Security is a tough nut that can’t be cracked by one alone—neither technology nor research, neither corporations nor start-ups, and neither products nor processes. None of these alone can crack the security nut. The most important part of the problem and solution is people! Nothing beats the efforts of few passionate people collaborating for a cause.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”― Margaret Mead

Users groups began appearing in the mainframe days as a way to share hard earned knowledge and began to proliferate with the microcomputer revolution of the 1970′s and 1980′s. During this time, hobbyists sought to help each other with their homespun wisdom on programming-, configuration-, hardware- and software-related issues. Prior to the penetration of the Internet, these groups gladly provided free technical support and helped users discover the personal computer and aided in the adoption of the PC in a major way.

The emergence and participation of the general public in the use of the Internet and coincidental rise of operating systems like GNU/Linux as well as the open source movement was further intensified by user groups. Such groups found a new place online to discuss these tools via mailing lists, bulletin boards and more. Once run only by researchers and computer geeks, hardware and software was being made popular among the general public through user groups. Read More »

Tags: security, security advocacy

Until recently, the global media industry had been relatively stable, with a robust value chain and well-defined business models.

Today, multiple factors are tearing at the fabric of those finely tuned business models: new players such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and Apple offer consumers new ways of accessing professional video content; technology standards are in flux; and regulatory and macroeconomic factors undermine consumer and investor confidence.

Last week, more than 90,000 media and entertainment officials from 150 countries descended on Las Vegas for NAB Show, the annual National Association of Broadcasters conference. I attended to share some of predictions for the industry that we have developed in the Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG). In particular, I spoke at a breakfast briefing for CxO-level executives about the impactful yet uncertain effects of four key drivers—consumer behavior, regulatory changes, technology, and macroeconomics—in an effort to better define their media-industry disruptions: Read More »

Tags: 3D, Cisco, cloud, IBSG, media, media industry, nab, NAB Show, national association of broadcasters, on-demand, service providers, streaming, targeted advertising, user generated content, video

April 15^th, what does this day mean to you?  For most U.S. citizens, it isn’t a day to look forward to.   That’s because it’s the day our taxes are due.  While it is part of our civic responsibility, I would venture to say that few people really enjoy the tax season; even CPAs are crazed during this time of year.  And it isn’t only the pain of cutting a check if you are one of the unfortunate ones who owes money; it is also the cumbersome process of getting your taxes done.

But I’ve noticed something a little different this tax season, ads about tax services are heavily focused on expertise vs. ease.  TurboTax, TaxAct, H&R Block, you name it, all seem to be promoting the credentials of their tax experts and the quality experience you will have when you engage with them.  This could be due to the added levels of complexity related to changes in rules and regulations from year to year, or it could be that people are having issues with accuracy.  Regardless, the “experts” promise a better experience.

Read More »

Tags: tax preparation, taxes, TelePresence, video collaboration, WebRTC

Having been at the Air Passenger Expo with SITA last week and following a series of customer discussions since then and in the weeks prior to the expo the awareness of location capabilities is ramping up very rapidly within the Airport/Airline industry.

• Airports are looking to deliver value added services and customer experiences to their travelers, while getting enhanced insight and information that can deliver both operational and marketing benefits
• Airlines are looking to also provide enhanced experiences to their passengers -- enabling ease of movement, navigation, notification and alerts for gate changes etc..

Read More »

Tags: analytics, Cisco, location based services, mobility, mobility services engine, mobility; location; location analytics; mse; mobility services engine; wi-fi; wireless; network; release; cisco, wireless

We’ve seen Cisco TelePresence making a difference in health care. Most recently, it helped connect Children’s Hospitals with the North Pole for the holidays, and now its uses have extended to saving lives.

There are few things in life that are more important than your health and the health of your loved ones. Lack of time has become a major factor in people not seeking out the medical care they need. Therefore, health care providers have had to keep up with this ongoing issue and find ways to ensure patients receive the care they need.

Oklahoma’s largest health care system, INTEGRIS was one of those providers. Faced with the challenge of delivering the quality they desired, INTEGRIS was looking for an effective way to connect hospitals throughout the area to increase employee collaboration and improve patient care. With the help of Cisco collaboration technology, Cisco TelePresence and Cisco Jabber, INTEGRIS has established a life-saving program that has decreased stroke mortality rates and increased access to health specialists.

Read more on how INTEGRIS is leveraging Cisco to drive innovation in health care: “Cisco Collaboration Comes to the Rescue for INTEGRIS Health.”

Tags: Cisco, collaboration, Connected, healthcare, telehealth, TelePresence