Cisco introduces new virtualisation and security technologies

According to a newly released IDC study, organisations around the world are expected to triple the adoption of modern, automated networks over the next two years.

To accelerate the journey to these digital-ready networks, Cisco is introducing new technologies that allow customers to virtualise and secure their networks.

Today, businesses demand a lot from their networks. However, the vast majority of today’s networks were only designed to provide fast, reliable connectivity. These legacy networks are struggling to combat sophisticated cyber threats, or keep up with the requirements of today’s mobile workforce and their use of IoT devices and new cloud applications. A new approach is required. With its Digital Network Architecture (DNA), Cisco is ushering in a new era of networking that rips up the playbook for how companies build and manage network infrastructure.

The company is introducing a new hardware platform and virtual network services to extend virtualisation to branch locations, as well as a new solution that allows customers to virtualise their network perimeter and extend it to colocation centres. Cisco is also the first in the industry to deliver software-defined segmentation across the entire network—from the network to the endpoint to the cloud – with complete application visibility.

Cisco is building on the industry’s broadest set of network virtualisation solutions with innovations in two key areas:

• Enterprise Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV) Platform is an emerging technology that boosts flexibility and agility for remote locations by virtualising branch networks. Cisco is introducing a new, purpose-built branch platform, Cisco Enterprise Network Compute System (ENCS 5400 Series), to help customers accelerate their Enterprise NFV ENCS allows customers to extend routing, security, WAN optimisation and other network services to their branch environments.
• Virtualising the Network Perimeter: The network perimeter is an organisations’ gateway to the Internet. But traditional, static network perimeters are struggling with the new realities of the digital era. The new Cisco Secure Agile Exchange solution virtualises the network perimeter and extends it to colocation centres. This allows organisations to dynamically connect customers, employees and partners using on-demand, virtualised network services.

The network can provide deep visibility into network traffic patterns and rich threat intelligence. The company highlighted that Cisco DNA, the network can be used to quickly detect cybersecurity threats and then automatically take action to stop them. New security features introduced include:

• Visibility and Control: Cisco Identity Services Engine(ISE) provides visibility and control of users and devices on the network. ISE 2.2 offers much deeper visibility into applications on endpoints, including detection of anomalous behaviour. It also offers more granular control with the ability to define “DEFCON” policy sets that allow customers to escalate their response to prolific threats.
• Software-defined Segmentation: Cisco TrustSecprovides software-defined segmentation to isolate attacks and restrict movement of threats in the network. This dynamic segmentation makes security policy changes 98 percent faster than traditional methods, with an 80 percent reduction in operational efforts. TrustSec 6.1 is now available across Cisco’s entire enterprise networking portfolio and integrates with Cisco ACI. With these advancements, TrustSec enables dynamic segmentation anywhere on the network, from the edge to the data centre and cloud.

To help customers navigate the complex journey to a digital-ready network, Cisco is introducing a series of new tools and services. Network assessment tools will help customers understand where they are on the journey, plot a roadmap and understand the business benefits of continuing on their path to digital network maturity. Cisco is also introducing new DNA Advisory Services that will offer in-depth consulting to help enterprises formulate a unique strategy that maps directly to their digital aspirations.