documentation can contain multiple OpenAPI Documents

For which purpose you can use related OpenAPI documentation as a part of prompt/RAG:

Construct code or script that utilizes related Cisco API
Find related API operations or ask to fix existing code using the information in the API documentation
Create integrations with Cisco products through API
Create and test AI agents
Utilize related Cisco OpenAPI documentation locally or using approved AI tools in your organization.

Structured vs Unstructured data

I’ve compared two LLM model completions with a prompt that contains two parts. The first part of the prompt was the same and contained the following information:

Based on the following API documentation, please write step-by-step instructions that can help automatically tag roaming computers using Umbrella API.
High-level workflow description:

Add API Key
Generate OAuth 2.0 access token
Create tag
Get the list of roaming computers and identify related ‘originId’
Add tag to devices.

API documentation:

Second part:

In one case, it contains copy and paste data directly from the doc,
The other one contains LLM-friendly structured data like OpenAPI documents pasted one by one
Part of CDO OpenAPI documentationClaude 3 Sonnet model completion. Prompt with OpenAPI documents Claude 3 Sonnet model completion. Prompt with copy and paste data

Benefits of using LLM-friendly documentation as a part of the prompt

I’ve found that model output was more accurate when we used OpenAPI documents as a part of a prompt. API endpoints provided in each step were more accurate. Recommendations in sections like “Get List of Roaming Computers” contain better and more optimal instructions and API operations.

I’ve tested this with other foundational models, and model completion was more accurate when I used the OpenAPI document as a part of the prompt.

Some links on the Cisco APIs OpenAPI Documents

Cisco Defense Orchestrator Overview 
Cloud Security Token Overview
Cisco XDR Automation API Guide, Sample Code

"}]]  GenAI users need valid data for their prompts or Vector Databases. See how model output can be more accurate when OpenAPI documents are used as a part of a prompt.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

Cisco Security Cloud Control with AIOps offers a game-changing way to enhance operational efficiency and bolster security. By incorporating AIOps into our services, we are adopting a more intelligent and proactive methodology to safeguard and optimize the performance and security of your network infrastructure.

​[[{"value":"

Organizations face a critical challenge today: attackers are exploiting the weakest links in their networks, such as unsecured users, devices, and workloads. This threat landscape is complicated by the shift from traditional data centers to a distributed environment, where protecting dispersed data across multiple touchpoints becomes complex.

To address these threats, many organizations resort to using multiple security tools, leading to siloed teams, tech stacks, and management systems that hinder effective security. This fragmented approach results in unnecessary costs, longer deployment times, inconsistent security, and critical gaps.

Security products that do not integrate or benefit from each other exacerbate these issues. For example, Network Security Admins struggle to navigate disparate teams and tools for effective policy deployment. Additionally, customers often under-utilize security tools, resulting in poor security hygiene and misconfigurations that increase the risk of a breach. Manual monitoring of multiple tools makes it impossible for organizations to proactively predict issues that lead to operational challenges. Consequently, the burden has been pushed onto the customer to understand the gaps and figure out how to best use the tools.

Inconsistent security policies, siloed management, lack of unified visibility, misconfiguration risks, and cybersecurity skills shortage are all significant challenges organizations face. While organizations are facing these challenges, the urgency is underscored by findings from the IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence report. According to the report, the average time from initial access to ransomware deployment has dropped from 1637 hours (about 2 months 1 week) to just 92 hours (less than 4 days) in 2023. This dramatic reduction means organizations now have much less time to respond to threats, making effective and integrated security solutions more critical than ever.

Without a centralized platform, gaining a holistic view of security is challenging. Manual identification of misconfigurations is error-prone and can lead to breaches. There is a lack of skills, time, and resources to fully utilize security features and maximize ROI. Customers must implement best practices, requiring specialized knowledge and time. Resolving access or policy issues is lengthy due to diverse security products. Admins spend excessive time crafting similar policies across different platforms. Operational issues are often addressed reactively, leading to downtime and suboptimal performance. Non-actionable alerts and overwhelming data cause analysis paralysis and hinder decision-making, with a missing sense of urgency. While we will never fully move away from having distributed enforcement points, there is a significant opportunity for the security industry to provide consistent security across these varied touchpoints.

A unified security platform aims to alleviate these issues by providing a comprehensive view of the security landscape, enabling consistent policy enforcement, simplifying troubleshooting, and offering actionable insights with the help of AI. Thus, it reduces the cognitive load and dependency on specialized skills. When considering Unified Security Management (USM), the goal is to have seamless management experience.

To meet the unique needs of various organizations and support diverse network firewall configurations, our strategy focuses on three core objectives: simplifying operations, enhancing security, and improving clarity. We aim to streamline security management processes, strengthen defenses with advanced Zero Trust and vulnerability protection, and offer clear, actionable insights through AI-driven intelligence. These focused efforts are designed to deliver a more intuitive, robust, and user-friendly security solution.

Customer Outcomes with Security Cloud Control

We are excited to launch AIOps, offering a game-changing way to enhance operational efficiency and bolster security. AIOps addresses critical IT challenges such as misconfigurations and traffic spikes, preventing downtime and reinforcing network performance. AIOps provides predictive insights and automation to help administrators improve security and reduce costs. We are introducing key features, such as policy analysis and optimization, best practice recommendations, traffic insights, and capacity forecasting. By incorporating AIOps into our services, we are adopting a more intelligent and proactive methodology to safeguard and optimize the performance and security of your network infrastructure.

To learn more about AIOps, check out:  Managing Firewall complexity and Augmenting Effectiveness with AIOps for Cisco Firewall

Best Practice Recommendations: Nudging admins to get to better security state

Predictive Insights with AIOps

Benefits of AIOps

Our solution is designed to accommodate management of a wide array of form factors of firewalls, ensuring comprehensive security from the ground up to the cloud. It seamlessly integrates with various deployment models, including physical and virtual firewalls (Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense), Multicloud Defense, Hypershield, and Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA).

This versatility simplifies the management of your security infrastructure, making it easier to maintain a robust and adaptive defense system across your entire network all from a single place.

Our partnership with Splunk represents a significant leap forward in streamlining security operations. By integrating with Splunk, we enhance the oversight and monitoring capabilities of both cloud-based and on-site firewalls. Utilizing Splunk’s powerful data processing, analytics, and real-time logging strengths, we deliver an enriched, responsive, and comprehensive view of your security posture.

This collaborative effort simplifies the management of security operations, providing Security Operations Center (SOC) teams with a superior, streamlined, and more effective method for protecting their digital landscapes.

We are introducing a unified dashboard that enables our customers to gain a real-time, holistic perspective of their entire network and cloud security ecosystem. Customers can efficiently manage tens of thousands of security devices, coordinating multiple tenants under a centralized global administrator.

Unified Dashboard: A Comprehensive view of firewall and security services

We are further simplifying the operations for our admins with the Firewall AI Assistant. It revolutionizes network security by tackling the complexity of firewall rule management. With many organizations handling over a thousand rules—some outdated or conflicting—firewall maintenance becomes a security risk. Gartner notes that misconfigurations may lead to 99% of firewall breaches through 2023, highlighting the need for this AI-driven simplification. Customers can ask the Assistant to explain the intent of the policies and assist with creating rule.

AI Assistant for Firewall: Rule Analysis

AI Assistant for Firewall: Rule Creation

A key breakthrough in our security strategy is the implementation of seamless object sharing, which plays a pivotal role in maintaining consistent protection across hybrid networks. This feature facilitates the distribution of network objects across both on-premises firewalls and multi-cloud defenses. Its primary objective is safeguarding application and workload data wherever they reside, by enabling our admins to build a consistent policy across different environments. This approach fortifies the security posture of your hybrid environment, and streamlines change management processes, reduce opportunity for errors, thereby, contributing to a more secure, effective, and resilient IT ecosystem.

Consistent Policy Enforcement: Sharing Network Objects across on-prem and Cloud environments

We are committed to continuously enhancing our services and expanding our global footprint to better serve our customers. In conclusion, our vision extends beyond merely supplying tools—we strive to revolutionize the user experience.

Through the fusion of cutting-edge technology and intuitive design, our goal is to foster a supportive environment for administrators, where operations are efficient, and security is strong. We are dedicated to alleviating the customer’s burden by offering a Unified Security Platform that empowers them to achieve the best state of security.

Stay secure!

We’d love to hear what you think. Ask a Question, Comment Below, and Stay Connected with Cisco Security on social!

Cisco Security Social Channels

InstagramFacebookTwitterLinkedIn

"}]]  Cisco Security Cloud Control with AIOps offers a game-changing way to enhance operational efficiency and bolster security. By incorporating AIOps into our services, we are adopting a more intelligent and proactive methodology to safeguard and optimize the performance and security of your network infrastructure.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

Explore 3 ways your K12 school can leverage ESSER funding for new technologies that increase security, collaboration, and distance learning.

​[[{"value":"

As we close in on the window for the third and final round of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Programs (ESSER) funds to be obligated, we wanted tc explore ways we have seen K-12 entities use these funds to keep their students, educators, and communities safe.

Our ESSER top 3 tech plays

ESSER III funds were intended to be used for “emergency relief funds to address the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had, and continues to have, on elementary and secondary schools across the Nation”. The ESSER III obligation deadline is September 30, 2024. The Department of Education has released information throughout the past several years around how educational technology can have a play within ESSER III funds, and here is our take on the Top 3 ways to include technology in your plans.

Cisco and Meraki are helping K-12 schools stay connected, safe, and secure through technologies like MV cameras and Cisco Spaces. Features like cloud-managed infrastructure make deployment quick and seamless.
Cloud Calling within K-12 education allows for continuous collaboration. When it comes to flexible learning and teaching, Cloud Calling helps K-12 entities take advantage of all learning opportunities through integrated collaboration, embedded security, exceptional performance, and a practical cost.
Educational technology to support distance and online learning fits right in to the scope of ESSER III. This also encourages the need for securing your network. Cybersecurity, privacy, and compliance are all vital for this space and Cisco Secure is a means to help protect schools.

As previously mentioned, funds must be obligated by September 30, 2024. The funds must be liquidated by January 30, 2025. To ensure properly obligated funds, extensions may be granted with the right approval. If approved, the liquidation period could be extended up to 14 months. As this is a “use it or lose it” program, any unobligated and unspent funding will be returned to the federal government.

Need guidance?

While ESSER III plans had to be completed and posted, it is possible to amend them if plans have changed. The Department of Education has much information around ESSER III, but we all know the funding landscape can be a confusing place. If you are looking for guidance, please feel free to reach out to a Cisco Public Funding Advisor at grantquestions@cisco.com. We are here to help you navigate ESSER III, as well as other funding streams to help you deploy your ever-important technology projects.

More funding resources

Public Funding Q&A from our Cisco education experts
Prepare for the future of US K12 education
Did you know $4.5 Billion in E-rate discounts are now available?

"}]]  Explore 3 ways your K12 school can leverage ESSER funding for new technologies that increase security, collaboration, and distance learning.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

The pairing of Intel Data Center GPU Flex Series and Cisco's UCS X-Series is transforming VDI environments. Discover how it adds value.

​[[{"value":"

In the ever-evolving landscape of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), IT departments are constantly seeking solutions that offer flexibility, security, and efficiency. Thankfully, a collaboration between Intel and Cisco has given rise to a powerful approach that addresses these needs head-on: pairing of the Intel® Data Center GPU Flex Series and Cisco’s UCS X-Series. Working together, they’re transforming the way organizations deploy and manage VDI environments.

Organizations that moved to a public cloud during the pandemic are now re-evaluating this choice. A recent study by Intersect360 showed that a representative customer could save over $2M over 3 years by moving VDI back into their data center. Today I’ll discuss the top IT benefits of VDI and how the Intel and Cisco partnership is creating a ‘better together’ story for organizations worldwide.

Top IT Benefits of VDI

Simplified Image Management: VDI centralizes desktop management, allowing IT to maintain a single image for multiple users. This simplification reduces complexity and saves time, making system updates and application rollouts more efficient.
Access Anywhere, Any Time, On Any Device: With VDI, users can access their desktops from any location and on any device, providing flexibility and continuity in a mobile-first world.
Brings the User Closer to the Data: By hosting desktops in the data center, VDI minimizes data transfer distances, enhancing performance and reducing latency for data-intensive applications.
Fast Application Deployment/Upgrade: VDI enables rapid deployment and upgrading of applications across the entire organization, ensuring all users have access to the latest software without individual endpoint installations.
Reduced IP Loss Risk: Centralized data storage inherent in VDI architectures minimizes the risk of intellectual property loss due to device theft or loss.
Enhanced Security: VDI allows for better control over the desktop environment, with security policies and measures applied consistently across the entire user base.
Simplified Backup, Patching, and Management: Routine IT tasks such as backup, patching, and system management are streamlined with VDI, as these can be performed centrally rather than on individual devices.
Instant Provisioning of New Desktops: VDI supports rapid provisioning and de-provisioning of desktops, making it easier to scale up or down based on organizational needs.

Intel and Cisco – Better Together

The Intel Data Center GPU Flex Series is a game-changer for VDI, offering general-purpose GPUs that are optimized for media stream density and quality. These GPUs are designed with server-grade capabilities, ensuring high reliability, availability, and scalability.

Cisco’s UCS X-Series stands out with its modular design and workload flexibility. The UCS X210c M7 Compute Node, powered by Intel Xeon® CPUs, is an ideal platform for VDI deployments. The UCS X440p PCIe Node’s ability to add up to four GPUs via Cisco UCS X-Fabric technology makes it a breeze to enhance computing nodes with GPU acceleration.

This combination of Intel’s GPU prowess and Cisco’s modular infrastructure means that IT departments can easily adapt to changing demands without overhauling their entire system. The Intel DataCenter GPU Flex Series and Cisco’s architecture work in tandem to provide a seamless and powerful VDI experience.

How it adds value for you

With Intel Flex Series GPUs, you gain leading VDI performance for a smooth and responsive experience for all types of users. And there’s $0 cost for GPU software, providing you cost savings while simplifying budgeting for VDI deployments. Plus, Cisco X-Series Modular System’s unparalleled deployment flexibility supports all models of the Flex Series GPU, catering to the specific needs of your VDI environment.

As organizations contemplate the shift of cloud-based VDI back to their data centers, the combination of Intel’s Data Center GPU Flex Series and Cisco’s UCS X-Series presents a unique opportunity, detailed in our latest white paper. Together they enhance the IT benefits of VDI and provide a scalable, secure, and cost-effective solution that can adapt to the dynamic needs of constantly evolving organizations. By leveraging the proven reliability of Intel and Cisco in a shared environment, your IT department can be confident in bringing VDI back in-house, and preparing your organization is equipped for the challenges of today while also being prepared for the opportunities of tomorrow.

Interested in hearing more? Visit Cisco and Intel’s booth collab at AFCEA Cyber 2024 – Booth #2525 – and watch a live demo of this solution.

"}]]  The pairing of Intel Data Center GPU Flex Series and Cisco's UCS X-Series is transforming VDI environments. Discover how it adds value.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

In recognition of World Refugee Day, this blog highlights some of Cisco’s amazing partnerships that through early-stage investment by the Cisco Foundation, have enabled these partners to design, validate, replicate, and scale tech-delivered solutions that are driving impact to support refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons.

​[[{"value":"

The Social Impact Partner Spotlight series highlights various Cisco non-profit organization partners that are helping transform the lives of individuals and communities. This blog features Cisco’s partnership with International Rescue Committee and Ocalenie, highlighting the amazing work these organizations are doing to support and empower refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons worldwide.

World Refugee Day, observed annually on June 20, stands as a solemn reminder of the resilience and courage of millions who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution, or natural disasters. This global observance provides an opportunity for us to reflect on the hardships faced by refugees and to reaffirm our commitment to fostering a more inclusive and compassionate world. According to a recent United Nations report, forced displacement rose to 120 million in May 2024 (from 114 million in 2023), marking the 12th consecutive annual increase – a result of ongoing crises and newly emerging and evolving conflicts.

World Refugee Day 2024 emphasizes showing support for refugees in the hopes of creating a more welcoming global community. This blog highlights two of Cisco’s key partnerships that through early-stage investment by the Cisco Foundation, have enabled these partners to design, validate, replicate, and scale tech-delivered solutions that are driving impact to support refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons.

International Rescue Committee (Signpost and SAFE)

International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Cisco have formed a strategic partnership to help people displaced by conflict and disaster worldwide to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. With support from Cisco’s Global Impact Grant program, IRC is developing technology-based innovations to improve access to life-saving information and provide refugees with a path toward long-term resilience and economic security. Together, IRC and Cisco are working to create more durable, scalable, and sustainable impacts in the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. This World Refugee Day, we highlight two of IRC’s initiatives, Signpost and Supporting Access to Financial Empowerment (SAFE), that showcase the incredible work being done to support refugees worldwide.

Signpost

“Technology has the power to connect and provide lifesaving information. Enabled by the IRC’s partnership with Cisco, Signpost digital help centers allow people impacted by conflict, disasters, poverty and violence to access essential services, solve complex problems, and make informed decisions on the issues that matter most to them. As we scale the Signpost program and leverage technology for good, we are grateful for Cisco’s continued partnership.” —Andre Heller, Signpost Program Director

Cell phone with the Signpost digital tool displayed

Accurate, reliable, and relevant information is vital in times of crisis. However, humanitarian crisis communications are often provider-centric, short-lived and not scalable, limiting people’s ability to make informed decisions. Signpost is a scalable community-led responsive service that delivers life-saving information and links to resources through staff equipped with secure digital tools, digital channels and social media. It provides refugees with timely, actionable, verified information on the platforms they are already using, in their preferred languages, empowering them to make critical decisions on the issues that matter most to them.

Cisco has been supporting Signpost since 2015 when it was first launched as a joint effort between IRC and Mercy Corps. At the time there were 65 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. With the ever-increasing number and severity of crises contributing to a growing number of people on the move, IRC’s work is more critical than ever, and we have continued to support their expansion of Signpost.

Humanitarian worker demos Signpost digital solution

By the numbers:

Signpost has now been implemented in more than 30 countries across 5 continents and continues to expand.
Signpost has over 16 million unique users and has reached 122M people with information products – and is used by many international and local NGOs and humanitarian aid agencies.
Signpost supports more than 15 languages.

SAFE

“Through SAFE, I was connected with a financial coach who helped me navigate the process of securing a car loan, and provided support and advice as I launched my own business in the design and build industry for residential properties. Thanks to the support of the IRC program and my dedicated financial coach, I am now able to see a better route to financial stability and business ownership. I continue to use the IRC program to provide support and guidance to other Afghan refugees in my community, helping them navigate the challenges of starting anew in a foreign land.” —Nazila, SAFE Client

In 2023, US State Department’s refugee program was able to settle 60,000 refugees in the U.S. Meanwhile, an additional 300-500K humanitarian arrivals came to the U.S. in 2023, most of whom speak Spanish.

Most of the financial resources currently available in the U.S. are in English and these resources often assume existing knowledge of U.S. financial systems (for example, how to open a bank account; how to apply for a car loan; when and how to file taxes; and the best ways to build credit) and do not account for some of the barriers immigrant communities face in accessing financial services.

Family sits on floor together in living room

Launched in 2022, the Supporting Access to Financial Empowerment (SAFE) is an initiative of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and IRC’s Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO), a nationally recognized Community Development Financial Institution, to empower newly arrived families as they begin their journey to financial stability and economic security in their new homes across the U.S. It features an online platform and financial coaches to serve the specific financial education needs of refugees, asylees, and vulnerable immigrants. With the initiative’s launch showing tremendous success within the first two years, Cisco made it possible for SAFE to expand from serving Afghan populations to wider demographics, including Spanish-speaking clients and Ukrainian refugees. This partnership has not only made it possible for the IRC to sustain and advance quality financial capability services for diverse new American communities but has also demonstrated consistent commitment to supporting research and learning in this space.

Through its partnership with Cisco, SAFE already has supported more than 2,000 refugees, asylees, and vulnerable immigrants in just under two years – validating both the effectiveness and future potential for scaling this initiative to more newcomers.

By the numbers

Last year alone, the SAFE program saw:

2,342 clients receive financial coaching
982 loans approved, totaling approximately $6.9 million, with a 97% repayment rate
As expected for newcomers, 76% of participants had no FICO score, due to insufficient credit history. After coaching, 71% of participants had a FICO score averaging 702.
Increased net worth for participants – an average of $5,500 per participant.

Get involved:

We invite you to support the IRC’s mission, amplify refugee voices, and act. Together, we can make a significant impact and support refugees in building a brighter future.

Volunteer: By volunteering with the IRC, you can play a critical role in helping refugees and immigrants thrive in the United States.
Act with us: Join thousands of IRC supporters who have called their representatives, written letters, or shared our campaigns.
Make a planned gift: A gift through your estate plan will help ensure aid to people displaced by conflict and crisis well into the future.

Ocalenie Foundation

“Building a new life in a foreign country is a complex challenge, especially for those facing language barriers, financial insecurity, and job market discrimination. At the Ocalenie Foundation, we support migrants and refugees in navigating various aspects of life, including securing employment that utilizes their skills and qualifications, allowing them to achieve a dignified standard of living.” —Kalina Czwarnóg, Ocalenie Board Member

Poland has been one of the key transit points for many migration routes among refugees fleeing political and social crises in the region. The Ocalenie Foundation was established 23 years ago with the mission to foster a multicultural, inclusive society rooted in human rights principles and to support migrants, including refugees, in their integration. In response to the growing number of people seeking protection in European countries, Ocalenie, in partnership with Cisco Foundation, is developing digital and skills training courses to help bridge a service gap and empower people to access online services and navigate their new environment and job market. To learn more about the support Ocalenie provides, check out this recent video about career counselling Ocalenie provided to refugees.

Participants engage in a skills training course together

By the numbers:

175 refugees served to date
80% of participants to complete courses and obtain course certificates, thus increasing competency and employability
50% of participants retain or advance in employment, with 20% experiencing wage increases
20% of participants secure employment

Get involved:

Donations are a crucial source of funding for Ocalenie Foundation’s ongoing work. Recurring contributions are precious, providing much-needed stability as the cost of integration activities for refugees in Poland largely falls on NGOs.
Ocalenie Foundation’s activities are largely supported by our volunteers who teach Polish language courses, help children with their homework, or support refugees in their everyday struggles. Volunteer opportunities can be found on their website.

"}]]  In recognition of World Refugee Day, this blog highlights some of Cisco’s amazing partnerships that through early-stage investment by the Cisco Foundation, have enabled these partners to design, validate, replicate, and scale tech-delivered solutions that are driving impact to support refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

Empowering refugees with vital digital skills and meaningful job opportunities through Cisco Networking Academy, Community Corporate in Australia is getting results.

​[[{"value":"

June 20 marks World Refugee Day, designated by the United Nations to honor refugees around the globe. The latest statistics show that more than 110 million people have been forcibly displaced worldwide in 2023—the highest-ever single-year increase of displacement of people in history and twice the number of displacements from just ten years ago.

Countries hosting refugees face challenges integrating new arrivals into their societies. Digital inclusion may be a key for achieving this. Evidence from the EU suggests that training refugees in digital skills is vital to aid in their integration. And Cisco is working with the OECD to help develop an interactive knowledge hub to help understand technology’s role in fostering inclusion and improving well-being.

Around the world Cisco has numerous programs to support refugees. Many of these initiatives are designed to provide immediate assistance to displaced persons in need. Cisco Networking Academy’s focus on transforming the lives of learners, educators, and communities through the power of technology, education, and career opportunities to power an inclusive future for all addresses the longer-term needs of underserved communities.

In the refugee space, programs such as Cisco For Ukraine in Poland are working towards empowering refugees with tech skills that will help refugees find employment and meaningful connections in their new countries.

Calling Australia home

Staff at Community Corporate, Australia

Australia is home to the third highest percentage of immigrants (which includes refugees) and native-born offspring of immigrants in the OECD. Migrants in Australia have helped offset an ageing population and improved workforce participation and productivity. And while migrants tend to be more highly educated than Australians, there is a low rate of recognition of previous qualifications, meaning they tend to be overeducated for the jobs they occupy.

Community Corporate is a Cisco Networking Academy working to address this issue with the refugee community in Australia.

“This was a two-year pilot that the federal government subsidized us for,” says Founder and CEO of Community Corporate Carmen Garcia. “Our hypothesis was that refugees with overseas qualifications and some experience would be much more accelerated to meet industry demand for jobs with the right vendor partner upskilling program in place.”

Skills to jobs

Community Corporate is putting refugees from Afghanistan, Jordan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Yemen, who have been in Australia from as little as four months to 15 years, through the Cisco Networking Academy program, and placing them with employers.

“Our model as a social enterprise is payment by outcomes,” says Carmen. “Employers don’t pay us unless they retain the talent. We are committed to working with both employer and the refugee candidate for those 12 months, that’s why there’s high conversion.”

“No one chooses to be a refugee. I think people forget that”

Carmen Garcia, Founder and CEO, Community Corporate Australia

“No one chooses to be a refugee. I think people forget that,” says Carmen. “Here are some amazing individuals who are being proactive. They did 150 hours of Cisco Networking Academy coursework. They weren’t paid. They chose to do that. This just shows how resilient, how determined new Australians are to make the most of their lives here.”

Carmen says the pass-rate for the participants is very high, and that for “the vast majority of the participants, it’s about confidence. And that’s about believing in their talent.”

It has helped that instructor Ying Ying Yang—herself an immigrant to Australia—volunteered her time to assist with the training. Ying Ying faced many challenges similar to the refugee cohort when studying the Cisco Networking Academy in Australia, so was able to relate.

Cisco Networking Academy Instructor, Ying Ying Yang

“The learners may have some background knowledge but because of the new environment, they are a bit shy to ask the questions to know where to start,” she says.

“When it comes to the new environment, I just use my own experience and to encourage them, to give them some idea, because I’m an immigrant to Australia too. When I started, I didn’t even come from an IT background, and everything seemed hard, but it just takes a bit of time,” says Ying Ying.

Sometimes language can be a problem, but Ying Ying and Community Corporate offered some assistance here too. “Cisco provides a fabulous English course, English for IT,” says Ying Ying. “We decided to give the students access to the course. It has a focus on IT terminology. I think that course is really good, and I review it to learn the words in the IT work environment to communicate with others. It is a good course!”

Overcoming bias

Community Corporate’s partnerships with employers help too. “It’s the matchmaker concept of really understanding what employers are looking for, and then helping to upskill the refugees with the technical and soft skills to be ready to match them for a sustainable, meaningful outcome,” says Carmen.

Overcoming the unconscious bias that remains in the recruitment process is one challenge. Recruiters don’t like to see gaps in resumes, but fleeing for your life is likely to create such a gap, notes Carmen.

“At the end of the day, business is business,” she says. “Reminding employers that Australia is one of the few OECD countries where a migrant population is actually more skilled than the native population makes people stop and think and wonder, hang on, why aren’t we tapping into this?”

Community Corporate Trainer, Sava Said

Results and rewards

Carmen herself is the daughter of an immigrant who was a lawyer in the Philippines but had to do cleaning jobs to make ends meet when she arrived in Australia. As a teenager Carmen started volunteering to help advocate for fellow Filipinos and subsequently went on to found Community Corporate.

In 2024 Carmen was recognized as Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to the multicultural community through diversity and inclusion advocacy and programs.

“I just felt that it was about dignity and purpose,” says Carmen. “Some of our other earlier refugees who have been working for over 12 months have said they bought houses because they’ve got permanent full-time jobs. So, you know, one job does make a difference for a refugee.”

“It’s not social inclusion, it’s inclusion. It’s economic inclusion. Belonging.”

Learn more about Cisco Networking Academy on the Cisco ESG Reporting Hub

"}]]  Empowering refugees with vital digital skills and meaningful job opportunities through Cisco Networking Academy, Community Corporate in Australia is getting results.  Read More Cisco Blogs