LAS VEGAS – Cisco announced a game-changing intent-based network earlier this month, and has now unveiled new training and developer programs to help its partners understand the technology and accelerate its adoption.
The training programs will explore the impact intent-based networking will have on organizations, and help Cisco partners begin developing the evolved skills needed in the new era of networking, build new networking practices, and pursue new business opportunities.
For network engineers, there will be two new training programs starting in the fall around SD-Access, “building on the existing DNA training portfolio and Network Programmability training and certifications available for network engineers and application developers.”
And for application developers, the new DNA Developer Center will provide “Cisco’s DevNet community of more than 450,000 developers with the tools they need to bring applications directly into the network and create smarter software.”
The new intuitive network, developed in-house after years of research, can recognize intent, solve problems contextually, mitigate threats, and learn over time.
“Cisco is delivering a more intuitive system that automates the edge of the network and embeds machine learning and analytics at a foundational level,” Scott Harrell, senior vice president of product management for enterprise networking, says in a company press release. “Intent-based networking signifies a paradigm shift for our industry and a completely new era of networking. It’s exciting to witness our global ecosystem—spanning three million network engineers, 60,000 partners, and 450,000 developers—embrace the future of networking.”
There are 75 companies and organizations from around the world already conducting early field trials of this network solution, including Germany’s Jade University of Applied Sciences, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Newcastle Hospitals, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., US-based candle company Scentsy, Belgium’s academic hospital UZ Leuven, and Indian IT services corporation Wipro.
Several customers and partners have already weighed in, with Rob Lopez, group executive of networking at Dimension Data, calling Cisco’s reinvention of the network “exciting.”
“We have clients all over the world, and we’re confident that by having more intuitive networks we will profoundly change the services that we deliver to our clients as they look to accelerate their digital transformation,” he says. “Dimension Data is committed to helping our clients navigate their transition to Cisco’s new network. We believe this will change the way we all view the network, and that it will further strengthen the long-standing partnership we have with Cisco.”
Jim Kavanugh, CEO of World Wide Technology, also expressed his enthusiasm for Cisco’s new intent-based approach to networking.
“Security is top of mind for every customer and this approach will fundamentally redesign what the network can do to provide a more intelligent and more secure network platform. WWT is committed to helping customers realize the benefits this new approach offers and to support them through the journey of migrating to Cisco’s new network,” he explains.
