Qwest has implemented the Cisco Unified Service Delivery (USD) solution across its CyberCenters.  The Qwest CyberCenters provide a highly-secure, reliable, scalable foundation for delivering state-of-the-art hosting for mission-critical enterprise application services. 

The Cisco USD solution helps Qwest optimize its CyberCenter network, application, compute and storage resources, while reducing capital, operating, real estate and energy costs.  This creates new economies of scale for Qwest and attractive pay-per-use business models for its enterprise customers.  The Cisco USD is helping Qwest change the game by bringing new levels of service agility to the cloud.

In a separate blog, Simon Aspinall, senior director of service provider marketing at Cisco, provides more detail about Qwest’s implementation of Cisco USD.  See Cloud Computing Brings Sunny Skies for Qwest and Cisco.

Also be sure to visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgN55Ny1QVI for a perspective from Eric Bozich, vice president of product management and national network services at Qwest, about how Cisco USD brings new flexibility to cloud service delivery.

MegaFon, one of Russia’s leading telecommunications service providers, is into Cisco’s ASR family in a big way.

Just weeks ago, MegaFon announced that it had deployed Cisco’s ASR 9000 series edge routers as the primary routing platform in its network backbone.  Today came the announcement that MegaFon has installed the Cisco ASR 5000 mobile multimedia core platform in its central region mobile network.

Oh, by the way, MegaFon has also deployed Cisco’s CRS core routing platform to help serve its 56 million subscribers . . .

But, I digress.    Back to today’s announcement . . .

The high performance and advanced intelligence of the Cisco ASR 5000 will enable MegaFon to serve more customers more reliably, while delivering enhanced mobile services such as data and mobile video. 

And, with the integrated network and subscriber intelligence capabilities of the ASR 5000, MegaFon will be able to develop and deliver advanced mobile services with high levels of customization and personalization.

The Cisco ASR 5000 was featured in Cisco’s recently announced MOVE (Monetization, Optimization, Videoscape Experience) strategy, designed to help mobile operators like MegaFon monetize their networks through new services and business models, while optimizing delivery of those services for a differentiated, enhanced mobile video experience.

In 2007, The New York Giants and the New York Jets had a vision to build a brand new state-of-the art stadium – New Meadowlands Stadium — that would push the envelope and break new boundaries to enable a different live sporting experience.

The team owners made a commitment to invest in a new stadium with technology being a major part of the new fan experience.  One of the solutions they selected was Cisco’s StadiumVision.   

For the full story on how New Meadowlands Stadium is utilizing Cisco’s StadiumVision solution to enhance the fan experience, check out the guest post from Peter Brickman, CTO, New Meadowlands Stadium.

http://blogs.cisco.com/news/new-meadowlands-stadiums-use-of-cisco-stadiumvision-wins-digital-signage-expo%E2%80%99s-gold-award/

And as the title stated, New Meadowlands Stadium’s  use of Cisco’s StadiumVision just won Digital Signage Expo’s Gold Award.

Coming out of the second fiscal quarter of 2011 there is a growing appetite to understand precisely how effective the Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) is in the marketplace.  A not so subtle reminder here that UCS  unites computing, networking, storage and virtualization into one cohesive system.

From Mr. Chambers to the UCS leadership, from the sales and marketing team, to UCS research and development there are a lot of satisfied smiles. As the February 22, 2011 news release points out, UCS customers grew from around 2,600 to nearly 4,000 quarter-over-quarter. Cisco’s UCS revenue has grown an amazing 700 percent year-over-year. Folks, that’s very encouraging news since it’s only been a little over 18 months since the first generation of the platform was shipped. http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2011/prod_022211.html

Bottom line is that rack and blade server customers are selecting Cisco as their vendor. It’s a testament to Cisco’s ability to simplify customers’ IT environments with blade servers that deliver a scalable and flexible architecture; rack-mount servers that address fluctuating workload challenges; fabric interconnects that create a single, highly available management domain; UCS management for all system components and configurations, and; Virtual Interface Cards that enhance network I/O performance and simplify and centralize I/O management.

 So let’s pinpoint some of these customers. The Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) is using UCS at its headquarters, at refineries and marketing offices. The result is that KNPC is now able to deploy more services and apps, improve workforce productivity and lower costs. http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2011/prod_021411b.html

Additional recent UCS customer news is the announcement that Gloucestershire Constabulary, a police force covering six districts in England, has become the 500th customer of the Cisco Unified Computing System in Europe. The Constabulary was looking to significantly reduce costs and establish a Cloud approach to enable more automation. http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2011/prod_021011b.html

UCS is rapidly becoming a worldwide phenomenon. If UCS was on the “American Idol” television program it would definitely be one of the top performers. If UCS was a college basketball team, it would be heading to the Final Four. One more analogy, if UCS was a film, it would be up for an Oscar. So, you catch my drift that Cisco Unified Computing System continues to efficiently and effectively execute a solid business and growth plan and is clearly addressing and solving customer problems. I can’t think of a better formula for success.

Musings, factoids and random thoughts from the just-completed Mobile World Congress 2011 in Barcelona:

• This may be the only place on the planet in which there are lines outside the men’s rooms, but not at the ladies’ rooms.

But even more seriously, folks . . .

• MWC continues to enhance its position as a major worldwide technology show and the most important event focusing on the service provider segment
• The initial tally revealed that >60,000 – a record – attended
• Verizon, AT&T and Google exhibited for the first time
• Major topics of interest were monetization and video . . . conveniently, also major topics for Cisco. 
• IP has never been more relevant at MWC than it was this year
• Policy was another major subject – also fitting nicely into the Cisco story of intelligence in the network.  Quality of experience got a lot of attention, too
• And applications enablement – “It’s not just the network that matters,” one analyst said.  “It’s the network PLUS the apps that run on top of it.  At the end of the day, it’s apps that make the real difference.”
• Cisco enjoyed record interest, holding more than 600 meetings with customers, prospects, partners, analysts and media
• Cisco’s MOVE (monetization, optimization, Videoscape experience) was well received by analysts
• One operator told Cisco that voice is now comprises only 1% of its total traffic

Analyst Observations:

• “The definition of the ‘busy hour’ for the network has expanded to 19 hours, thanks to video.”
• “There is a lot more positive feeling this year . . . maybe that means the world economy is on the mend.”
• Several analysts – unsolicited – remarked on Cisco’s ability to define a vision and drive conversations.  “You’ve done a great job of launching visions and architectural plays,”
• Regarding Cisco’s MOVE announcement, one analyst remarked, “A lot of smaller optimization guys are losing sleep because you’re moving into this space.”
• “The big factor [to operators] is not necessarily [a vendor’s] technology portfolio.  It’s about services and flexible business relationships.  Especially in emerging markets.”
• “Monetization is what is keeping operators awake at night.”
• Regarding the continuing decline of the fixed lines: “At a lot of the operators, the mobile guys are in charge now, not the fixed-line guys.”

In closing . . .

• MWC will start two weeks later in 2012 – even closer to the CTIA Wireless event than before . . . a coincidence??
• Next year is the last of MWC‘s current pact with Barcelona.  Munich, Paris and Milan are trying to lure the show from Barcelona, and some people were hearing that Munich had the inside track.  We’ll see.

Wherever the event ends up, let’s do something about those lines at the men’s rooms.  OK?

Tags: Cisco, mobile_video, Mobile_World_Congress, monetization, mwc, operators, optimization, service_providers, video