Cisco's Transformation to Software-Centric Approach Helping COVID-19 Response - Futurum Tech Podcast Interview Series

On this special edition of The Futurum Tech Podcast - Interview Series host Daniel Newman welcomed Masum Mir, Vice President of Product for 5G Automation and Software for Cisco. Daniel and Masum discussed what Cisco has been doing to help the community during the COVID-19 pandemic, the transformation to software-defined infrastructure and what our new normal will look like after the pandemic is over.

 

How Cisco is Helping the Community

 

Cisco has made a big commitment to employees, partners, clients and the public during this pandemic. The company has pledged $225 million to the COVID-19 response in cash, products and services. The main priority is to provide a robust infrastructure that won't go down. It has to be up and running 24/7 for customers and partners and that requires 24/7 support services.

 

People are using Cisco's collaboration platforms and video communications tools for work, education, and staying connected. We are seeing an unprecedented demand on the video infrastructure so Cisco is doing all that it can to provide additional software capabilities to existing infrastructure to keep the video experience from fading.

 

Moving to Software Defined Infrastructure Prepared for 5G

 

Over the last few years, Cisco has transformed from hardware to a software-defined business. They have worked to simplify the infrastructure and moved to a software model where remote upgrades are possible. The situation brought about by COVID-19 has shown the critical nature of transformations. It's clear that the companies that have already transformed, like Cisco, are reaping a huge benefit.

 

This transformation to a software-defined infrastructure has also opened the doors for automation and scalable changes. As we move into the 5G era, Cisco expects to see more demand on the network. Masum said the network will be massive. Having automatable, scalable infrastructure will allow people and companies, whether it's 5 people or 5000, to have the same connection experience and at the end of the day, customer experience is what matters.

 

Cisco is also constantly working to simplify the network connection strategy and automation strategy for service providers. Masum shared that they've put a lot of emphasis on digitizing and automating processes. They're pushing traditional service providers to disrupt and change because the current network model is outdated. Service providers need to be able to deliver faster services while reducing overhead and capital expenses. Moving to a software-defined architecture that enables automation will help these companies meet the operation demands from customers around the world.

 

Is This 'New Normal' Permanent?

 

This crisis has pushed the world into a new normal. We work from home. We have to be able to respond from home. We have to be able to manage issues from home. What will all of this mean for the future? Masum surmised that this will change the way infrastructure is built. Companies will need to be proactive, not reactive. Infrastructure will need to be more nimble. It will need to be scalable, up or down, and allow for automation. Cisco has already embraced this school of thought and is ready to help partners transform.

 

If you'd like to learn more about what Cisco is doing during the COVID-19 pandemic or learn more about their 5G initiatives check out their website. Be sure to listen to the full episode for more insights and while you're at it, make sure to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode.