I just returned from Cisco’s Press and Analyst Conference at Cisco Live 2024 in Las Vegas, and it was quite the spectacle. The event was a grand showcase of Cisco’s attempts to reinvent itself amidst a saturated market. While there were some genuinely impressive innovations, it was hard not to feel a bit skeptical about some of the grandiose claims. Here are my key takeaways, organized into three major themes: AI Integration, Security Innovations, and The Future of Observability.
AI Integration: A Strategic Embrace
Cisco made it clear at Cisco Live 2024 that AI is central to its future. The event was filled with AI-focused sessions, panels, and keynotes, all highlighting how AI will drive the next wave of innovation at Cisco. In fact, the term “AI” was used over 300 times across 11 presentations, or on average about 27 times per 45-minute presentation. There was no doubt that Cisco wanted to impress the importance of AI, but was it really necessary to use it so often?
Chuck Robbins, Cisco’s CEO, emphasized that while Cisco remains a networking company at its core, embracing AI is essential for staying at the forefront of technology. One of the standout announcements was the AI-powered HyperFabric, developed in collaboration with NVIDIA. This new hardware is designed to support AI clusters, ensuring that Cisco remains a critical player in the infrastructure needed for AI workloads. The practical applications of AI in automating network management and optimizing performance are genuinely beneficial, promising to reduce complexity and improve outcomes.
However, it’s important to temper expectations. While AI holds great promise, the real test will be its implementation and whether it can deliver consistent, tangible improvements. Cisco’s AI strategy is ambitious, but it’s a necessary step to ensure they stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.
Security Innovations: Promising but Future-Focused
Security was another primary focus at Cisco Live, taking second billing to AI. Cisco is committed to enhancing its security offerings, though many innovations were announcements for future products expected over the next six months.
One of the significant security announcements was related to the upcoming Hypershield, set to launch in August. This initiative, now expanded with AMD DPU integration, aims to provide advanced AI-driven micro-segmentation and threat detection for distributed workloads. Additionally, a new Cisco low-end firewall (1200) is expected in October, reinforcing Cisco’s dedication to the firewall market, where it once was the dominant market share leader but now stands far behind Palo Alto Networks.
A significant part of Cisco’s security strategy involves integrating Splunk, which was acquired earlier this year. Splunk’s capabilities in providing visibility into the internet and cloud are crucial for understanding how external factors impact network performance. While Splunk is still finding its home within Cisco, the integration process is underway and will be pivotal for future security innovations.
Cisco’s security announcements also included the new Cisco Security Cloud Control, the unified management for Cisco Security Cloud, its AI-driven, cross-domain security platform, and partnerships with Microsoft and Google. These partnerships are noteworthy, demonstrating Cisco’s strategy of collaboration to enhance its security offerings without having to build out missing capabilities themselves. However, the true impact of these innovations will be seen once the products are fully rolled out and integrated.
The Future of Observability: Integrating Splunk
Observability and digital experience management were also prominent themes at Cisco Live. These areas are critical as they represent the evolution of traditional network management into more holistic, software-centric solutions. Cisco is positioning itself as a leader in this space, recognizing that as networks become more complex, the need for comprehensive observability tools becomes paramount.
A significant part of this strategy is the integration of Splunk and cross-pollination with standing Cisco products, such as Thousand Eyes. At Cisco Live, integrating Splunk with other Cisco products was a significant highlight, showcasing how observability can lead to better decision-making and improved operational efficiency. However, Splunk feels somewhat separated from the Cisco mothership. Given that the acquisition closed only a couple of months ago, this is understandable. The integration process will take time, and it will be interesting to see how Cisco fully incorporates Splunk’s capabilities into its broader portfolio.
A Networking Giant’s Evolution
Cisco, the blue-blood networking company, had a surprisingly limited number of CEO-caliber network infrastructure announcements. Other than the HyperFabric, there were no major hardware or networking revelations directly from Chuck Robbins or his staff. On the one hand, it’s refreshing to see Cisco focus on innovative technologies beyond the traditional “speeds and feeds.” On the other hand, isn’t that precisely what made Cisco the powerhouse it is today? The lack of significant networking announcements might leave some long-time Cisco followers questioning if the company is straying too far from its routing and switching roots.
Final Thoughts: A Bold Step into the Future
Cisco Live 2024 showcased a company making bold moves to stay relevant and competitive. The emphasis on AI, the continued focus on security, and the integration of observability tools like Splunk are all part of Cisco’s strategy to expand its market reach. While there are valid reasons to be cautiously optimistic, the real challenge will be turning these ambitious plans into concrete results.
The AI initiatives, while promising, need to prove their value in real-world applications. Security improvements, though many are future-focused, show a commitment to staying ahead of threats. Observability, particularly with the integration of Splunk, represents a significant step forward, though it will require time to realize its full potential.
Cisco Live 2024 left me with a sense of cautious optimism. The company is clearly making strategic moves to adapt and innovate. Whether these efforts will pay off remains to be seen, but one thing is sure: Cisco is not standing still. They are actively shaping their future, and it will be fascinating to see how these initiatives unfold in the coming year and beyond.
A correction was made on June 14, 2024: An earlier version of this blog incorrectly referred to Cisco Security Cloud Control as ”an AI-driven platform for unified security management.” Cisco Security Cloud Control is the unified management interface for Cisco Security Cloud, which is Cisco’s unified, AI-driven, cross-domain security platform.
