Cisco Extends Application-centric Infrastructure (ACI) to Access and Wide Area Networks, Increasing Network Automation and IT Agility

Cisco Expands Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) to Unify Network Automation and Management across the Data Center and the Enterprise Network

Cisco Live!, MILAN, Italy – January 28, 2014 – As the network becomes more critical in addressing the need to connect billions of objects, people and applications that form the Internet of Everything, IT professionals are challenged to deliver consistent high-performing applications, from the data center to wide-area networks (WAN) and local access networks (LAN). Many IT organizations are struggling with the size and complexity of their networks, performing manual device-by-device operational work, which is estimated to occupy as much as 80 to 90 percent of their time.

To help IT organizations address these challenges, Cisco is expanding its Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) solution by introducing the Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) Enterprise Module, which extends ACI solutions beyond the data center to the WAN and access networks.

Cisco has been updating its data center and networking portfolio to become open, programmable and secure, and this extension of APIC delivers Software Defined Networking (SDN) capabilities that allow the network to become more agile and responsive to the dynamic demands of applications and users.

Also today, Cisco announced a breakthrough hybrid cloud solution, dubbed Cisco InterCloud – which paves the way for interoperable and highly secure public, private and hybrid clouds. The expansion of this portfolio broadens Cisco’s commitment to openness and shows the unique value in the company’s partner-led model.

Cisco APIC

The extension Enterprise Module of the Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) allows IT organizations to have complete visibility into their networks, automating network and policy configuration while managing applications across the WAN and access networks. This automated process can handle traditionally repetitive and complex tasks, eliminating mundane operations from IT personnel so they can focus on more strategic work that will help grow their businesses.

News Highlights:

• The Cisco APIC Enterprise Module provides the unique ability to see the entire network as a single entity, instead of individual network elements. The result is reduced network complexity, accelerated application rollout across wired and wireless infrastructure, and more efficient network management and troubleshooting.
• Cisco APIC also frees up time for IT that would otherwise be spent configuring networking equipment and updating policy changes device by device. It automates many IT functions enabling configuration and policy changes to be pushed out to the individual components of the network instead of requiring IT to update each one manually. It also enables policies to automatically adapt to network changes which would be very difficult to set otherwise. As a result, IT can instead spend time creating innovative business applications using network intelligence, and have a direct impact on the business.
• Additionally, Cisco APIC uniquely supports both new and existing network infrastructures, supporting a selection of network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), including OpenFlow, Cisco onePK and Command Line Interface (CLI). The Cisco APIC Enterprise Module also supports both new SDN-ready devices as well as older Cisco network equipment, enabling the same IT automation as with Cisco ACI for a large existing installed base that eliminates the need to rip and replace existing networking equipment to take advantage of this new functionality.
• The Cisco APIC Enterprise Module is constructed of three elements: a consolidated network information database, policy infrastructure and automation. Combined, that can substantially increase network automation and agility, lowering the time that IT spends on operational activities by up to 36 percent.
• To address security concerns, Cisco APIC automates network-wide rapid threat detection and mitigation by integrating and automating Cisco Sourcefire security solutions.
• For compliance management across branches and headquarters, Cisco APIC also provides network-wide Quality of Service (QoS), and accelerates Intelligent WAN (IWAN) deployments. It can also be used with third-party solutions to provide an end-to-end WAN orchestration and management.
• In his blog post, Jeff Reed, vice president and general manager of SDN for Cisco’s Enterprise Networking Group shares how customers are using this product today and the business benefits that can be achieved.
• Read more about how the Cisco APIC Enterprise Module leverages the Gluware Intelligent Orchestration Engine, also announced today by Cisco ecosystem partner Glue Networks. Additional information from Cisco on this announcement is available in this blog post.
• In this blog post, Citrix discusses how they are enabling applications with unique end-to-end support for the Cisco Open Network Environment (ONE).

Availability

The Cisco APIC Enterprise Module will be available at the end of the first half of 2014 and at no additional cost for existing and new Cisco SMARTnet customers.

Tags/keywords: Cisco, routing, WAN Optimization, Application Visibility and Control, switching, security, wireless, mobility, cloud, Enterprise Networks, cloud computing, cloud services, cloud migration, virtual desktop, Unified Access, Cisco Catalyst, Application Experience, Cisco ONE, Enterprise, Networks, Internet of Things, Internet of Everything, APIC, enterprise, controller, SDN

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