My team demonstrated our new ultra-low latency Ethernet solution in the Cisco booth at SC this past week (it was so busy that I didn’t get to post this until it was all over!).
The short version is that we have implemented operating system bypass and NIC hardware offload via the Linux OpenFabrics verbs API stack. We call it “userspace NIC”, or “USNIC”.
But let’s cut to the chase — what’s the performance? Let’s break it down:
Continue reading “Cisco ultra low latency support for MPI”
As we begin the Internet of Everything (IoE) era, more attention is being focused on Metcalfe’s law—a.k.a., the “network effect”—to see if the same rules will apply. Metcalfe’s law states that the value of a network increases proportionately to the square of the number of users. Simply put, networks become exponentially more valuable as the number of users increases.
Recently, Nir Eyal and Sangeet Paul Choudary wrote in TechCrunch about the fading power of the network effect. In their view, it is “stored value” (creative content, reputation, usage data, and influence) produced by users that reinforces the power of the network effect, enabling businesses to retain customers and grow market share.
We invite you to join us for a webinar scheduled for 20 November 2012 where we’ll discuss how to protect Industrial Control Systems using Cisco Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS).
Industrial control systems is the term used to identify several types of control systems, including supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, process control systems (PCSs), and other smaller control system types, such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), used in critical infrastructure such as power plants, oil and gas pipelines, electrical power distribution, and manufacturing facilities.
Historically these control systems were kept separate from the corporate network. Because of this isolation they were traditionally difficult to break into because of their separation for health and safety reasons.
More recently, control systems may be running Windows or Linux, using the Internet Protocol (IP) to communicate, giving direct access to SCADA networks via the Internet. Wireless and Bluetooth capabilities allow remote management and diagnosis. These connections to the outside create a massive challenge from a security perspective for the following reasons:
Continue reading “November 20th Webinar: Protecting Industrial Control Systems Using Cisco IPS”
Following up on my last note about BYOD at Cisco, I wanted to update you on the latest numbers here at Cisco. As Sheila Jordan had pointed out here, we have surpassed the 20% tablet penetration among our workforce and mobile devices continue to grow at a rate of 1,000 each month. I highly recommend you doing a quick read on her six steps of approaching device deluge. Meanwhile, the latest IDC report (Aug 8, 2012) reaffirms the 2-horse race in the smartphone world. Android and iOS powered 85% of all smartphones shipped in the second quarter of 2012 (2Q2012).
Maintaining our market leadership in supporting the broadest set of Operating Systems (desktop and mobile) and Web Browsers, Cisco Security is excited to announce the availability of AnyConnect 3.0 for Android (Download here). As in the past, we have worked with the market leading Android device makers along with supporting the Android VPN Framework (AVF) to ensure the latest AnyConnect functionality. These new features are now available on any Android device running on version 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or higher (including Jelly Bean).
SOME KEY FEATURES OF ANYCONNECT 3.0 FOR ANDROID:
Continue reading “AnyConnect 3.0 for Android Product Announcement”
Earlier this week on the first day of Australia’s first National Telework Week, the Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard opened the week with a live Cisco TelePresence cross between Parliament House in Canberra and an audience attending National Telework Congress at Melbourne University. Focusing on Australia’s place in an Asian Century and the digital economy the Prime Minister highlighted the economic benefits telework will deliver. Research from Deloitte Access Economics, launched during her keynote, has found that by 2021 telework could contribute $3.2 billion dollars to Australia’s GDP. The Australian Public Service will be setting the standard, as Gillard also announced a goal to move to 12% of the public sector to regular teleworking by 2020 (see video here). Also watch the video to listen to the Prime Minister share how she uses Cisco TelePresence to in Government to the audience at the Telework Congress (see video here).
Also speaking via Cisco TelePresence was US Ambassador to Australia Jeffrey Bleich, on his teleworking experience and the important role that telework plays in America and the Australia-America relationship. 16 million Americans telework at least once a month, this saves about 1.5billion litres of petrol a year. Bleich also talks about how telework helps provide personal support in certain circumstances, such as Hurricane Sandy during which 33% of Washington federal employees teleworked (see video here).
Continue reading “Highlights from Australia’s National Telework Congress”
The“We’re Listening” blog series continues to focus on specific customer and partner concerns, detailing how Cisco is responding to your concerns to improve your experience doing business with us. In this installment, we’re joined by Steve Young, Director of Service Delivery Transformation efforts for the Technical Assistance Center (TAC). Steve discusses customer feedback to the TAC, and what his team is doing to address your top concern with TAC support – getting to the right TAC expert right away.
Read the full article: The “We’re Listening” Blog Series: Improving the TAC Experience Through Intelligent Case Routing.
I just returned from Cancun after delivering a BYOD seminar, as part of Cisco Live Mexico 2012. Bring your own device (BYOD) was a hot topic at Cisco Live in Cancun. There were several in-depth presentations regarding the architecture, design, implementation, and troubleshooting of all the technologies related to BYOD. I had the pleasure and opportunity to deliver a presentation related to remote access VPN implementations related to BYOD, as part of an 8-hour seminar:
Other BYOD-related sessions delivered this week were:
Imran Bashir provided a detailed introduction about BYOD and the key considerations when implementing BYOD solutions and technologies in your environment. He then went into the details about the Cisco BYOD solution and the integration with the Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions from other vendors and partners. This was followed by product demonstrations for device on-boarding, profiling, posture/compliance check and the integration with MDM third-party solutions.
Continue reading “BYOD Presentations at Cisco Live Cancun 2012”
In the lead up to National Telework Week, Cisco Australia conducted an employee survey to better understand the role of teleworking in the working lives of its employees.
While teleworking is widely recognised as delivering a range of positive benefits to organisations, employees and wider society, at its most basic level the most significant return on investment is to individuals.
When asked to identify the positive benefits of teleworking, the most popular response by Cisco employees, at 87%, was better quality of life. This was closely followed by a reduced commute (82%) and a more flexible work schedule (81%).
Tim Fawcett, general manager of Cisco Government Affairs and Policy said, “I think its hugely significant that with the right strategy and some dedicated planning and resources, employers can offer their staff an effective teleworking program that improves their quality of life. While teleworking can improve productivity, reduce carbon emissions, traffic congestion and enable staff to spend more time on the job rather than commuting, it’s easy to forget that at its simplest level, teleworking can make employees’ lives better. Continue reading “Cisco Australia Employees Save 18 days per Year Teleworking: 87% say teleworking gives them a better quality of life”
Educators have put telepresence to the test and it’s passed with honors.
In 2011, four Virginia universities joined together with one objective–to transform higher education.
The partnership, dubbed 4-VA, includes members from George Mason University, James Madison University, University of Virginia and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The 4-VA’s goals are admirable and ambitious: To make higher education more affordable, expand the number of degrees awarded in the state and strengthen member institutions–individually and collectively.
Almost a year after inception, the consortium has made serious headway on its mission to revolutionize Virginia’s higher education system through collaboration technologies. This is a great video on the program:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2lx_8oWZnk
How’d they do it’? The crux of its success was the ability to leverage resources across all four campuses. With Cisco TelePresence, members can easily share instructional and academic resources via high-definition, real-time video that creates a life-like setting. Continue reading “Four Virginia Universities Give Telepresence an A+”
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