Distribution partners understand better than most the relentless rate of technological advancements. In today’s environment, staying ahead of the curve is not just beneficial—it’s essential. Cisco Live! serves as a pivotal event, spotlighting groundbreaking advancements in collaboration, security, and networking. This year’s conference in Las Vegas, held June 2-6, was no exception. During the “Go Beyond” keynote on day two, Cisco Chair and CEO Chuck Robbins highlighted the company’s renewed commitment to innovation. “We are delivering innovation at a pace that we haven’t in a long time,” Robbins said, setting the stage for a series of transformative insights and announcements.
Breaking Down Silos with Digital Resilience
In this constantly evolving environment, Jeetu Patel, EVP and General Manager of Security and Collaboration at Cisco, highlighted the persistent challenge IT practitioners face: the struggle to pinpoint issues within siloed environments. He emphasized the importance of integrating various data clouds—networking, observability, security, and data—into a cohesive system. “That’s digital resilience,” Patel explained, highlighting the need for a unified view to effectively pinpoint and respond to issues.
Hypershield: Harnessing the Power of Data to Empower Security Operations with Cisco and Splunk
The ink has barely had time to dry on the paperwork, but that hasn’t stopped the ball from rolling for Cisco and Splunk. “It’s been just about 90 days since the close of the acquisition, and we have made some incredible progress so far,” proclaimed Tom Casey, Splunk SVP and General Manager for Security at Cisco. The combination of Cisco and Splunk is set to revolutionize digital resilience strategies by unlocking previously invisible data crucial for detecting lateral attack movements. “Understanding that east-west traffic is a problem that only Cisco and Splunk could solve together,” Tom Gillis, SVP and General Manager of Security at Cisco, noted, emphasizing the synergy between Cisco’s network expertise and Splunk’s advanced analytics.
Gillis discussed the pivotal role of data in digital resilience. He introduced Cisco Hypershield, a groundbreaking solution announced in April, which leverages AI and extender Berkley Packet Filter (eBPF)—an open source, cloud native capability—for autonomous segmentation and distributed exploit protection. “This isn’t just a firewall,” Gillis emphasized. “It’s a fabric that spans virtual appliances to servers, enabling deep application insights across diverse cloud environments.”
Revolutionizing SOCs with Splunk
Splunk’s capabilities can also help transform Security Operations Centers (SOCs), as evidenced by Casey. “Splunk helps power the SOC of the future for many of the largest enterprises in the world,” he said. Highlighting Splunk’s role in real-time detection and response, Casey underscored its continuous leadership in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Security Information and Event Management for its tenth consecutive year.
He expressed excitement about distributing SOC functions throughout the network, enabling early detection and isolation of threats like ransomware and lateral movements. Full-stack observability and shared data context, enhanced by AI, are central to this vision. The integration between Cisco and Splunk is pivotal in ensuring swift and effective threat response. While Gilis said Splunk’s real-time data analytics create world-class security, he added that, “no one knows a network like Cisco,” creating a synergy that is unparalleled in the industry.
The integration of AppDynamics and Splunk Observability Cloud marks another significant milestone. Upcoming features include a common login and direct Splunk logs from AppDynamics, all aimed at enhancing user experience and efficiency. “We’re going to pick up the pace and move faster ourselves so that you can, too,” Casey assured the audience.
Tom Brady’s Insights on Leadership and Innovation
Adding a unique perspective, special guest and former NFL quarterback Tom Brady shared lessons from his illustrious career. Drawing parallels between the sports world and the corporate world, Brady emphasized the importance of preparation, resilience, and continuous improvement. “So much of what we think about with winning is the outcome, but the reality is to me was, winning was always the process,” Brady reflected, inspiring the audience with his commitment to excellence and team spirit. Brady’s insights resonated with Cisco and Splunk’s collaborative approach, where every component—from AI-driven analytics to distributed security solutions—works seamlessly to safeguard digital infrastructure.
Empowering the Future: Cisco’s Commitment to Continual Advancements in Collaboration
The keynote to start the second day of Cisco Live! 2024 highlighted the company’s unwavering dedication to innovation, security, and collaboration. With leaders like Chuck Robbins, Jeetu Patel, Tom Gillis, and Tom Casey at the helm, distribution partners can feel assured that Cisco will continue to innovate with advancements in collaboration, networking, and security that empower their customers to thrive in an increasingly digital world. As Tom Brady aptly put it, “Let’s be great teammates,” a sentiment that resonates deeply with Cisco’s mission to drive progress through partnership and collective effort. Watch the Go Beyond keynote from Cisco Live! 2024 here.
