Cisco just revealed an exciting new network setup designed for the future of campus, branch, and industrial networks. This system brings easy management, next-gen devices built for AI tasks, and strong security built right into the network—making it simpler than ever to run things smoothly.
Cisco is stepping up to help businesses tackle big challenges like growing traffic, rising cyber threats, and the need for constant uptime, especially as companies dive into AI at work. A recent Cisco IT Networking Leader Survey found that 97% of businesses think they need to upgrade their networks to make AI and IoT projects work. The stakes are high—a single big outage can cost nearly $160 billion worldwide. IT teams need a fresh approach to handle this growth, cut downtime, and spark new ideas.
“As AI changes how we work, it’s causing a huge spike in traffic across all kinds of networks, making things tricky for IT teams with new security worries,” said Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer at Cisco. “With our new setup, innovative devices for AI, and AgenticOps, we’re leaping ahead to rethink how networks are managed and kept safe.”
Simplifying Things with Unified Management and AgenticOps
Managing networks can be a headache for IT teams, but Cisco’s unified platform makes it easier. It brings together management for Meraki and Catalyst devices, plus support for new wireless, switching, routing, and industrial networks—all in one place that works with any cloud, on-site, or hybrid setup. The platform stands out with ThousandEyes assurance, now covering mobile devices and industrial IoT, giving clearer insights into enterprise networks and Microsoft Azure. A new tie-in with Splunk adds real-time details from network to apps, offering a full view of both owned and unowned systems to keep performance steady.
AgenticOps, Cisco’s AI-driven way to run IT, takes it further by turning real-time data, automation, and expert know-how into smart actions at lightning speed—while still letting IT teams stay in charge. This is powered by a new Deep Network Model, an AI trained on years of Cisco expertise, from CCIE-level knowledge to Cisco U. courses. The model also drives the Cisco AI Assistant, a chat-like tool that spots issues, finds root causes, and speeds up tasks from hours to minutes. Plus, Cisco is rolling out the new AI Canvas, a generative AI dashboard for NetOps, SecOps, and DevOps teams to work together, streamline operations, and ease IT pressure—coming to select customers this fall.
New Devices Built for AI Power
To handle the heavy demands of AI, Cisco is launching tailored hardware with low lag, high capacity, and solid security. Here’s what’s new:
- New Cisco C9350 and C9610 Smart Switches: These campus network switches, powered by Silicon One, offer up to 51.2Tbps of speed, under 5-microsecond lag, and quantum-resistant security for big AI tasks.
- New Cisco 8100, 8200, 8300, 8400, and 8500 Secure Routers: Perfect for branch offices and customer interactions, these routers include built-in SD-WAN, Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), next-gen firewalls, and post-quantum security—all in one box with up to three times the throughput of older models.
- Expanded Wireless Options: Cisco is adding the Wi-Fi 7 Cisco Wireless 9179F Series Access Points for stadiums and large venues, plus a new Cisco Campus Gateway for smooth roaming on big campuses.
Expanded Industrial Lineup: For tough industrial AI needs like visual checks or autonomous robots, Cisco is launching rugged switches in various sizes, plus new critical wireless uses with Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul (URWB) combined with Wi-Fi in one access point.
Built-In Security for Today’s Threats
With networks facing constant changes, Cisco is weaving advanced security into the mix. Here’s how:
- Protecting Network Gear: The new Cisco Live Protect adds kernel-level safeguards, blocks attacks, and defends switches and routers without needing reboots.
- Securing Data on the Move: Cisco now includes post-quantum-ready MACsec, WAN MACsec, and IPsec encryption to stop “harvest-now, decrypt-later” threats, while the new Cisco C9000 Smart Switches are Hypershield-ready for better threat isolation.
- Safeguarding Users and Apps: Starting with microsegmentation, AI-powered device checks, and shared policies, Cisco extends protection to every connected device and app, using insights from Cisco Identity Services Engine, Cyber Vision, and Cisco Talos with Secure Access SSE.
“Businesses are at a turning point. AI offers huge potential, but most networks aren’t ready for its scale, security, and reliability needs,” said Matt Eastwood from IDC. “Cisco’s new secure network setup is a big step forward, giving companies a solid base to embrace AI without losing performance or safety.”
Availability
You can order the new hardware this month through Cisco or certified partners. The setup runs on one platform with unified management, licensing, and support, working in the cloud, hybrid, or on-site. The unified platform is available now, the Cisco AI Assistant is in public beta, and AI Canvas will roll out to select customers this fall.
What do you think about this new network upgrade? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Source: Cisco
