Cisco launches Digital Network Architecture
Global technology company, Cisco, is increasing its play in the digitisation space with the launch of an extensible and software driven architecture for digital business solution
, Digital Network Architecture (DNA).
DNA was launched at the company’s annual Cisco Partner Summit, which is currently ongoing in San Diego this year.
Cisco DNA complements the company’s datacentre based Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) technology by extending the policy driven approach and software strategy throughout the entire network.
Cisco enterprise products and solutions senior vice-president, Rob Soderbery, said this extends it from campus to branch, wired to wireless, and core to edge.
He mentioned that Cisco DNA is delivered within the Cisco ONETM Software family, enabling simplified software-based licensing, and helping with investment protection and flexibility.
Soderbery outlined five guiding principles that Cisco DNA is built on. They include:
- Virtualisation of everything to give organisations freedom of choice to run any service anywhere, independent of the underlying platform – physical or virtual, on premise or in the Cloud.
- Designed for automation to make networks and services on those networks easy to deploy, manage and maintain, fundamentally changing the approach to network management.
- Pervasive analytics to provide insights on the operation of the network, IT infrastructure and the business.
- Service management delivered from the Cloud to unify policy and orchestration across the network.
- Integrating Cisco and third party technology, open APIs, and a developer platform to support an ecosystem of network-enabled applications.
“The digital network is the platform for digital business.
“Cisco DNA brings together virtualisation, automation, analytics, Cloud and programmability to build that platform. The acronym for the Digital Networking Architecture – DNA – isn’t an accident. We’re fundamentally changing the DNA of networking technology,” Soderbery said.
In addition to DNA, Cisco has also launched automation, virtualisation and Cloud management capabilities for the architecture. They include: DNA Automation with the APIC-Enterprise Module (APIC EM) Platform; Cisco Intelligent WAN Automation Services; DNA Virtualisation with the Evolved IOS-XE and Enterprise NFV; and DNA Cloud Service Management with the CMX Cloud.
To support Cisco customers and partners on this network transformation journey, the Learning at Cisco and Cisco DevNet developer programs will be focused on educating and enabling networking professionals transitioning to this software-driven networking model.
Specifically, the Network Programmability Specialist Certification will be dedicated to build on top of CCIE and CCNP programs.
“As developers and engineers build on DNA, Cisco is making available training, hands on exercises and certifications to enable the workforce of the future. The recently announced Next Generation CCIE program is creating a foundation of expertise for the top level IT professionals to future proof their skills.”
In addition, Cisco DevNet has revamped the Networking Dev Center to make it easier for developers to integrate into Cisco DNA. Enhancements include new self-paced learning labs with personalised learning tracks for Network Engineers and Application Developers.
Cisco has also launched its Capital Easy Pay, a new global offer created for Cisco DNA.
Cisco DNA will be sold through the Cisco ONE Software model, and will give customers the freedom to choose the platform and purchasing model. It is now available globally.
ARN’s Hafizah Osman is at the Cisco Partner Summit 2016 in San Diego as a guest of the company.
