Although I work on the Digital Experience team at Cisco, one core piece of our orchestration capabilities includes a human escalation path within our digital journeys known as “Recommended A… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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Although I work on the Digital Experience team at Cisco, one core piece of our orchestration capabilities includes a human escalation path within our digital journeys known as “Recommended Actions.”

We can’t ignore that the full breadth of a customer’s experience at Cisco is not just digital – it’s a human-to-digital hybrid experience. By empowering our agents and partners with the context they need to help our customers be successful in their adoption or renewal journeys, we are improving that experience for everyone.

But we are a digital first team. That’s why our Recommended Action strategy starts with the customer—providing them with automated, digital self-serve experiences such as:

email adoption journeys and renewal notifications
personalized Cisco.com and Cisco Communities messaging and guided resources
bots
help request forms routed to the appropriate partner or Cisco representative should they need help along the way.

And even if the customer doesn’t explicitly reach out, we can pass along helpful data to our account teams or partners to let them know if a customer appears stalled, is using outdated software, hasn’t logged into a product in a while or connected telemetry, is at risk of not renewing, and more.

Recommended Action – Our Definition 

Sample Recommended Actions in Cisco Lifecycle Advantage

For Cisco, when we talk about a Recommended Action (RA), we’re talking about a proactive strategy to guide a user – whether that is a customer, customer success representative, or a partner – to complete the right activity at the right time to drive successful adoption or renewal of a specific product.

For example, we can trigger an RA to a Cisco customer representative in SalesForce and a partner in our Lifecycle Advantage platform when a customer is struggling with an adoption barrier for more than a defined number of days in our onboarding journeys. We can also alert our support representatives if we do not have a contact at a company who has purchased a product or if a contact’s email has recently bounced and allow them to provide us with updated information.

These are just a few examples of when and why we would want to create a human escalation path from a digital journey.

Through a combination of our Recommended Action architecture (more on that below) along with our web personalization framework, we can also alert that same customer with a notification on Cisco.com or our Support Community. These alerts provide the customer direct access to specific help they need to overcome their adoption barrier. Consider this a digital assist to the self-guided experience.

When We Trigger Recommended Actions (Examples)

Sample Customer Recommended Action on Cisco CommunitiesCustomer stalled in stage – customer stalled in adoption lifecycle stage beyond a certain number of days. When sending to a customer directly, we’ll suggest they visit a Guided Resources page on our Support Community to help them overcome adoption barriers. This page consolidates the best resources for each stage of the customer’s implementation workflow. For our partners or customer success representatives we’ll suggest they reach out to a customer to see how they can assist and provide a play card to help the rep guide the customer towards success.
Not enrolled in digital adoption journey – This notification is triggered to our partners who are supporting customer adoption. It notifies a partner that a customer is not receiving our digital adoption journey (missing contact, account or use case is excluded by the partner, telemetry is not enabled, etc.). Then, the partner can choose to add a customer contact to enroll them on the digital journey. This recommended action alone was responsible for a 114% quarter over quarter increase in the number of partner provided contacts for our digital adoption journeys!
Help Request form submitted – a customer has submitted a request for help, which is routed through our system to a Cisco support team to triage and engage the customer.
Renewal risk – through a data science model, we’ve identified the customer as at risk of not renewing. This context helps Cisco and partner teams alike better handle conversations with customers around renewals, upsells, and overcoming adoption barriers.
Webinar follow-up – a customer attended a webinar related to a product upgrade, so follow up from a Cisco representative or partner is recommended.
Connect telemetry – letting the customer know they have yet to connect telemetry, what the benefits are from doing so, and how to do it.

How We Trigger Recommended Actions – the RA Architecture

The Recommended Action Architecture

Processing

GCP serves our as our processing layer. We’ve split out the processing and logs into branches specific to the end user groups so that each group can have their own workflow, logs, and filters. So now if one group needs to pause or modify their RA flow or filters, it won’t disrupt any of the other RA recipients.

API Integration for Omnichannel RAs

Through MuleSoft, we’ve streamlined and simplified API connectivity and integrations, making it easier for us to connect to more end channels and enabling multichannel RAs. The goal here is to enable program scale as we won’t be limited to what channels we can show the RAs on or who we can deliver RAs to. Where we previously only delivered RAs to channels like our SFDC applications and Lifecycle Advantage, we’re now delivering RAs through Cisco.com, Cisco Communities, Webex teams, SFMC (our email automation platform), and are currently expanding into in-product support tools like WalkMe.

CMS for Scaling Content Updates

We’re currently working through a POC to incorporate our content management system (CMS) into the RA architecture, which will enable our business teams to not only make their own content edits without relying on developers, but also to push those content updates to all downstream channels simultaneously.

Collaborative Account Management

Another final piece of the future state RA architecture I’ll highlight is the feedback loop mechanism. The mechanism is actually quite simple to take data from an end channel and put it into our RA logs in Snowflake for redistribution to other end channels—ensuring all teams are working off the same information and enabling collaborative account management.

What’s Next?   

Recommended Actions are just one of our orchestration team’s larger initiatives for taking our customer and partner experience at Cisco to the next level. Stay tuned for the next few chapters of our series where we’ll share insights on:

Real-Time Audience Management initiative
Customer lifecycle journeys
Cisco.com and Cisco Community evolution
Customer preferences and notifications experience 
How Cisco orchestrates with partners
And more

Thanks for reading and feel free to reach out with questions or similar challenges your team has faced. I’m always looking for our next orchestration use case.

  The full breadth of customer experience is not just digital – it’s a human-to-digital hybrid experience. By empowering our agents and partners with the context they need to help our customers be successful in their adoption or renewal journeys, we are improving that experience for everyone.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

As the old joke goes . . . ‘you do it carefully!’

As part of the U.S. Federal Government’s journey to net zero, the Department of Defense (DoD) will transition its non-combat vehicle fleets to ele… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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As the old joke goes . . . ‘you do it carefully!’

As part of the U.S. Federal Government’s journey to net zero, the Department of Defense (DoD) will transition its non-combat vehicle fleets to electric vehicles (EVs). It will likely be one of the largest single-owner fleet transitions worldwide, operating across various vehicle types, functions, locations, and operating conditions. In such an undertaking, there will be many design and implementation decisions, including those considering network connections and security.

Solutions for EV-Charging at Any Scale within the Mission Context

Through our global experience with EV-Charging connectivity solutions, we at Cisco have seen the importance that customers place on the ease of operations, management, and security. As such, we have developed and validated solutions that are simple, scalable, and flexible, with a focus on operations processes that are both field and operations center friendly.

Centralized network device management and asset operation capabilities can eliminate the need for manual asset tracking and reduce inconsistencies in deployed configurations.
Integration with operations can help ensure that field technicians can easily deploy and manage these devices without requiring Information Technology (IT) support on site.
Connectivity solutions can incorporate visibility solutions, giving both the IT and EV charging teams tools to monitor physical and cybersecurity over deployed equipment.

Cisco EV-Charging solutions support a wide range of scenarios – major facilities that support large-scale, centralized EV fleet charging; distributed moderate-scale charging sites; small, remote sites that host only a few vehicles; and third-party commercially operated sites that may be used periodically by drivers traveling from point-to-point.

On the main installation, at-scale fleet-level charging solutions typically connect over Operational Technology (OT) networks via ruggedized industrial gateways, routers, and switches for edge compute capability and to connect large numbers of charge points at a single site over fiber.
Across the main installation and/or its satellite locations, distributed sites support a moderate number of charge points connected to the main installation OT networks via ruggedized, industrial switches over existing backhaul (DSL, fiber, or cellular).
At the edge, low-demand locations typically connect to the main installation OT networks using Cisco secure, mobility solutions (Umbrella, Secure Client, and Secure Endpoint) leveraging charge point hosted cellular modems.
For connections via third party EV-Charging points, the same Cisco secure mobility solutions can connect with your organically-hosted EV-Charging Management System or to your preferred service provider via a locally available connectivity solution.

From the security perspective, Cisco Zero Trust solutions can extend your enterprise Information Technology (IT) and into your Operational Technology (OT) security posture and provide visibility to every point of connection.

For more on solutions for securing your IT and OT networks see commentary by Cisco’s Andy Stewart on Zero Trust for Government Networks and see Steve Vetter’s blog on the Necessity of IT and OT Alignment for Better Mission and Business Outcomes. For even more, see our OT network visibility solutions – Cyber Vision.

Who will be in the Conversation?

So, let’s look at who will typically be involved in EV-Charging deployment discussions and highlight key considerations for design and implementation that will inform network architecture design and feature selection to help ensure security and operational availability.

Virtually any EV-Charging solution design, implementation, operation and sustainment planning will include a range of stakeholders, including those representing the interests of the mission operations community, the vehicle operations and management community, the civil engineering community, networking operations community, and the sustainability community office.

For the mission operations community, decisions on phasing and implementation may be influenced by operational tempo. For example, there may be, in the force training cycle, periods in which there is little tolerance for mission continuity disruption such as a training period that precedes an ‘on-call period’ and, on the other hand, there may be periods such as a ‘reset period’ that may have a reduced mission impact.
For the vehicle operations and maintenance community, the decisions on phasing and implementation may be location/utilization-based priority. For example, does the effort begin with distributed vehicle fleet (i.e. those vehicles that primarily park and operate in specific areas of the base) or does the transition begin with the concentrated vehicle fleets (i.e. those that park and operate from a defined area such as the motor pool or functional centers of operations)?
For the civil and electrical engineering community, it may be important to outline the implementation strategy – will it be a single-phase effort across the entire installation, a zone-based phasing stepping through defined areas on a priority basis, or will it be function-based phasing (i.e. base support, logistics, operations) on a scale or impact basis? Lastly, consideration must be given to the electrical requirements and the timeframe required to secure necessary power upgrades.
For the network operations community, mission operations, mission support, and installation infrastructure considerations are typically key drivers in EV-Charging connectivity planning. Beyond connectivity, network operations teams will generally consider mission alignment for access control, segmentation, asset visibility, network operations, security oversight, and prioritization strategies.
For the sustainability community, a priority will likely be orchestrating the conversations among stakeholders and coordinating the formation of a funded program that can meet requirements across the full range of stakeholders with an implementation plan that can meet future mission requirements while driving towards net zero goals.

Beyond these enterprise stakeholders, the conversation can, in some cases, go further to include interfacing with municipal local, state, and national authorities.

Getting Your EV-Transition Journey Started

With that as an overview, it is time to get started – let’s work together to implement secure connectivity solutions for your mission-aligned EV-Charging solution! We understand that transforming non-combat vehicle operations to EVs can be an important part of your journey to net zero. So, capitalize on global EV-Charging connectivity deployment experience with Cisco and our partners to leverage best practices and our Cisco Validated Designs.

For more information on Cisco and EV-Charging Solutions, see:

Connected EV Charging Network – Cisco
Connect Your EV Charging Network with Cisco IoT
Reliable Connectivity for Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging – Cisco Blogs

  In support of the U.S. Department of Defense’s move towards net zero, Cisco offers EV-Charging solutions that prioritize simplicity, scalability, and security. These solutions streamline operations, enhance cybersecurity, and ensure a smooth transition to electric vehicles across diverse vehicle types and locations.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

After nearly 12 years, I always come away from the annual Cisco Partner Summit event energized and excited. In fact, this year, I ran into one of our Vice Presidents here at Cisco who stated, “This h… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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After nearly 12 years, I always come away from the annual Cisco Partner Summit event energized and excited. In fact, this year, I ran into one of our Vice Presidents here at Cisco who stated, “This has been the most impactful set of partner meetings I’ve ever had in my 19-years at Cisco…the discussions and business opportunity has me super excited.”

Part of that excitement is on the heels of some great news and announcements to move our Industrial IoT (IIoT) business forward for our partners. Let’s recap a set of announcements that are designed to help our partners drive a profitable and exciting IoT practice:

Cisco Partner Journeys were launched at Partner Summit, and we have created an IoT track for our partner community. By onboarding on this journey, partners open the doors to a great opportunity to capitalize on the power of collaboration between IT and OT, become more relevant than ever and reveal new buyers, new opportunities, and revenue streams. Learn more here.
We continue to reinforce our IoT Partner Enablement with our #30’IoT Partner Sales Training. These 30-minute IoT Product Updates are held weekly with representatives and offer enablement in a speedy and effective manner. Join us live or watch-on demand.
1-2-3 Guide to Success in IoT is now live! Check out this guide to Cisco IIoT opportunities including use cases and endless opportunities for all partners. In this guide, we help you build your customer path to success with Cisco IIoT. Get started.
Fast Track program for IoT Distribution! Partners can take advantage of this discount to boost their profitability with competitive pricing on IE3100 switches, IR1101, and IR1800 router models and leverage simplified product purchases. Check out the details.
New IoT Solution Specialization planned for 2024! We are planning two new solution specializations in 2HFY24 for both the industrial IoT segment and non-industrial IoT spaces. These will be aligned to our cross-architectural offers to provide greater flexibility for achievement through lower-cost requirements by being built upon partners’ existing investments. More to come in this exciting area.

If you weren’t able to attend Cisco Partner Summit 2023 live, we have a great recording from the “Bear Market? No Problem! Land and expand with IIoT” session held last week in Miami. This session touched on the unique position partners have in capturing IT/OT convergence. Learn how customers are leveraging corporate spend and government stimulus funding to drive their digital transformation. Listen to real-life examples and proven practices to identify new customers, uncover hidden revenue opportunities within existing accounts, and increase customer wallet share. Watch the session here.

Hopefully by now you are as excited as I am about IoT, and the time is now to build and develop your Cisco IoT practice. For more information, you can reach out to our team at iothelp@cisco.com.

Head over to the #CiscoPartnerLaunch Experience

for session recordings and more!

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

Cisco Partners Facebook  |  @CiscoPartners Twitter  |  Cisco Partners LinkedIn

  I always come away from the annual Cisco Partner Summit event energized and excited from the news and announcements that move our Industrial IOT business forward for our partners. Let’s recap a set of announcements that are designed to help our partners drive a profitable and exciting IOT practice.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

Last week, I had the pleasure of recognizing the accomplishments of our Learning Partner community and celebrating the 2023 Cisco Learning Partner Award winners.  

Our Cisco Learning Partners are i… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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Last week, I had the pleasure of recognizing the accomplishments of our Learning Partner community and celebrating the 2023 Cisco Learning Partner Award winners.  

Our Cisco Learning Partners are instrumental in upskilling individuals and teams at scale to meet our customers where they are. Each year, they deliver skills to our joint customers that close the IT skills gap, propel careers, and upskill enterprise teams to drive business outcomes. 

As an example, customers are continuing to consume cloud services, and to protect their users and data, their networks are becoming more complex. I am excited to see our Learning Partners embrace our new Multicloud Certifications in Cloud Connectivity and Cloud Security, which ensure individuals have proven, certified skills to secure, connect, and observe the network.   

Our entire Learning Partner community deserves recognition for the exceptional results they have achieved. Through our relationships, we have built a foundation for the learning business to thrive and grow in the future. Special congratulations go to this year’s winners. These Learning Partners have attained remarkable business outcomes and showcased exceptional commitment to customers and Cisco during 2023. The 11 winners signify excellence in performance, innovation, business growth, and customer success.  

Congratulations to the 2023 Winners of the Cisco Learning Partner Awards (full details are available on our Learning Partner site). 

2023 Cisco Learning Partner Award Winners

Overall Winner  

Global Learning Partner of the Year  

WINNER – Global Knowledge   

Geographies  

Americas  

WINNER – NterOne  

APJC  

WINNER- Trainocate  

EMEA  

WINNER – Fast Lane 

Performance Recognition Awards  

Excellence in YoY Business Growth  

WINNER – Current Technologies CLC 

 Awarded to the Learning Partner with the highest average growth percentage YoY.  

Customer Satisfaction Distinction  

WINNER – Mira Telecommunicacions SL  

Awarded to the Learning Partner with the highest average customer satisfaction scores.  

Digital Acceleration Partner of the Year 

WINNER – Global Knowledge  

 Awarded to the Learning Partner with the highest digital student count.  

Value Exchange Partner of the Year  

WINNER – Global Knowledge  

 Awarded to the Learning Partner with the highest Cisco Learning Credit revenue recognition.  

New Learning Partner of the Year  

WINNER – AI Network Training PTE LTD 

 Awarded to a New Learning Partner in FY23—new company Partners only—with the highest student count.  

Customer Success   

WINNER-  Nil CCIE 525 Programme 

Awarded to the Learning Partner with the most impactful customer success of the year. 

Social Impact   

WINNER – SLS LATAM:  Nursing Homes, Scholarships, Hospital Assistance, Fausto’s Foundation, Camino a Casa Foundation. 

The Social Impact Award is given to the Learning Partner with active involvement in a social impact project demonstrating positive contributions to local or global opportunities, driving significant and measurable impact. 

I am so appreciative and thankful for all the wonderful work that our Learning Partner community achieved in FY23. Our shared charter of upskilling individuals and teams is a key factor to our success, and I am excited about what the future holds for all of us. 

Congratulations to all the winners.  

Some of the Cisco Learning Partner 2023 Award Winners at this year’s Cisco Partner Summit dinner. Back row (left to right): Daniel Hedtmann (Fast Lane), Herman Goedman (Fast Lane), Brandon Yohn (Neteroen), David Vincent (Global Knowledge), Mike Meditz (Cisco); Second row (left to right): Torsten Poels (Fast Lane), Britt Devine (Global Knowledge), Fred Cutaran (Nterone); Front row (left to right): Raquel Vazquez (Mira), Mel Jones (Global Knowledge), Polona S. Crnigoj (NIL), Ana Beltran (Cisco), Par Merat (Cisco), Alan Gardner (Current Technologies), Martin Camp (NIL)

Follow Cisco Learning & Certifications

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Use #CiscoLearningPartner to join the conversation.

Read next: Learning Partner Strategies Can Add Movement and Balance on Your Journey

  Par Merat, VP, Learning & Certifications announces the 2023 Cisco Learning Partner Award Recipients, recognized for excellence in driving remarkable business outcomes and exceptional commitment to customers and Cisco.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

We just wrapped up an amazing few days in Miami Beach at Cisco Partner Summit 2023, where we had the opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate all of the amazing things our partners are doing to… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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We just wrapped up an amazing few days in Miami Beach at Cisco Partner Summit 2023, where we had the opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate all of the amazing things our partners are doing to help our mutual customers achieve their business transformation goals.

There were so many moments last week that stood out to me, from spending time with other marketing leaders to all of the keynotes. Here are my key takeaways from Cisco Partner Summit 2023:

Marketing Velocity Executive Exchange

On Monday, November 6, I had the honor of hosting about 50 other marketing executives from  our partners at the Marketing Velocity Executive Exchange. Not only was it a great way to kick off Partner Summit, it was an excellent opportunity to learn from one another, exchange best practices and insights, and be open and vulnerable about the challenges and opportunities we’re all facing as marketing leaders today.

Rodney Clark Announced As the New Partner Leader

While it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to Oliver Tuszik as the leader of Global Partner Routes to Market and Sales, it was incredibly exciting to have Rodney Clark announced on November 6, as Senior Vice President, Partnerships and Small & Medium Business. Even more exciting was seeing Rodney introduced to our partner community on main stage by Jeff Sharritts and Oliver during the Day 1 Global Insight Session, and having the opportunity to hear from him and learn more about why he chose to join Cisco and his vision for moving forward.

Amazing One on Ones

Partner Summit is one of my favorite events because it gives me the chance to meet and speak with our partners. Over the course of the week, I had the opportunity to meet, learn from, and exchange ideas with so many of our valued partners. Your feedback is invaluable and vitally important, and every single conversation and one on one has energized and inspired me.

Key Messages from Mainstage Global Insight Sessions

As usual, the mainstage Global Insight Sessions from Cisco Partner Summit were full of inspiring messages, launches, announcements, and photo-worthy moments. Chuck Robbins reiterated Cisco’s commitment to Powering an Inclusive Future for All and reflected on the amazing things our Partnering for Purpose initiative has accomplished since it was launched at last year’s Partner Summit. On Wednesday Jonathan Davidson dug into Cisco’s—and our partners’—commitment to sustainability, and Jeetu Patel highlighted how Cisco is leading the way when it comes to hybrid work with new Webex innovations.

Focus on SMB

So many times over the course of the week I heard partners talking about SMB and how it is a priority for them. Cisco is fully committed to SMB, which was reiterated not only during the Day 2 Global Insight Session chat between Jeff Sharrits, Andrew Sage, Alexandra Zagury, and Jose Van Dijk; but also during business impact sessions, conversations, one on ones, press and analyst sessions, and more.

I hope you all enjoyed Cisco Partner Summit 2023 as much as I did, and I can’t wait to see you all next year at Cisco Partner Summit 2024.

Miss anything from Cisco Partner Summit 2023?

Check out the Cisco Partner Launch Experience!

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

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  Cisco Partner Summit 2023 showed how Cisco and Cisco Partners truly are Greater Together.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

As a Cisco channel leader, I recognize the importance of understanding our partners’ sustainability endeavors in the Americas, as collaborative efforts and mutual support are imperative in addressing… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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As a Cisco channel leader, I recognize the importance of understanding our partners’ sustainability endeavors in the Americas, as collaborative efforts and mutual support are imperative in addressing the significant sustainability challenges we confront. In this regard, I had the privilege of conducting interviews with several Cisco partners to discuss their challenges, uncover opportunities, and explore how Cisco can offer support.

Throughout these discussions, a common theme emerged: the need to bring our partners together for collaborative engagement, knowledge sharing, and in-depth conversations on building sustainable business models and offerings. The aim is to ensure not only the success of our partners but also the achievement of our mutual customers’ sustainability goals.

Prioritizing sustainability is also a business imperative

A key revelation from these conversations is the recognition that prioritizing sustainability is not just an ethical choice; it’s also a vital business imperative. While there may be situations where the choices between speed and convenience conflict with what is morally right, aligning our efforts with the objective of creating an inclusive and environmentally responsible future is not only ethically sound but also central to Cisco’s overarching mission.

To help us share insights for the better good, the Americas partner sustainability community now convenes on a quarterly basis with a dedicated leadership team committed to helping customers realize their sustainability objectives. These gatherings provide valuable insights from Cisco leaders on the broader sustainability strategy. They also serve as a platform for introducing the latest Cisco programs and tools centered on sustainability, hosting industry and ecosystem partners to share their go-to-market strategies and offerings, discussing sustainability funding, and encouraging partners to share their own experiences and lessons learned.

Inclusive engagements

Sustainability is a concept that calls for inclusivity. It acknowledges that no single individual or group can bring about the needed changes on their own. What we require is a concerted effort that actively engages individuals empowered by organizations to create a culture of sustainability.

At Cisco, we strongly encourage everyone to engage with their local communities in ways that hold personal significance. This can take various forms, such as participating in beach cleanups, contributing to habitat restoration, supporting wildfire prevention, or engaging in organic waste and edible food recovery initiatives, among others. These efforts must address both the current sustainability challenges our planet faces today and inspire and educate future generations to carry this work forward.

Partnering for purpose

In addition, leadership plays a crucial role in driving these sustainability efforts. Leaders must lead by example, inspire others to join the cause, and ensure that everyone participates. It is a collective endeavor, and leaders must be at the forefront of the solution, making tangible commitments, both in financial terms and in the way their businesses operate, to become more sustainable entities.

At Cisco, our objective is to facilitate collaboration, create scalable solutions, and enable the sharing of best practices with partners globally. The “Partnering for Purpose” initiative aligns perfectly with Cisco’s vision of an inclusive future. I’m thrilled to announce that in fiscal year 2024, Cisco will introduce sustainability offerings across our services portfolio in four key areas: Sustainable Data Centers, Smart Buildings and Workspaces, Internet of the Future, and Industry Solutions and Ecosystems.

Reducing our carbon footprint necessitates a shift in mindset, challenging us to think differently about how we design technologies, support our employees, and help our customers address challenges. For instance, through Cisco Refresh, we remanufacture and certify used network routers, switches, phones, and collaboration products, extending the value of our customers’ budgets while reducing the environmental impact associated with old technology. This is a win-win solution for all parties involved.

A Commitment to Sustainability

My aspiration is for all of us to lead happy, healthy lives and enjoy our planet in a way that ensures future generations can do the same. As a leader, I encourage others to integrate sustainable practices into every facet of their lives and endeavors. Building a culture of sustainability requires the commitment of all individuals to make choices today that will protect us from bearing the consequences of poor decisions tomorrow. Whether it’s protecting our oceans, nurturing emerging leaders, or running our businesses in a manner that safeguards the future, sustainability is a shared endeavor that benefits us all.

To learn more about what commitments Cisco has made to ensure a better tomorrow, read our 2022 Cisco Purpose Report.

  As part of Cisco’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, Channel Leader, Stacy Betts, explores the importance of these initiatives from the partner perspective.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

Part 5 of the six-part series – The 2023 Global Networking Trends Report series 

The distributed workforce―and the distributed applications and services they consume―have vastly changed the enterp… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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Part 5 of the six-part series – The 2023 Global Networking Trends Report series 

The distributed workforce―and the distributed applications and services they consume―have vastly changed the enterprise network paradigm. Many connections—such as private cloud, internet, public cloud, multicloud, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) networks—now begin and end outside of the traditional corporate infrastructure. The coexistence of these complex connections creates new layers of operational complexity for teams responsible for ensuring predictable performance and quality of service.

What is needed to combat this complexity is a network assurance platform that includes true end-to-end visibility capabilities. Insight is needed into users and their devices, locations, and connected things, as well as into access networks, network services, multiple clouds, and corporate enterprise data centers and applications (Figure 1). A solution that combines these different data sets and uses artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) to analyze the data, can help drive decisions that make network operations proactive and predictive, instead of reactive.

Figure 1. Span of end-to-end visibility required (click to enlarge)

In our 2023 Global Networking Trends Report, nearly half (47%) of respondents said they are prioritizing the adoption of predictive network analytics over the next two years, primarily to help with managing the connectivity and digital experience of their remote workforce.

A predictive network analytics solution requires the ability to correlate massive amounts of network data in real time and at tremendous scale. By continuously analyzing performance data and applying predictive modeling to forecast conditions and recommend actions, predictive capabilities can become a reality. Predictive analytics empowers teams to avoid adverse application impacts to distributed workers and to ensure the best possible user experience.

Predictive analytics for SD-WAN and an internet-centric world

For the software-defined WAN (SD-WAN), a platform that uses artificial intelligence for IT operations (AIOps) can provide predictive analytics to forecast performance (Figure 2). AIOps refers to the strategic use of AI, ML, and machine reasoning (MR) technologies to simplify and streamline IT processes and optimize the use of IT resources. By correlating and analyzing real-time and historical SD-WAN performance data and applying predictive models, AIOps can use these forecasts to deliver per-site recommendations for optimal path selection by application type to deliver an optimal experience based on available paths.

By integrating predictive analytics into SD-WAN solutions, IT teams can improve dynamic enforcement of application service levels with intelligent routing across alternative paths before any degradation occurs.

Figure 2. Predictive analytics through a continual feedback loop (click to enlarge)

Combining traffic data sets from an organization’s ecosystem of ISPs, cloud providers, SaaS applications, and other external services, further enriches predictive analytical systems. Operations teams can rapidly identify, escalate, and remediate issues with providers using internet telemetry data. When outage behavior is detected, a root cause can be identified and shared with providers to prioritize fixes or escalate to peers and transit providers.

Predictive analytics at work in the real world 

When Insight Global—one of the largest staffing agencies in the United States—allowed its employees to return to the office, they leveraged information from ThousandEyes’ WAN Insights to optimize its SD-WAN policies and improve application experiences proactively and continuously. Once the solution was in place, they gained greater visibility into critical network environments and routing, and Insight Global’s IT team was better able to detect and avoid potential issues before those issues could impact the business.

Predictive and proactive operations is the way forward  

It’s time to move from reactive to proactive operations management through end-to-end visibility and AI/ML-powered predictive analytics. It’s time for a consistent way of automating operations, analyzing and diagnosing issues, and assuring the user experience across all the different networking domains.

We believe strongly in this way forward. It’s the cornerstone of Cisco’s approach to network assurance and Cisco’s Networking Cloud vision—a unified management experience platform for on-premises and cloud operating models to simplify IT, everywhere, at scale.

Watch the Global Networking Trends on-demand webinar:

“Securely connect people, places, and things in an ever-changing world”

Download the 2023 Global Networking Trends Report

  Predictive analytical models use AI/ML techniques and traffic data from end-to-end visibility to eliminate or avoid traffic jams, poor connections, and outages. This is the power of predictive network operations.  Read More Cisco Blogs