The Platform Opinions and Insights from Cisco

Cisco Futurist Discusses Internet of Things, Tech Predictions, More on Talk2Cisco Broadcast

The next 50 years could bring such astounding technology advances as self-aware machines, the end of aging and ‘printable’ human organs, Cisco Futurist Dave Evans postulated during the live Talk2Cisco broadcast this week.

In an animated half-hour conversation with viewers, Evans shared his thoughts on the art and science of being a futurist, speculated on the implications of the explosion of data and described his vision for a future Internet of Things—when trillions of networked computers could free people to focus their energies on pressing issues like climate change or resource shortages.

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Posted by Jamie Beckett at 05:54PM PST

World’s Most Interesting Intern talks “Doing Both” with NY Times Best-Selling Author Inder Sidhu

Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. -P.J. O’Rourke

Trust me: if you pick up a copy of Inder Sidhu’s (@indersidhu) New York Times best-seller, Doing Both, you will look good…really good…while reading it. But don’t take my word for it, check this interview with the man himself.

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Posted by Greg Justice at 08:34AM PST

From NBN Co’s Conference Room to Rural Australia - Cisco TelePresence Plays a Role

Last night on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) broadcast of The 7:30 Report, Australians heard from Mike Quigley the CEO of NBN Co Limited which was established by the Australian Government to design, build and operate the wholesale-only National Broadband Network.  In the interview he stated how NBN Co is using high end video conferencing between its Sydney and Melbourne offices “so that we no longer have to get on planes anywhere near as frequently.”  And what viewers saw on their TV screens was a short clip of an NBN Co meeting held over Cisco TelePresence (to view segment, go here and click on video on right-hand side). 

In the interview Quigley went on to state that “this (video conferencing) will start to have a real big impact on small-medium businesses, especially outside cities”.  This is poignantly demonstrated earlier in The 7:30 Report’s segment on the National Broadband Network with a short clip on how Grampians Rural Health Alliance is using Cisco TelePresence to make a dramatic impact in delivering healthcare to rural Australia.

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Posted by Linda Horiuchi at 06:05PM PST

A Video is Worth…?

Did you shoot any video this weekend?  Specifically, this Saturday, July 24th?  If so, you might want to submit it to YouTube’s “Life in a Day” project.  This is a very cool YouTube project produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Kevin Macdonald.  “Life in a Day” is an “historic global experiment to create a user-generated feature film, shot in a single day.”

Which got me thinking.  If a picture is worth a thousand words…what is a video worth?

I did participate in the video project.  I shot some extremely compelling footage of my 3-year-old son shelling peas so that he could make “pea cakes.” Had I simply taken a photo of him shelling peas, sure, it would have been cute (he’s a cute guy) to see the strawberry stain on his chin and the bright, green pea pods in front of him, but it wouldn’t have told the entire story as well as he did in video-form.

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Posted by John Earnhardt at 10:06AM PST

UCS Customer NightHawk Radiology to Appear Live on Cisco IPTV Show Tomorrow

On Tuesday, July 27 at 10:00 a.m. PT, Cisco will host a live IPTV show and Q&A session with NightHawk Radiology – one of the first ever Cisco UCS customers.

NightHawk provides radiology services to more than 25 percent of U.S. hospitals, with the majority of their work in critical patient care. This means that NightHawk depends on the reliability of Cisco technology to transmit patient information in the most crucial of times – when patients are in the ER or operating room. Also featured will be their channel partner World Wide Technologies (WWT). 

Be sure to tune in tomorrow morning to find out more. The broadcast can be launched here just before the show begins.

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Posted by Erin Lockhart at 06:00AM PST

World’s Most Interesting Intern: Solar Collaboration

Teamwork makes the dream work, baby…and in honor of Cisco’s Smart Grid Solutions, I used this week to partner with Nick Streets, a summer intern at a local solar company, for my first official “Most Interesting Intern Collaboration.”

As Ryunosuke Satoro says, “Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” Objectively, Nick and I are two downright interesting drops…and I will continue to collaborate with other interns (Cisco and non-Cisco alike) in order to generate the most interesting lyrical ocean the internet has ever seen. And, once again, big ups to my boy JurahzTRUTH for another filthy beat!

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Posted by Greg Justice at 07:49AM PST

Cisco to Announce Winners of USD$10,000 “What If Your TV Could…?” Global Video Contest

On Monday July 26^th Cisco will announce the winners of its “What If Your TV Could… ?” contest live via a special Talk2Cisco online broadcast on UStream.tv, at 9:00 AM PDT/12:00 PM EST. Our “What if Your TV Could” contest is a global video contest that encouraged consumers to submit creative short videos about what they wish their TV could do for them for an opportunity to win $10,000. Yes- that’s right $10,000! We have had over 175 video submissions in response to Cisco’s question, “If your TV could do anything, what would you want it to do?” on Cisco’s contest website at http://www.ciscocontest.com. Consumers’ submitted animated videos, powerpoint videos, rap videos, and cool skits to share their ideas. 

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Posted by Zoya Fallah at 10:23AM PST

Workplace 2010: 1970’s Time Travelers Wouldn’t Recognize

According to Cisco’s 2010 Midyear Security Report, published today, time travelers from the 1970s would barely recognize the workplace of 2010. We have experienced  tectonic changes such as the rise of social networking, the widespread adoption and proliferation of network-connected devices, and the embrace of virtualization.  The security report reviews the risks we face and suggests five tips to help enterprises strengthen their security by 2011:

1) Close Gaps In Situational Awareness. It’s not enough for IT departments to focus on blocking immediate security threats or patching major vulnerabilities. They also need to have “moment-to-moment”  awareness of the state of the network because the enterprise is in a constant state of change. As new companies are acquired, new employees hired, applications changed, and new devices added, these changes can present real risk. By taking stock of elements such as mobile workers,  mobile devices, web-based collaborative applications and the cloud, IT teams gain better visibility into the network. The report recommends IT departments disable unused services, such as operating system add-ons.  It also recommends a “change-control” approach to managing devices,  whereby stakeholder groups are informed when a device is connected to the network, as well as when it has been removed from use.

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Posted by Fred Kost at 05:00AM PST

University of New South Wales and Cisco Collaborate on Network Systems Architecture Course

A new post-graduate course in Network Systems Architecture at the University of New South Wales in Australia kicks off on July 22 to help Sydney-based students take advantage of opportunities created by communication advances such as the National Broadband Network and Cloud Computing.

Head of UNSW’s School of Electrical Engineering & Telecommunications Professor Eliathamby Ambikairajah said the course is the first of its kind in Australia and the first such collaboration between Cisco and an Australian university.

“In collaboration with Cisco we have come up with a network architecture course that will enable our students to take a high-level view of networking systems and connect engineering design to the business goals of an organisation.  Students learn about various networking methods and technologies but this new course teaches them how to integrate this knowledge to design, analyse, and verify entire systems that address user and business requirements while meeting cost constraints and future expansion needs.”

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Posted by Linda Horiuchi at 07:55PM PST

The Social Soap Box: Managing Crisis in a Social Media World

If working in crisis communication teaches you one thing, it’s the importance of perspective. A quick scan of your favorite news channels will reveal reputation-impacting crisis comes in all shapes and sizes – natural disasters, environmental damage, product recalls, even employees in trouble with the law.  Look deeper, and you’ll start to see how social media is playing a critical role.  In some cases, it amplifies the crisis, and in others it’s helping a company to identify and respond to it.

At Cisco, we have a range of crisis management experts who are focused on protecting our people, property and customers.  This capability is also supported by a great team of corporate communicators trained to respond in times of urgent need.  As part of this team, I spoke with our crisis communications lead, Nigel Glennie about some of the tips we’ve picked up along the way:

1. Preparation – Most executives and professional communicators can identify the things ALL companies and THEIR company should be prepared to handle.  Why not complete that work ahead of time, without the pressure of a real crisis event?
2. Process – Once you’re prepared, put an agreed process in place to identify and respond to a crisis.  Having the people, resources and channels (traditional and social!) ready will accelerate your company’s response, even during situations you couldn’t predict.
3. Speed – Never underestimate the value of a fast, thoughtful company response.  Social media may have compressed the time companies have to respond to an event, but it also serves as a “listening post” – potentially offering you advance notice and an opportunity to head off an issue.
4. Credibility – Being an active member of a community gives you a voice in that community.  Many companies including Cisco, are already using social media to participate in relevant conversations with self-nominated groups of interest.
5. Perspective – “Is anyone’s life in danger?”  Unfortunately, sometimes the answer is yes.  Remember that one person’s crisis may only qualify as a bad day for someone else.  Keep your eye on the big picture and you’ll be sure to gauge the appropriate response.

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Posted by Autumn Truong at 03:34PM PST

Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About Cloud, But Were Afraid to Ask

We’ve just published a white paper entitled, “Cloud: Powered by the Network. What Every Business Leader Must Know.”  Cisco CTO Padmasree Warrior writes in the forward:

“We address this paper to business leaders with an understanding that many of you have already been exposed to a deluge of technical treatises and marketing messages on Cloud. In this paper, we offer our thoughts on where we believe Cloud is going from a business perspective and why it’s relevant for your organization.”

View the paper here:

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Posted by John Earnhardt at 09:33AM PST

Cybersecurity is Everyone’s Responsibility

What do the Smart Grid, Cyber bullying and a company’s IT infrastructure have in common?  According to President Obama, one very real serious economic and national security threat – cybersecurity.

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Posted by Marie Hattar at 12:45PM PST

Double Rainbow Cisco Telepresence: World’s Most Interesting Intern

As the world’s most interesting intern, I have had many life-changing experiences: fame, Vegas, and calf implants, to name a few. I have not, however, had an experience quite like that of the Hungrybear man in Yosemite when he saw the double rainbow. That is, of course, until today.

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Posted by Greg Justice at 01:30PM PST

I Am the WORLD’s Most Interesting Intern: World Edition

Let’s be honest. To qualify as “The WORLD’s Most Interesting Intern,” one must have global appeal. Thanks to our friends in the Cisco Enterprise Translation Services Group, my lyrical genius can now be appreciated in 15 different languages (i.e. Czech, German, Spanish (EU and LA), French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, English, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese, and Chinese).

Considering the reality that only 20-25% of the world’s population speaks English, it would be silly to limit the consumption of my greatness to a subset of the global population. Thus: to enjoy subtitles in the language of your choice: 

1. PRESS PLAY, then hover your mouse over the arrow in the bottom right corner 2. Hover over the CC arrow 3. Select your language! (And yes, it is ironic that these directions are only available in English…)

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Posted by Greg Justice at 09:39AM PST

David Beckham Goes Around the World in 90 Minutes Using Cisco Telepresence

OK, I admit it, I don’t know much about football. I’m learning more and more as an American living in London, but one thing I do know about is David Beckham.

Global footballer, David Beckham, met his fans today from around the world for 90 minutes using Cisco Telepresence.  Beckham fans from nineteen countries across five continents participated in the video Q&A session, dubbed, “The World Asks David Beckham a Question,” which was streamed live to Yahoo!’s 600 million users around the world.

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Posted by Heather Dickinson at 09:08AM PST