In my first of three posts about how businesses are leveraging Cisco solutions to simplify operations through a platform approach, I looked at the cloud operating model and how Cisco platforms,… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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In my first of three posts about how businesses are leveraging Cisco solutions to simplify operations through a platform approach, I looked at the cloud operating model and how Cisco platforms, including Meraki, Intersight, and Catalyst, deliver the crucial capabilities needed for a smooth transition to this model.

In this second installation, my focus is on how organizations can benefit from AI-driven automation for daily operations that span network and data center so IT resources can focus on strategic efforts.

Solving the challenges of manual administration

You may have perused the insightful EMA report, which reveals that a staggering 27% of all network complications stem from manual administration errors like improper configuration changes. Now, picture a world where these issues are slashed by nearly a third. Exciting, isn’t it?

The secret sauce to achieving this reduction lies in automation. By automating manual management tasks, we lighten the workload and shrink the potential for error. Activities like configurations, compliance checks, and monitoring can all be carried out seamlessly, with consistent policies guiding the process. And the cherry on top? These policies are continuously enriched with AI insights mined from performance data across the platform.

How it works in real life

I know it can sound overly simple when we talk in generalities about what technology—especially AI—can do. So let me paint a picture of this streamlined operation using a real-world example—Renown Health. This healthcare provider, the largest in northern Nevada, defies the odds with a compact IT team of just three supporting a workforce of over 6,500 spread across more than 70 sites and catering to 74,000 Nevadans monthly.

At Renown Health, telemedicine, collaborative workflows, and a hunger for innovation are the backbone of the operation. Digital touchpoints stretch their community health programs to remote patients, linking them with medical specialists via video sessions.

The command center of this extensive network is the Cisco Catalyst Center, viewed by Renown Health as the driving force behind its AI-powered automation, robust security, and centralized network activity visibility. With this tool in their arsenal, their three-person team is able to seamlessly manage a homogenous network with 1,400 access points and an impressive 48,000 ports.

Dustin Metteer, Senior Network Engineer at Renown Health, explains, “Cisco Catalyst Center is like having a network operations center technician 24/7. Essentially, it’s a NOC-in-a-box. Alerts go to various teams when there’s a problem and level two engineers get the information they need to troubleshoot. And suddenly, we have the information we need and can transition from reactive to proactive support.”

With the Cisco Catalyst Center at the helm of network management, the investment in time and effort needed to run the network and execute upgrades can be dramatically reduced. For Renown Health, that means upgrades are strategically timed to be applied to specific network users or segments without causing any service disruption—a critical requirement in the high-stakes realm of healthcare.

And here’s where Catalyst Center’s automation tools come in. With these capabilities, a single member of the IT team can orchestrate the setup of 20 locations in a single night, all from the comfort of their desk. This level of efficiency was unheard of previously—it typically took a week or more to accomplish. Simply put, it’s revolutionizing the way our customers can operate and manage networks.

This is just one example of how IT organizations and the companies they support are reaping the benefits of a cloud-managed IT infrastructure and operational simplicity. Organizations across industries—from education to transportation—can simplify operations through AI-driven automation, giving IT time back from onerous, repetitive network configuration tasks so they can focus on innovation to meet business needs.

Join me next month, when I show how a platform approach can simplify operations, offering end-to-end assurance that supports business agility, performance, and faster troubleshooting.

Learn and explore how to leverage Cisco solutions to

simplify your network operations

with a platform approach.

"}]]  Discover how businesses use Cisco platforms to streamline operations and minimize manual errors with AI-driven automation. This automation enables efficient network management, timely upgrades without service interruptions, and significantly reduces setup time, liberating IT resources for strategic innovation.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

Good news, tech learners. The Pi Day Sale returns to the Cisco Learning Network Store this week! For 24 hours, starting March 14, 2024, at 8 a.m. Pacific Time, you can save up to 25% on Cisco… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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Good news, tech learners. The Pi Day Sale returns to the Cisco Learning Network Store this week! For 24 hours, starting March 14, 2024, at 8 a.m. Pacific Time, you can save up to 25% on Cisco learning products.

Before you slice into our Pi Day sale, let’s take a step back and cover a few key areas you’ll want to keep in mind. In this blog, you’ll find five tips to help you maximize your savings, make smart buying decisions, and invest in learning that aligns with your goals. At the end of this blog, you’ll also find the complete list of products included in the Pi Day Sale.

Save 25% on select training products from the Cisco Learning Network Store for 24 hours only.

The Pi Day Sale begins on March 14, 2024, at 8 a.m. Pacific Time. View now

1. New multicloud training is here, and it’s 25% off on Pi Day

Two new multicloud training courses are now available in the Cisco Learning Network Store—and they’re included in the Pi Day Sale. Each course aligns with its namesake exam, and both were released within the last few months. It doesn’t get much newer than this, folks.

New: Designing and Implementing Cloud Connectivity (ENCC) v1.0Continuing Education Credits: 32

This course helps you prepare for the new 300-440 ENCC exam, Designing and Implementing Cloud Connectivity. If you pass the exam, you earn the Cloud Connectivity Specialist Certification and fulfill the concentration exam requirement for the CCNP Enterprise certification.

New: Designing and Implementing Secure Cloud Access for Users and Endpoints (SCAZT) v1.0Continuing Education Credits: 40

This course covers the material on the new 300-740 SCAZT exam, Designing and Implementing Secure Cloud Access for Users and Endpoints. Once you pass the SCAZT exam, you will earn the Secure Cloud Access Specialist Certification and have completed the concentration exam required for the CCNP Security certification.

Inside Tip: You can get started on both of these courses right now for free. Inside Cisco U., these courses are referred to as “Learning Paths.” All you need is a Cisco U. Free plan to access the first track in each Learning Path. (Access to the entire Learning Path is available to Cisco U. All Access users.) Once you complete your purchase on Pi Day, you can pick up where you left off. By the way, all of the courses from the Cisco Learning Network Store are now delivered in Cisco U.

If you haven’t already, you can sign up for Cisco U. here. (Make sure you use the same Cisco login credentials as your certification profile, so your progress and activities stay in one place.)

2. Official Cisco learning = earning Continuing Education Credits

You might have noticed the number of Continuing Education (CE) credits under each of the courses mentioned above. If you are an active Cisco certification holder — and you want to stay Cisco Certified — those numbers should stand out to you.

Here’s why:

Once you get certified, your Cisco certification is active for three years. That gives you a three-year window to complete recertification requirements. Earning CE credits is one way to meet those requirements. Passing certification exams is another. (You can also do a combination of both.)

Moreover, to earn CE credits, you must complete training authorized by Cisco, which vouches for the learning content’s quality, relevancy, and applicability in the market. It’s training you can trust, which brings us to the next tip…

3. Cisco learning content is training you can trust

Even the most dedicated, adept learners can face challenges when they rely on the wrong resources for skill-building. If you aren’t using the training you can trust, you’re missing an opportunity for growth. Remember, training is an investment, and the value of quality learning products cannot be overstated.

The Cisco Learning Network Store includes official on-demand e-learning courses that can help you prepare for Cisco certification exams based on the latest exam version. When changes or revisions to Cisco certification blueprints are announced, you can bet that the material in the store is updated to align with the latest material.

Cisco Certification Roadmap: Get notified when certification exam changes are announced. Sign me up >>

Now, choosing to pursue a certification is a personal decision — and a big one, at that. But, here’s the thing… technologies are at the core of Cisco certifications. As long as the material is relevant to the work you want to (or will) do in the real world, you will benefit—regardless of whether you are committed to getting certified.

For example, let’s say you just landed a role for an organization that runs Cisco ISE. You know your way around, but you want to know it inside and out. The Implementing and Configuring Cisco Identity Services Engine (SISE) v4.0 course, which aligns with the Professional-level Security certification exam by the same name, is an ideal way to build your knowledge. You would be learning Cisco ISE directly from official Cisco learning materials.

4. Save 25% on Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) 2.6 

If you haven’t looked at the latest version of Cisco Modeling Labs, CML 2.6, then you’re in for a treat. Along with a revamped interface and Workbench, you can now deploy CML to AWS cloud—with more supported providers to come.

If you aren’t familiar with CML, it’s a browser-based network simulator for designing, testing, and troubleshooting Cisco and non-Cisco networks. The Cisco Learning Network Store offers CML-Personal and CML-Personal Plus editions, which give learners the ideal lab environment for getting exam-ready and running different scenarios.

Inside Tip: I highly recommend watching this webinar to learn more about the CML 2.6 release and see a demo of its features. Then, head on over to the Cisco Learning Network Store to compare which version (Personal or Personal Plus) makes the most sense for you. You can also browse discussions in the Cisco Modeling Labs – Personal Community on the Cisco Learning Network, where CML-Personal and CML-Personal Plus users gather to share their experiences, use cases, and discoveries, as well as ask for help and support others to overcome challenges.

5. Pi Day savings with Cisco Learning Credits 

If your organization uses Cisco technologies, you may have Cisco Learning Credits (CLCs) available for training. During the Pi Day Sale, you can pay with CLCs after applying the 25% savings to your purchase from the Cisco Learning Network Store. For reference, here’s how to redeem Cisco Learning Credits.

This is a great option for businesses looking to onboard a new hire, prepare for a deployment, or maintain their status as a Cisco Partner by empowering staff to keep their Cisco certification status active.

Wait, so what does Pi Day have to do with Cisco Learning and Certifications?

Don’t worry—you’re not the only one pondering this question. The concept of pi is a perfect analogy for how you should think about, approach, and reach your IT career goals.

Pi is a universal constant in math to calculate the measurement of a circle. More specifically, pi is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. (If you draw a circle, that’s the circumference. Now, picture drawing a straight line through the center of that circle, splitting it in half. That’s the diameter.) What’s awesome about pi —so awesome it deserves its own special day— is that it applies to every circle, no matter the size; a constant.

Pi is also an irrational number, which just means that there is no pattern and it repeats forever. Hence, those friendly challenges to see who can recall the most digits of pi: 3.141592653589793238… etc.

Learning is the universal constant of tech career success.

Pi is to a circle as learning is to tech career goals. No matter what your career goal is, you can achieve it with learning. And just like pi’s irrational, endless sequence of numbers, lifelong learning is the key to staying ahead of an ever-evolving field that continues to grow, revealing more and more opportunities to build your expertise and embrace new, emerging technologies.

What’s included in the Cisco Learning Network Store’s Pi Day Sale?

I thought you’d never ask. Drumroll, please…

Save 25% on the following products for 24 hours only:

Cisco Modeling Labs – Personal
Cisco Modeling Labs – Personal Plus
Cisco Learning Labs – CCNA v1.0
Cisco Learning Labs – ENARSI v1.0
Performing CyberOps Using Cisco Security Technologies (CBRCOR) v1.0
Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) v1.0
Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions (CCNA) v2.0
Implementing and Operating Cisco Collaboration Core Technologies (CLCOR) v1.3
Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure – Advanced (DCACIA) v1.2
Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (DCACI) v1.2
Implementing and Operating Cisco Data Center Core Technologies (DCCOR) v1.2
Developing Applications and Automating Workflows using Cisco Platforms (DEVASC) v1.1
Developing Applications using Cisco Core Platforms and APIs (DEVCOR) v2.0
Cisco Customer Success Manager (DTCSM) v2.2
Implementing Cisco Enterprise Advanced Routing and Services (ENARSI) v1.0
Designing and Implementing Cloud Connectivity (ENCC) v1.0
Implementing and Operating Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR) v1.3
Implementing Cisco SD-WAN Solutions (ENSDWI) v3.0
Designing Cisco Enterprise Networks (ENSLD) v2.0
Implementing Cisco Enterprise Wireless Networks (ENWLSI) v2.0
Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0
Implementing and Configuring Cisco Identity Services Engine (SISE) v4.0
Implementing and Operating Cisco Service Provider Network Core Technologies (SPCOR) v1.1
Implementing Cisco Service Provider Advanced Routing Solutions (SPRI) v1.1
Engineering Cisco Meraki Solutions Part 1 (ECMS1) v2.1
Engineering Cisco Meraki Solutions Part 2 (ECMS2) v2.1
Securing Networks with Cisco Firepower Next Generation Firewall (SSNGFW) v1.0
Designing and Implementing Secure Cloud Access for Users and Endpoints (SCAZT) v1.0

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions about the sale, please leave a comment below. You can also reach out to us via social media. Happy Pi Day, everybody!

Save 25% on select Cisco training products from the Cisco Learning Network Store during our 24-hour Pi Day Sale.

Savings begin on March 14, 2024, at 8 a.m. Pacific Time.

View the Pi Day Sale now

Sign up for Cisco U. | Join the Cisco Learning Network.

Follow Cisco Learning & Certifications

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Use #CiscoU and #CiscoCert to join the conversation.

Read next:

You’re automated for success with Cisco’s Continuing Education program

"}]]  Get ready to shop Pi Day savings on Cisco learning products from the Cisco Learning Network Store.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

Introduction

In my previous blog post, we discussed the state of the union for shift left and and how many organizations are not implementing correctly. So what now? We need to understand the are… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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Introduction

In my previous blog post, we discussed the state of the union for shift left and and how many organizations are not implementing correctly. So what now? We need to understand the are signs of doing shift left incorrectly and learn how to take a different approach.

Recognizing the consequences of a poor shift left model

A poor shift left model has “soft” and “hard” consequences. Soft consequences impact the development staff’s workload, health, and job satisfaction. Some of the soft consequences of a poorly implemented shift left model include:

Increased workloads
Burnout and mental well-being
Reduced productivity
Poor job satisfaction

Hard consequences are those that impact the actual business. Some of the hard consequences include:

Delays in shipping code/applications
Lower-quality tooling and automation
Increased security risks
Increased likelihood of outages
Poor customer satisfaction

Many of the high friction points with a poor shift left model involve developers’ interaction with things like security, infrastructure, and observability and their having to understand complex security protocols, threats, and tools. Developers may have to interact with physical or virtual infrastructure. Also, having to instrument tracing, metrics, and logging for applications are a few of the many shift-left-oriented areas that cause toil for developers.

In addition to the technologies, developers must deal with the time it takes to learn new processes, adopt new tools, and interact with new groups.

Smart shift left – the steps to a better way

In addition to providing developers with a streamlined way of learning about the new things they must take care of, there are other practical steps to ease the burden of shift left.

Go to the developers

Developers have many tools, technologies, frameworks, SDKs, and communication tools to deal with. So, go to where they are and provide them with value through learning, services, and processes.

Provide value in the developer tools: High-quality IDE plugins, well-documented and well-implemented automation frameworks, well-supported SDKs, etc.
Engage with the developer community where they are: Educate and enable them at hackathons, dev-centric events, and inside dev-centric forums.
Reduce/remove the developer toil: Cross-environment tooling, in-code API and image checks, reliable API documentation (changelogs, roadmaps, etc.).

Maintain consistency inside of tooling

Once developers check in code to a CI/CD pipeline, provide the configurations and integrations in the pipeline that keeps things from falling apart.

Maintain consistency, security, observability, and quality inside of the pipeline
Add additional capabilities to do external API security checks and infrastructure dependency checks
Add pipeline observability into the end-to-end observability architecture
When safe and wise to do so, add in AI/ML capabilities to augment code quality checks and remediation

Derive value from the experience

Provide end-to-end value for the developer, operations teams, and business leaders.

• Maintain end-to-end observability for both technical and business insights
• Conditionally add policy triggers to the insights so that semi-automated or fully automated actions are taken
• Leverage multi-persona dashboards: Use the same tools, but the view changes for each persona
• Circular improvement: Value or loss of value finds its way back to the left for retrospective and improvements

What is Cisco doing in this space?

Cisco DevNet and the product engineering teams provide developer-centric training, tools, and code to reduce the toil in programmatically interacting with Cisco products and services.

Access to Infrastructure-as-Code, API and SDK documentation, tools, and code
Developer and operator learning
Secure Application Integrations such as Panoptica’s API Gateway integration
Secure CI/CD pipeline integration via Panoptica’s CI/CD integration
Access to live interactive test environments for developers and operators to build and test their automation code, such as the NSO Developer Explorer and NSO Developer Studio
End-to-end observability for code, applications, and infrastructure via Cisco Full Stack Observability

Achieving a balanced approach to shift left

While shift left is fundamentally sound and beneficial, it has been stretched beyond its original intent and misused, negatively impacting developers and product quality. The focus must align towards improving quality, security, and availability by catching issues early – without overburdening our developers or compromising the product’s integrity. You can accomplish this by enabling developers with the training, tools, technologies, and processes.

A balanced approach, incorporating the core principles of shift left without overextending its reach or misusing it to cut corners, will help organizations achieve their goals.

As we continue to navigate the evolving landscape of software development, we must remember that methodologies and frameworks are there to facilitate our work, not to hinder it. And like any tool, they are only as effective as the hands that wield them.

"}]]  See how smart shift left provides developers with a streamlined way of learning about the new tasks they must take care of, and other practical steps to achieve a balanced approach to shift left.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about what the Cisco Store Tech Lab looks like on the road, here’s your chance! The Cisco Store team opened a travel store at Cisco Live EMEA, held in Amsterdam… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about what the Cisco Store Tech Lab looks like on the road, here’s your chance! The Cisco Store team opened a travel store at Cisco Live EMEA, held in Amsterdam from February 5-9, 2024.

First, some numbers

Around 7,100 visitors came through the Cisco Store, and 396 attendees participated in 23 tours. Tour attendees (including senior network engineers, technical solutions architects, and heads of IT) represented a wide range of industries and companies, including Adidas, Airbus Defence and Space, Amazon, Apple, BMW Group, Fujifilm, H&M, Hugo Boss, and Sephora.

Cisco Store Tech Lab tour group

Tour stops

We walked attendees through key highlights of our Tech Lab, demonstrating how multiple products can work together. We started at our grid wall (dubbed the Triforce of Wisdom), displaying Meraki cameras and sensors, RFID tags, and more, including Meraki’s latest launch, the MV13 and MV33 smart cameras.

The Triforce of Wisdom also included the Meraki MT40 smart power controller: twelve of these controllers were wired throughout the store to allow us to baseline our power consumption at the show, in partnership with CAE Labs’ WiserWatts platform. We have similarly baselined our power consumption at our San Jose store, allowing us to schedule our power and thus reducing our energy consumption by 66%! Next year, we plan to schedule our power at this show to compare energy and cost savings. WiserWatts also allows us to easily see which of our products are at end-of-life and makes suggestions on how to operate more sustainably.

Triforce of Wisdom tech grid wall

Our Tech Lab expert Brian Domine then showed attendees how they can use our Cisco Store Xplorer app on their smartphones to interact with augmented reality hotspots around the store to learn more about various tech products.

Visitors had the opportunity to scan a QR code to interact with a chatbot powered by Webex Connect, allowing them to ask questions about the Cisco Store and the Tech Lab and escalate their questions to a live agent if necessary.

Webex Connect chatbot

Visitors were then brought through our ship-to-home kiosk, featuring four iPads remotely managed on Meraki MDM. This allowed us to have full control over the tablets regardless of their location. A perimeter was also set up around the kiosk to alert us immediately if any of the iPads were removed from their docks, thus ensuring full security of our store without requiring human security guards.

Ship-to-home kiosk

The next stop was our partner VusionGroup’s electronic shelf labels, placed throughout the store. Because our travel stores employ temporary staff, they had to be able to easily find and restock merchandise. By inputting an item’s product ID, the corresponding shelf label would flash to allow for easy identification at the back-of-house, thus streamlining store operations. These labels require no additional infrastructure: they connect automatically to Meraki access points.

Setting up electronic shelf labels

Moving further on into the store, visitors got a glimpse of how all the digital signage was managed by Wipro VisionEDGE. By simply clicking an MT30 smart button, our store staff would be able to change our screens to a store open / store closed state. We also demonstrated how Meraki Display, an Apple TV app, livestreamed the store’s camera feeds onto one display without requiring additional backend access, allowing our staff to easily monitor live feeds without having to log into a dashboard.

See some merchandise you like? Visitors could take advantage of our smart fitting rooms. Every item in the store was RFID-tagged, so a customer simply had to bring the item into the smart fitting room to see the product appear on the screen and request different sizes.

Smart fitting room screen

We then demonstrated one of our newest solutions, powered by our partner Cogniac. When a customer picked up a Sustainability Campaign or DevNet T-shirt, we trained Cogniac on the Meraki MV63 camera facing the shirts to trigger Wipro VisionEDGE to change the adjacent screen. Customers could then immediately see information about the item they had just picked up on the screen (for instance, the Sustainability Campaign video).

Almost done! Next, visitors saw how we use EVERYANGLE in conjunction with Meraki cameras to analyze customer data in the store, including demographic breakdown, customer sentiment, dwell time in specific areas, and queue counting to ensure checkout lines do not grow too long. This information gives us valuable insight into who exactly is coming through our store and how we can best cater to them. We also showed visitors VusionGroup’s Captana dashboard, which maps our products on the shelves and notifies us if anything is out of stock, as well as monitors our store’s planogram compliance, thus optimizing our store staff and merchandisers’ time.

Wrapping up

At the end of the tour, visitors could scan a QR code to participate in a Slido poll asking them about the most interesting technology they saw that day. Participants’ answers were added to a word cloud, giving us a better idea into what caught their attention! Results from the poll indicated that the Meraki sensors and smart cameras detecting proximity seemed especially interesting to our attendees.

The Cisco Store is committed to powering an inclusive future for all. We set up a donation tower at the entrance of the store, allowing passersby to drop in tokens: every token represented a €1 donation to the organization of their choice.

Donation tower

Our next travel store will be at Cisco Live Global in Las Vegas from June 2-6, 2024. We will be setting up an 8,000 square foot store with 24 Tech Lab tours, estimating 500+ participants from 275+ companies.

Interested in demonstrating your technology? There is still time to set up an activation with us! Please reach out — we’d love to hear your ideas.

In the meantime, check out our full tour walkthrough on our Cisco Store Tech Lab YouTube channel, and we hope to see you in-person soon!

"}]]  What does a Cisco Store Tech Lab tour look like at Cisco Live EMEA? Read on to learn more!  Read More Cisco Blogs 

Last month, the Connected Black Professionals Inclusive Community shone the spotlight on talented members at events highlighting Black creativity in celebration of African Americans in the Arts — t… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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Last month, the Connected Black Professionals Inclusive Community shone the spotlight on talented members at events highlighting Black creativity in celebration of African Americans in the Arts — this year’s Black History Month theme.

Hear what it means for these Cisconians who performed at CBP events to bring their passions to work and show up as their authentic selves every day.

Jamari Cortez, Customer Project Manager

I officially began my DJ career a few months before getting my job as a project manager at Cisco back in 2019. Initially, I would keep the two worlds separate, but over time, I realized that being a DJ and being a project manager were two parts of myself that blended together perfectly. My goals as a DJ are much different than others in the industry, and I believe by running my business, I am able to grow as a project manager, and by managing projects for Cisco, I am able to grow as a DJ. My main goal as a DJ is to create memorable experiences for all of my clients while also creating a fun, safe space and a sort of escape from reality for others, even if it is only for a few hours.

From making birthday and baby shower playlists for members of my team to showcasing my talent to other teams across Cisco, I’m grateful to be in a work environment that encourages me to continue being a creative, and I hope I am able to continue connecting with others and impacting more people through my passion.

India Williams, Collaborations Customer Success Manager

I have been performing in community theater for ten years and singing practically all my life. Each character I get to portray and each song I choose to sing takes me to another world and allows me to connect with audiences, lift their spirits, and tell a story in a way they have never seen or heard it told. My ability to make a powerful connection with people has carried over nicely into my role as a CSM and as a collaborator with my fellow Cisco colleagues.

Being a creative is ingrained into the fabric of my being. I am grateful for the support Cisco provides for me to thrive in my role while nourishing my passion for theater and performing arts. A wise person once said, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” Pursuing creative outlets fuels my spirit and brings fulfillment, which keeps me motivated and enhances my impact at Cisco. I am especially grateful for the opportunities I get to fully bring my gifts to work, such as performing in CBP’s Living History Museum, BHM events, and recording voice-overs for various projects. When passion and profession dance in harmony, it’s a winning melody for all!

Brandon Saunders, Sales Lead Development Representative

Since joining Cisco in February of 2023, there has been a significant improvement in my overall wellness and quality of life. The flexible hybrid work structure empowered me to find a way to achieve so much: a sense of job/financial security, a path for future success, and, most importantly, a sustainable work-life balance. That allows me to dedicate more time, energy, and resources to my art — my music.

I used to feel like I was really just living to work, only using my time not working to rest and prepare for the next workday. Now, it feels more like I’m working to really live my life. It’s been a catalyst of sorts for me to continue to evolve and develop my sound as I create more music.

Cisco creates events, both virtual and in-person, that allow us to either create or share our art with our teams at work. Whether it’s an in-person karaoke open mic event in the Chicago office or a global virtual showcase of artistry at Cisco during Black History Month, Cisco commits resources and budget to EROs and passions we share.

One of the things I am most proud of is our presence and sponsorship of the 2023 AfroTech conference. It meant a lot to see that I was representing a company that demonstrated such a strong presence at the largest event in the world for black and brown professionals in the technology industry.

See how else Cisco is cultivating an environment in which we all thrive.

Subscribe to the WeAreCisco Blog.

"}]]  Members of Cisco's Connected Black Professionals Inclusive Community share how their passions are supported and how they can show up as their true selves daily.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

Think of how much digital channels and the contact center have evolved. Those who experienced “then” and “now” first-hand in the Insurance Claim business might be even more amazed at the profoundly po… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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Think of how much digital channels and the contact center have evolved. Those who experienced “then” and “now” first-hand in the Insurance Claim business might be even more amazed at the profoundly positive impact of technology on customer experience, omnichannel collaboration, and the end-to-end claim operating model. With AI and generative AI rapidly taking shape for tangible business use, we are at an inflection point…a time of significant change in this business.

That was Then

My first job in the Insurance business was as an Outside Liability Claim Representative with Aetna Life & Casualty, reporting to the New Jersey Claim Service Center in Parsippany, New Jersey. Aetna’s tagline was “Quality Claim Handling on an Every File Basis”, with my objective to Investigate, Evaluate, Negotiate, Settle claims, solve problems, and indemnify customers for loss covered by Aetna policies. Starting salary of $23.5K plus company car, a brand-new Chevy Cavalier; I chose blue with black interior since Insurance Claims is a black and blue business.
The customer journey was not as clearly defined. I was assigned a couple of hundred bodily injury and property damage claim files for losses, primarily in Middlesex and Monmouth counties, NJ, many with multiple claimants/plaintiffs, some unrepresented but most retaining personal injury lawyers. Collaboration face-to-face in the field or by phone. Investigated and evaluated the monetary value of incoming Personal Lines Auto, Home, and Individual Life claims. Negotiated settlements in person and by phone, with claims in litigation frequently negotiated at attorney offices and county courthouses in the Judge’s chambers in the presence of plaintiff(s), plaintiff attorney, defendant(s), claim adjuster(s), and defense counsel. Worked two days a week in the claim service center office, with desks lined up in rows and one or two “green screen” computer monitors for the entire office, which was almost as big as the desk. Metal file cabinets were stuffed with disorganized claim files. Files were lost or misplaced — sometimes for days or weeks at a time — making it impossible to resolve immediate customer claim inquiries. Worked three days in the field and from remote home office, which consisted of a desk & phone answering machine with cassette tape to collaborate with customers, field and home office decision-makers. No remote desktop, no laptop, no cell phone, no fax machine yet.
First notice of loss phoned into claim service center by claimants/interested parties to claim support unit team member, who manually recorded accident information on carbon copy ACORD forms, with four or five copies for original office file, home office file, agent file, underwriting file, and claim adjuster’s skeleton file. Seamless customer experience was a challenge, as digital channels did not exist to connect customer journey from self-service to contact center and digital channels. Paper-intensive processes and limited, if any, IT capabilities. Our contact center was open during normal business hours, Monday to Friday, with “beeper duty” assigned to adjusters for response to customer emergencies after hours and on weekends.
Outside adjusters were equipped with a pad and pen to document witness statements and Polaroid cameras for accident site photos and property damage estimates; carbon copy was a must to ensure able to provide the witnesses with a hand-written copy following the interview. Recorded statements by phone, but sometimes the suction cup fell off the phone receiver mid-interview, compromising the accuracy of witness recording. Witness transcriptions on cassette tapes were outsourced to a transcription service. We phoned the claim service center for incoming messages, which were paper notes by the claim support unit team.
No GPS; relied on Hagstrom maps for directions with occasional help from friendly gas station attendants. For auto accidents, scene reconstruction measurements, length of tire skid marks on pavement to help evaluate drive speed at time of impact were typically measured in feet…my size 12 shoes equaled one foot – not very precise. Field adjusters stopped at pay phones to check for messages; cell phones were still expensive and the size of a brick – think Crockett & Tubbs in Miami Vice. One big “technology advancement” was when Garden State Parkway installed drive-up pay phones on side of highway to stop and access from your car.

This is Now

Today, the claim customer journey is more clearly defined, as omni-channel communication is a necessary logical architecture to support customer experience, employee productivity, and partner collaboration.
Single platform delivers capabilities for customer, employee, and agent experience, with real-time view of customer/customer context via Cisco Data Virtualization, location awareness, Omni-channel analytics and reporting. Unified communications for voice, video, instant SMS, and interactive voice response messaging. Omni-channel Cisco Contact Center for voice, video, email, chat, social media, and mobile. Mobile project team collaboration with office, mobile, and remote video conferencing. Simplicity and innovation while providing empathy and care for employees, claims, corporate, information technology stakeholders, customers, agents, and partners.
Omni-channel communication and the contact center journey are table stakes for excellent customer experience. Meet regulatory compliance requirements as financial institutions shift to cloud-based collaboration solutions. Evolve contact center support to align with customer experience and workforce experience preferences. Review best solutions for on and off-premises, with the ability to streamline onboarding for new users. Ability to scale up and down and expand the number of licenses quickly to rationalize expenses.

Cisco Webex Suite, Webex Contact Center, and Webex Connect integrate with open platforms to ensure tools always stay current and maintain stability. It enables connecting with colleagues instantly with group chat, messaging, content sharing, two-way digital whiteboarding, webinars, polling, real-time coediting, and virtual appointments.

What problems are directly addressed?

Reduce Customer Complaints
Reduce Costs
Improve Customer Experience – real-time SMS short-time messaging & fraud alerts
Introduce Automation – multi-channel customer collaboration
Reduce Risk and Issues
Increase Resiliency – integrate digital and voice channels, IVR, SMS, containment rate
Balance strategic initiatives with lean process automation
Remediation of systems and platforms
Connect different services into a holistic view – orchestration and visibility

A Generational Switch Opens Doors

The insurance industry has experienced and will continue to see drastic change by 2028, as we are hearing up to 50% of the workforce will enter retirement. This means millennials, Gen Z, and those looking to change careers have a unique opportunity to join the insurance industry in 2024 and beyond. There is a greater sense of urgency to embrace contact center and technology capabilities available today to address strategic priorities for revenue growth, cost reduction, risk mitigation/regulatory compliance…and, most importantly, to keep customers happy!

Next steps

To learn more, visit Webex for Financial Services.

For more information on how Cisco can support your financial services needs, explore all of our solutions at Cisco for Financial Services.

"}]]  Take a look into the past and present of insurance claims and discover how AI and omnichannel communication are redefining customer experiences and opening doors for the next-gen workforce.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

In the spirit of March being Women’s History Month and National Science & Engineering Week, we’re thrilled to amplify the voices of some extraordinary women from Cisco’s Global Partner Engineering tea… Read more on Cisco Blogs

​[[{"value":"

In the spirit of March being Women’s History Month and National Science & Engineering Week, we’re thrilled to amplify the voices of some extraordinary women from Cisco’s Global Partner Engineering team. They are among the important forces driving our business and industry forward, accelerating progress and growth for Cisco, our partners, and our mutual customers.

With a desire to understand what inspires them, I asked some of the talented women in Global Partner Engineering at Cisco about their path and what keeps them here and happy. Their authentic answers deliver relatable insights, enabling us all to gain an even deeper appreciation for the vital role every one of us—especially women in engineering and the channel—plays in shaping our history and driving innovation. #GreaterTogether

Tracy Tucker, Leader Strategy & Sales Enablement

Q: How have you established and positioned yourself for opportunities within Cisco’s Global Partner Engineering team?

A: One of the primary methods through which I have strategically positioned myself for opportunities within Cisco’s Global Partner Engineering Organization at Cisco is by adopting a collaborative problem-solving approach. When presented with a new opportunity, my initial focus is refraining from immediately formulating solutions. Instead, I prioritize the identification of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), root myself in data, and uncover the needs of both my primary and secondary stakeholders.

By leveraging SMEs as adept advisors, I construct my strategy to navigate potential roadblocks with their guidance. Next, the utilization of data is critical as it paves the way for measurable success that can be tracked. It also facilitates effective communication throughout the process. While career growth is largely contingent on meeting the needs of primary stakeholders, I have observed that secondary stakeholders often emerge as your biggest champions when you aren’t in the room. Embracing a collaborative mindset and anchoring myself in data-driven insights has accelerated my career and positioned me as a proficient problem solver capable of delivering customer business outcomes.

Amanda Baker, Sales Enablement Manager

Q: How has Cisco enabled you to grow your career?

A: Cisco is a company that not only fosters individual growth within current roles but also encourages exploration of entirely new paths. My journey with Cisco began in 2010 as a part-time Lobby Ambassador, sporting the red badge. The value I brought to this role paved the way for a transition to supporting a commercial sales team. Since then, I’ve embraced change, switching roles three times, each time stepping into uncharted territory. In each new position, I’ve had the opportunity to delve into the unique needs of the team and bridge any gaps to enhance business operations.

My latest transition led me to Global Partner Engineering at Cisco after spending 12 years in the Commercial Sales organization. I craved something fresh and invigorating. Thanks to my reputation within the company, Greg Gall approached me about the Cisco’s Global Partner Engineering position and urged me to connect with Tracy. It turned out to be an excellent fit, offering a truly novel experience unlike anything I’ve done before. Cisco’s openness to such transitions is a testament to its commitment to employee growth and development.

Debi Hunter, Business Operations Manager

Q: What advice do you give other women about how to “show up” for success?

A: I encourage fellow women to boldly occupy space without apology. Never feel compelled to diminish yourself or your ideas. If someone feels out of place at the table, that’s not their burden to bear. The concept of Imposter Syndrome oversimplifies a widespread experience, deflecting attention from systemic barriers to diversity and inclusion. If you grapple with feelings of impostor syndrome, it signals your rightful place in a space that urgently requires your perspective and voice for progress.

My journey to Cisco was unconventional. While working in the Australian Public Health Service, a chance encounter with an acquaintance employed by Cisco ignited discussions on work, mindset, and skills. In 2018, upon relocating to Scotland, the stars aligned, and I joined Cisco as a red badge. With a diverse background spanning teaching, personal training, body piercing, a zoology degree, and project management in bulletproof vest manufacturing, Cisco took a leap of faith in me. I epitomize how diverse experiences enrich and fortify the workplace.

Today, every Cisco job posting proudly declares, “Have colorful hair? Embrace it. Love tattoos? Showcase your ink. Obsessed with polka dots? You’re welcome here. Geek out over pop culture? So do many of us. Passionate about technology and changing the world? Be yourself, with us!” That’s who I am, and Cisco not only accepts but celebrates the individuality I bring to the collective ‘us’.

Robin Aguirre, Strategy/Sales Enablement Manager

Q: What flexibility and creativity opportunities exist in your role that allow you to make it your own?

A: With more than 25 years of experience working with Cisco, I’ve held several roles. Yet, my journey has always been driven by a desire to contribute to the Global Partner Organization at Cisco. Initially a Learning Partner delivering technical training classes on Cisco products and guiding partners and customers towards various Cisco certifications, I developed a strong rapport which fueled my interest in helping drive success for partners—and partners deliver to customers.

In 2022, I was fortunate to realize this ambition when I joined Global Partner Engineering at Cisco, leading strategy for engineers and acting as a program lead for several partner initiatives (internal and external). This role continually challenges me to elevate our initiatives and drive greater success.

My true passion lies in enabling the success of individuals, and I find immense fulfillment in this role where I can foster innovation and creativity. Working alongside a team of thought leaders, I strive to support partners through revenue enablement and innovative strategies. Central to our approach is ensuring that our partners feel heard and valued. Thus, I am constantly exploring ways to demonstrate our commitment to listening and implementing scalable actions based on their feedback. Through collaborative efforts, we aim to empower our partners to achieve their goals and drive mutual success.

Angel Golden, Sales Enablement Manager

Q: What advice do you give other women about how to “show up” for success?

A: Relating this to my personal journey and how I believe women can benefit to “show up” for success and navigate the professional landscape effectively.  Firstly, cultivate confidence by embracing your strengths and acknowledging your accomplishments. Confidence not only influences how others perceive you but also shapes how you perceive yourself, allowing you to take on challenges with resilience. Secondly, prioritize self-care and well-being. Success is not solely defined by professional achievements but also by a balance of physical, mental, and emotional health. Taking time to recharge and nurture oneself contributes to sustained productivity and fulfillment in all aspects of life.

Next, build a supportive network of mentors, peers, and allies (this is very important in life). Surrounding oneself with individuals who uplift, empower, and advocate for one another fosters growth, provides valuable insights, and opens doors to opportunities. Additionally, continuously invest in learning and skill development. Embrace curiosity and seek out opportunities for growth, whether through formal education, workshops, or self-directed learning. Staying adaptable and acquiring new knowledge equips women to thrive in dynamic and evolving environments.

Furthermore, advocate for oneself by asserting boundaries, expressing needs, and negotiating for what you deserve. Recognize and challenge societal norms and biases that may hinder progress, advocating for equity and inclusion in all spaces. Lastly, embrace failure as an opportunity for growth. Success often involves taking risks and encountering setbacks along the way. Instead of fearing failure, view it as a stepping-stone towards mastery and resilience, learning from experiences to forge a path towards success.

All in all, showing up for success as a woman means embracing your strengths, pursuing your goals with determination, and uplifting others along the way. By embodying these principles, women can navigate their professional and personal journeys with strength, resilience, and authenticity.

Mamie Williams, Sales Enablement Manager

Q: In what ways does Cisco GPE equip you to grow?

A: I believe the flexible environment that Cisco offers equips me to grow both professionally and personally. The flexibility allows me to manage my time and responsibilities such that I can take time to re-charge to better pursue and complete my obligations. Employee Resource Organizations (EROs) also help to facilitate personal growth and provide avenues for self-nurturing. EROs that I participate in, include Cisco for Christ and Weekly Recreation Challenges. Additionally, training platforms, such as Cisco Udemy and Cisco Learning & Development, offer a variety of courses for both personal and professional development. I have taken courses to enhance my understanding of topics like those below:

(1) Sustainability and its implications

(2) Mind mapping (a technique that can aid the quick digestion of information)

(3) Introduction to Moral Philosophy

(4) The Ethics associated with new technologies like ChatGPT and AI

(5) Emotional Intelligence

To sum up, the flexibility to manage my time to nurture myself helps me to better handle my professional responsibilities. Such nurturing takes place in having access to a wide range of training and learning opportunities, as well as having access to non-work interests such as those available via EROs.

Learn more about our Global Partner Engineering (GPE) team

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

Cisco Partners Facebook  |  @CiscoPartners X/Twitter  |  Cisco Partners LinkedIn

"}]]  In the spirit of March being Women’s History Month and National Science & Engineering Week, we're thrilled to amplify the voices of some extraordinary women from Cisco’s Global Partner Engineering team. They are among the important forces driving our business and industry forward, accelerating progress and growth for Cisco, our partners, and our mutual customers.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

More than a path to digitization or a mere advancement in monitoring, Cisco Full-Stack Observability solutions are a strategic asset that empower patient care and clinical outcomes via secure,… Read more on Cisco Blogs

​[[{"value":"

More than a path to digitization or a mere advancement in monitoring, Cisco Full-Stack Observability solutions are a strategic asset that empower patient care and clinical outcomes via secure, performant, always-available digital experiences

The healthcare ecosystem faces an entirely new environment than it did even just a few short years ago.  Healthcare organizations are under enormous pressure to integrate the latest technologies into their business models and IT architectures. This is disrupting service-delivery processes, patient interactions, and administrative operations, and has set digital experience expectations skyrocketing.

Enhanced patient satisfaction and engagement were the top digital transformation priorities for 92% of health systems in a recent Deloitte-Scottsdale Institute survey. Simultaneously, these organizations are grappling with evolving regulatory and risk concerns, as well as significant staffing strains.

Supporting this transformation is a vast ecosystem of mobile medical, m-health, and point-of-care (POC) applications for accessing, managing, and storing electronic health records (EHRs), electronic medical records (EMRs), and patient healthcare records (PHRs). They are used for purposes spanning health data analytics, appointment booking, pharmacy medication reminders, telehealth, remote patient monitoring (RPM), and secure access to information held in structured and unstructured repositories such as databases and medical imaging systems.

Healthcare institutions are also realizing the importance of AI-powered tools to bring cost savings, process efficiency, and better clinical outcomes. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicates that AI applications will cut annual US healthcare costs by $150 billion – about $460 per person the US – in 2026.

Overall, these applications improve access to care, decision making, and communication with patients, specialists, suppliers, insurance carriers, billing departments, and risk management personnel. As such they need to be made HIPAA compliant and ensure data privacy and security.

However, a recent survey of National Health Service (NHS) trusts in the UK shows unreliable infrastructure and poorly performing systems compromise patient safety by making it difficult to quickly access vital information. Estimates show that 27% of clinicians lose over four hours of productive work each week as a result.

Moreover, a survey on EHR Response Time & Reliability reveals that almost half (44%) of clinicians do not agree that their EHR is fast enough. In terms of system reliability, 23% of clinicians do not agree their EHR is available when needed.

Digital transformation among healthcare organizations, and the chronic lack of resources to support secure, always-on, performant digital experiences, means inefficient, unstable, and unavailable applications and infrastructure are more than mere inconveniences. Inability to access critical patient information in a timely manner due to poor application performance directly affects practitioners’ ability to deliver safe and effective care.

The consequences are real. Consider a patient in crisis while a nurse waits for a slow application to help assess records and determine what medication can be safely administered. Or imagine the human cost of even an hour of downtime due to a data breach or broken applications programming interface (API) call – lives quite literally hang in the balance.

Observability aligns with organizational objectives

The challenge for technologists in healthcare settings is managing the growing complexity of the disparate tools and technologies that support applications and the digital experiences they enable, while keeping them secure. They have often relied on monitoring solutions to understand the status of system performance and reliability, and a patchwork of security solutions to detect and fend off potential security threats, leading to the development of IT and operational silos.

Just as medical telemetry systems capture patients’ vital signs and transmit them to a central monitor for analysis, multiple infrastructure and application monitoring tools capture and leverage metrics, events, logs, and traces (MELT) — collectively referred to as telemetry data — to provide some level of insight into the state of each of the underlying layers of virtualization, serverless components, APIs, and multi-cloud configurations.

However, they are simply a means to identify whether systems are operating outside of pre-determined baselines. They deliver a torrent of unmanageable alerts on anomalous behavior that must be analyzed and prioritized in real time by beleaguered IT and security teams. Monitoring also falls short in providing cross-domain and service delivery insight, information about operational dependencies, and the ability to predict the likely consequences of a given status.

Lack of standardization and interoperability across data-driven systems and solutions also poses a critical challenge, contributing to growing burdens of cost and time from the need to support manual workflows that manage and align disparate data sources. As a result, identifying the root causes of performance problems can be extraordinarily complex and is often so time-consuming that problems are sometimes ignored unless critical.

This has created blind spots where technologists encounter significant delays in identifying performance and security issues, triaging and fixing them. Technologists have needed to rely on an IT war room approach to troubleshooting performance or security problems, gathering experts from cross-functional teams to assess whether the root cause lies within their area of responsibility. This is painfully expensive as numerous team members spend time investigating issues that were never theirs to find or resolve.

The Cisco answer is observability over the full application stack – Cisco Full-Stack Observability. It is more than simply a path to digitization or an advancement in monitoring capabilities, but rather a strategic asset. It cuts through the clutter by using the information contained within vast streams of incoming MELT generated by healthcare IT systems and applications to create actionable recommendations and insights tied to organizational and clinical objectives.

Our experience at Cisco is that healthcare institutions can capitalize key principles around Cisco Full-Stack Observability for succeeding in the digital-first world. A shift away from siloed monitoring and reacting to performance and security problems into a proactive stance where potential issues can be identified and addressed before they become problems changes the game entirely.

The Cisco Full-Stack Observability portfolio includes infrastructure monitoring, application performance monitoring, business performance management, digital experience monitoring, application security, application optimization and logs, with business context. Cisco Observability Platform brings together Cisco observability capabilities on a common platform with a unified data model and allows extensibility by third parties.

Collectively, these solutions allow healthcare organizations to improve interactions with patients and ecosystem partners, control costs, streamline operations, and better manage the regulatory landscape. They empower delivery of the best patient care experiences and increase staff productivity by helping technologists provide secure, real-time access to patient data via performant, always-available clinical and operational systems.

Improving the end-user digital experience

For organizations under pressure to increase access to healthcare outcomes and patient engagement, secure and reliable digital experiences are crucial. Telehealth, RPM options, and secure access to personal healthcare information are now baseline expectations.

When the applications that enable these interactions don’t function reliably, lives may be at stake. Cisco Full-Stack Observability provides a user-centric view that bolsters digital-first healthcare delivery and patient engagement by providing better visibility into back-end systems that support them.

Cisco Full-Stack Observability capabilities include digital experience monitoring (DEM) and application dependency monitoring for both hybrid and cloud-native applications. This gives healthcare IT teams actionable insights into digital experiences that can help them to ensure performant, secure applications and underlying infrastructure.

These capabilities also enhance visibility into existing clinical systems and the applications that touch the digital front door through which patients access records, schedule appointments, receive virtual care, and manage payments. Conversely, contact centers can scale services and support high call volumes while understanding how issues with the network and connected applications impact the user experience.

Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM) allows technologists to dig even deeper by correlating application performance data with network metrics and intelligence to reveal anything that impacts the user experience. For example, if a bug is causing a potential lag in a scheduling app or slowing clinical point-of-care (POC) documentation devices, that could create needless frustration for patients and lower quality of care.

Cisco Full-Stack Observability solutions pinpoint the issue and help healthcare IT teams address it before the end-user even notices there is a problem. This helps patients get the care they need faster and more efficiently, and in the longer term means providers can build trust, support workflow portability, and cut down on the approximately 25-50% of nursing time spent on documentation.

Application dependency monitoring combines real-time application dependency mapping with network data, extending visibility even further to include connectivity. The intrinsic dependencies of healthcare applications means that a single failure can have a cascading effect on the entire service offering and digital experience. For example, many healthcare provider websites are enabled by an array of APIs that can be accessed over HTTP web services. Similarly, REST API-based microservices could enable billing applications to file claims with insurance carriers.

Most clinical applications use some form of SQL database. With SQL, healthcare providers can retrieve patient information, track treatment plans, and monitor patient outcomes. SQL also plays a critical role in medical research, clinical trials, and healthcare analytics.

Common SQL database management software (DBMS) systems in healthcare are Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle RDBMS, and MySQL. It is also common for healthcare applications to also use IBM Informix, IBMDB2, Improvado, Altibase, or document databases like MongoDB, Amazon Aurora, and others. Application dependency mapping, powered by Cisco Full-Stack Observability, can help identify these types of common dependencies.

In addition, Cisco Full-Stack Observability application monitoring capabilities reduce risk associated with insecure or unreliable data exchange and processing with end-to-end visibility of integrated systems and data sources.

Delivered with institutional context that guides teams to prioritize issues in order of their actual and potential impact on the organization, these unique capabilities allow technologists to understand their infrastructure stack, dependencies and potential bottlenecks in ways that were not previously possible.

Institutional context in healthcare IT security

Applications that allow access to electronic medical records, medical management systems, imaging, biomedical information, material management, patient accounting, admitting information, and online claims submissions are becoming commonplace in both traditional and mobile scenarios. Today, healthcare systems can merge these tools into one hybrid infrastructure to more effectively communicate and collaborate, reduce errors, and improve patient care and efficiency. This results in lower care costs.

However, as healthcare providers adopt new technologies, they also face new security threats. Insecure applications, disaffected employees, and human error present real dangers to healthcare systems. According to Forrester Research, healthcare is the only industry to hold a “dubious triumvirate” as the most attacked industry, the highest average cost of a data breach, and the slowest incident response time.

The challenge for security teams faced with a deluge of seemingly high-priority alerts is to determine where they should focus their attention. Cisco Secure Application, a Cisco Full-Stack Observability capability, provides business risk observability for hybrid applications. Business risk observability prioritizes security issues based on potential impact on institutional imperatives.

Teams can identify risks in hybrid applications and drill down on those that have higher risk scores. Cisco uniquely provides this score, which combines application observability and overall institutional impact data with security and threat intelligence feeds from Cisco security products. The real-time risk score prioritizes what needs to be fixed first.

For example, a vulnerability assessed as difficult to target might typically be treated as low priority, however if successful exploitation could result in exposure of personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI), the risk it poses to the organization’s reputation, finances and future is significant.

Cisco Secure Application aggregates information by looking into internet access, data storage usage, third-party vulnerabilities, runtime behavior, and use of insecure external APIs. Context is provided around identified security issues including analyses of activities that show upward risk trends. It then offers prioritized real-time remediation steps to accelerate response and address key risk factors.

Cisco Secure Application also provides application security with business risk observability for cloud native applications. This includes multi-node healthcare monitoring solutions, cloud-based AI-driven video analytics, clinical decision support systems (CDSS), health information exchange (HIE) systems, telemedicine platforms, and even drug discovery tools. Cisco Secure Application provides context around vulnerabilities, traces workflow performance, and reveals infrastructure and associated data risk.

Prioritized remediation steps help cloud-focused application teams speed up their response to address key risk factors. This includes the ability to locate, highlight, and correlate security issues across application entities, such as Kubernetes pods, making it possible to look deeply into the security issues that elevate risk scores.

Securing the entire application continuum

The introduction of Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) Observability capabilities to Cisco’s business risk observability solution delivers real-time and automated data discovery, classification, policy definition and compliance visibility for sensitive data, in addition to visualizing and prioritizing the attack surface.

For example, healthcare organizations must maintain compliance with data security and privacy mandates including HIPAA, HITECH, and GDPR. Periodic audits are required to ensure sensitive data is accessed in conformity with regulations, and failure to do so can accrue significant penalties as high as $16 million. DSPM Observability simplifies regulatory compliance by automating the enforcement of data security controls and providing real-time insights into potential vulnerabilities.

DSPM Observability also extends data security across the application continuum, offering management controls to restrict unauthorized access to sensitive data and it allows healthcare providers to maintain compliant auditing processes to track, monitor, and manage access, usage, and sharing across systems. Moreover, it allows for consistent, granular policy implementation and enables a detailed auditing trail of data access.

Access governance capabilities are key as patient engagement has exploded with digital conveniences like online patient portals, electronic pharmacy options, telemedicine consultations, fast check-in, and web appointment systems. The infrastructure behind the applications that support these digital experiences includes customer single-sign-on, medical history, billing information, and treatment details.

Automating CI/CD pipelines for software delivery management allow DevOps and DevSecOps teams at healthcare organizations to offer better features, faster – and to stay on top of the patient engagement wave. At the same time, research by Enterprise Strategy Group revealed that nearly half of developers surveyed admit to being regularly pressured into releasing code they know contains vulnerabilities, to meet deadlines.

The combination of Cisco Full-Stack Observability solutions and Cisco Cloud Application Security offers a powerful approach for securing and optimizing applications while maintaining business context. Unlike point solutions, Cisco Cloud Application Security brings together multiple feature sets to help software development teams achieve better visibility, better risk prioritization, reduced costs, and improved efficiency at any stage of cloud maturity.

Cisco Cloud Application Security uses an agentless approach to enable comprehensive visualization of the entire cloud stack. It also provides advanced attack path capabilities to help teams understand how an attacker may leverage multiple risks, including vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and overly permissive roles. Finally, it offers step-by-step instructions and specific command lines to remediate threats detected in the application environment.

Optimize application infrastructure and rationalize applications

Financial and human resource constraints are rife throughout the healthcare industry. The rapid pace of digitization has created inefficiencies of its own, and healthcare organizations need help leveraging technology to reduce costs and improve productivity.

Just as developers have been under pressure to deliver code in tight timeframes, IT teams have been required to spin up cloud resources at short notice to support application launches, with little visibility into expenditure.

Cisco Observability Platform is an extensible software platform that hosts an ecosystem of modules, plug-in like extensions that enrich the functionality of observability solutions powered by Cisco Full-Stack Observability. It empowers Cisco development partners to build observability solutions for their own unique contexts.

For example, frequently cloud resources are under or over-allocated, resulting in performance bottlenecks on the one hand, and sunk expenses on the other. Both scenarios deliver poor outcomes. Delays in patient care resulting from system failures during patient intake, appointments or hospital stays can be reduced by ensuring critical applications have the right resources allocated to them to function optimally.

Cost and Workload Profiler module identifies areas where cloud resources are being underutilized or are running close to the red line and therefore pose a risk to performance. Cost Insights module allows direct comparison of allocated costs versus utilized costs at an application level. Application Resource Optimizer module proactively recommends changes to resource allocation for on-premises and cloud-based workloads to allow efficient performance.

Collectively, these optimization modules allow IT and FinOps functions to bypass countless hours of manual analysis and testing, using machine learning to assess optimal allocation and providing direction on ideal configurations.

Additionally, application dependency monitoring can be combined with application resource optimization capabilities, allowing healthcare organizations to assess existing infrastructure and application performance to meet goals aligned with the HIMSS INFRAM model. This helps improve cross-domain collaboration between siloed teams, minimize overlapping applications, and eliminate shelfware by cataloguing applications and their dependencies.

Cisco Full-Stack Observability improves healthcare outcomes

Effective observability demands real-time availability of all relevant telemetry data. A common complaint revealed in the IDC Market Perspective Getting Data Collection Volume Right Is the Top Observability Challenge is the inability to capture the right amount of observability data. Nearly half of organizations surveyed admit they’re collecting too much. Worse yet, they are collecting a mean 30% of their observability data in duplicate as siloed teams gather data for their own purposes.

This can leave healthcare organizations drowning in the data that holds the key to application performance and security issues, with no effective means of accessing it. The problem is compounded by disparate monitoring tools that are unable to correlate data in a meaningful way.

Cisco stands alone in its ability to help healthcare organizations reap the churn of the massive flows of telemetry data that come from their application estate. Cisco Full-Stack Observability gives them access to all relevant telemetry data, including data from the network, which other solutions often omit altogether.

In this respect, solutions powered by Cisco Observability Platform naturally right-size data collection by eliminating the need for duplication, correlating data, and providing institutional context that points to which issues are most likely to be performance- or security-impacting.

It’s a fundamentally different and vastly more powerful approach. Healthcare IT teams now have an end-to-end view of the entire digital experience from the application itself, its on-premises and cloud-based infrastructure and compute dependencies, and out to the user device through the network.

That gives technologists a broader understanding of the “full” application stack while bringing cross-domain IT teams together at the same table as administrators, clinicians, and specialists in healthcare provider organizations to ensure digital experiences are aligned to strategic priorities and ultimately successful patient outcomes.

See how Cisco is shaping the future of healthcare

Learn more about Cisco solutions at the HIMSS conference

Cisco at HIMSS 2024 | March 11-15, 2024 | Orlando, Florida | Booth 3961 – Cisco

"}]]  From improving the end-user digital experience to helping healthcare providers protect personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI), Cisco Full-Stack Observability is improving healthcare outcomes.  Read More Cisco Blogs 

In January 2024, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a directive (with an update in February) mandating that all U.S. Federal agencies take Ivanti systems offline… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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In January 2024, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a directive (with an update in February) mandating that all U.S. Federal agencies take Ivanti systems offline for remediation. Over 1,700 Ivanti systems have been compromised; affected Ivanti VPN products are Ivanti Connect Secure (formerly Pulse Secure) and Ivanti Policy Secure gateways. The vulnerabilities include CVE-2023-46805, CVE-2024-21887, CVE-2024-21888 and CVE-2024-21893.

Cisco is helping customers move from Ivanti to Cisco Secure Access in order to mitigate risk and provide a new, zero-trust centric way forward.

When considering switching from Ivanti VPN to Cisco Secure Access, you’ll receive:

A 90-day free trial: Take advantage of a no-obligation test drive of Cisco Secure Access.
A free Identity Security Assessment: Get a complete assessment of your identity security posture, threat activity, and insights for improving your identity posture.
And when you’re ready to move forward, you will qualify for one year free, with a 3-year (or longer) contract: Onboarding is included, enabling rapid deployment and value realization.

Cisco Secure Access is more than a VPN alternative. It’s a fully functional, cloud-delivered Security Service Edge (SSE) solution, grounded in zero trust, that gives users an exceptional user experience and protected access from any device to anywhere. Secure Access offers:

Secure, remote access to all private apps

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) uses least privilege principles, contextual insights, and client or clientless-based methods to deny access by default and allow access to apps when granted. This limit lateral movement by threat actors, locking down application access comprehensively.

VPN-as-a-Service for complete coverage and lower administrative costs

With a single client for ZTNA and VPNaaS, users seamlessly access all their apps, not just some. Some legacy apps, and services like RDP and SSH, aren’t secured by alternative SSE solutions. With VPNaaS, you lift your VPN to the cloud, enabling more control and simplified management. Plus, we’ve introduced the industry’s first Zero Trust Access relay, which utilizes a MASQUE proxy to gracefully handle both traditional protocols, plus newer QUIC / HTTP3 traffic. This increases performance and enables granular least-privilege control – across all applications.

Defense for users and resources from malware

Secure web gateway inspects web traffic, including encrypted, for protection. Files are scanned, known malicious content is blocked, and unknown files are sandboxed and analyzed. Controls can block specific activities and destinations that violate policy.

Insights that expose shadow IT and protect sensitive data

A Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) discovers and controls SaaS cloud apps in use, including generative AI, and reports reputation, compliance, and risk scores. DLP protects against data exfiltration, and cloud malware detection removes infected files.

Traffic monitoring and inspection

Firewall as a service with IPS examines non-web traffic at layers 3–7 and drops unsafe packets. The DLP module identifies and blocks ChatGPT content. DEM tracks the performance of endpoints, networks, and core SaaS apps for faster issue detection.

A track record of innovation and success

With over 100 million global users protected with remote access security capability, Cisco is the global leader in ensuring safe and efficient hybrid work, and it’s the smart choice for an Ivanti VPN replacement.

Visit cisco.com/go/ivanti to find out more about making the switch to Cisco Secure Access to resolve the threat of zero-day vulnerabilities associated with Ivanti VPN products and deliver an extended set of SSE functionality now.

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“This is the year of AI,” declared Chuck Robbins recently at Mobile World Congress. With demand growing from a broad range of enterprise customers who plan to build out their own artificial int… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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“This is the year of AI,” declared Chuck Robbins recently at Mobile World Congress. With demand growing from a broad range of enterprise customers who plan to build out their own artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, the market is changing and expanding rapidly. Consider the key results of the Cisco AI Readiness Index, based on detailed surveys of more than 8,000 business and IT leaders around the world, which revealed that 84% of organizations surveyed expect AI to have a significant or very significant impact on their business.

When it comes to the impact of AI, there is more than technology at stake. AI will transform many aspects of our lives. Today’s broad focus on AI spans organizations in most fields, including business, education, environment, finance, healthcare, government, science, transportation, and, of course, information technology.

This level of impact is why 97% of those surveyed for the AI Readiness Index reported an increased urgency to deploy AI-powered technologies. Of that 97%, only 14% of respondents felt that their organizations were “ready” for AI. This is the time for companies to define an AI strategy and devote the necessary investments in people, products, and processes to become AI-ready. Cisco can help.

How Cisco Powers AI

AI requires vast amounts of data from a wide variety of sources to train underlying models and schemas. This is the case for both predictive and generative AI – the former is about drawing inferences through pattern recognition, while the latter is about using data to create original content in the form of text, images, and videos. Cisco uses both AI paradigms across our portfolio to improve operational efficiency, network intelligence, and end-to-end digital experience.

The key to powering AI is optimized infrastructure – for everything including compute, networking, security, sustainability, simplicity, and visibility. With integration and intelligence up and down this stack, Cisco is well positioned to guide this journey. As a market leader in both networking and security, we see billions of security events and take billions of measurements daily, giving us an extraordinary data set to analyze for prediction, automation, and generative AI assistance.

We are using AI-driven insights to help customers analyze complex issues in their deployments, identifying a failure across any network for quick remediation. Cisco is actively developing AIOps, using machine learning and reasoning to simplify and streamline IT operations. By providing increased visibility and intelligence, we can ensure customers reap the benefits of automation and predictive and generative AI.

At Cisco Live Amsterdam we announced a strategic partnership with NVIDIA, a powerful combination of two industry leaders delivering advanced AI infrastructure solutions to accelerate our customer’s AI initiatives. Ahead, we see a broad ecosystem of partners we will work with to empower our customers.

AI Changes Our Role, Not Our Responsibility

In what is looking more and more like the year of AI for networking, I am optimistic about our AI-enabled future. I believe that the combination of AI capabilities and human interaction will generate incredible and unforeseen breakthroughs.

Fully autonomous and self-defending IT infrastructures? Yes, they’re possible. Life-saving pharmaceutical development cycles that are defined by months, not decades? Yes, they’re possible. New energy sources that are safe, cheap, and plentiful? I believe this is possible, too. With the right technology and responsible AI approach, we will empower and enable our customers, partners, and employees to maximize the potential of AI for everyone.

This blog is Part I of a three-part blog series on AI, providing an overview of Cisco AI networking strategy and vision. In the next blog, Kevin Wollenweber, SVP/GM, Cisco Networking: Data Center and Provider Connectivity will focus on the critical elements of AI networking infrastructure. 

Read the Cisco AI Readiness Index

"}]]  The key to powering AI is optimized infrastructure – using AI paradigms across your portfolio to improve operational efficiency, network intelligence, and end-to-end digital experiences. With integration and intelligence up and down the stack, Cisco is well positioned to guide this journey.  Read More Cisco Blogs