According to the Cisco Visual Networking Index (VNI) study, “by the end of 2012, the number of mobile-connected devices will exceed the number of people on earth, and by 2016 there will be 1.4 mobile devices per capita”. Actually, I’m already a member of the “1.4 mobile devices per capita” group. I’d even say I am married to my 1.4 mobile devices.

If you’re like me and can’t imagine stepping out of your home without your phone or tablet, don’t miss out on Read More »

Tags: 2012, advanced social media strategies, best practices, Cisco, earn points, game, gamification, may 8, may 9, mobile application, mobile phone, play, ragan, tablet

What is singularity? The word has several interpretations in mathematics, geometry, natural sciences and technology. Increasingly, it is used to describe an exponential emergence of technological development with the potential of changing the world as we know it.

Singularity University (SU), located at NASA Research Park in Silicon Valley, was established in 2008 to create a global network of like-minded entrepreneurs, technologists and young leaders, dedicated to innovation and exploring the ways to singularity.

To make its efforts truly world-wide, SU launched a series of Global Impact Competitions, including one in Central and Eastern Europe, which is nearing its finals at the end of this week. Supported by Cisco, the competition reached thousands of university students, young entrepreneurs and business people in the region. Organizers were looking for innovative project ideas which could improve the lives of one million people in a 3-year period with the help of technology.

54 applications were submitted from eight countries, addressing issues of health, education or security. The minds behind the six most outstanding projects will get together on May 4^th in Budapest, Hungary, to present their ideas and compete for the grand prize, an invitation to Singularity University’s summer course this year, worth 30 000 USD.  The jury will be chaired by noone less than Professor Erno Rubik, the inventor of the Rubik cube.

So cross fingers for the finalists and their exciting ideas and watch this space to find out who wins later this week:

• Agnieszka Gaczkowska, Poland: Drug waste -- web-based service for used medicaments location and drug shortages alerts
• Tamas Haidegger, Hungary: Hand Hygiene for a Healthier Planet- innovative education and objective control on personal hygiene
• Vaclav Plevka, Czech Republic: Avoiding the Gridlock Incident in order to Keep the Conurbations in Operation
• Bogdana Rakova, Bulgaria: LIVEstat- phone assisted healthy shopping
• Daniel Ratai, Hungary: Leonar3Do the VR kit changing education, teaching and lifelong learning
• Priszcilla Varnagy, Hungary: Be-novative: Conquering real-life challenges with creativity

Tags: Cisco, innovation, Singularity University

Everyone is talking about the transition to IPv6 in the run up to the June 6^th launch of the IPv6 Internet. Most of the discussion has focused on the technical details of various approaches – 6rd vs. DS-Lite vs. CGNAT for example. However, what we haven’t seen is an effort made to look at the economic impact of the choice between IPv4 extension vs. IPv6 transition and back it up with some real world data. A few months back we asked telecommunications analyst Nav Chander of IDC (pictured right) to evaluate and publish the results of an economic analysis of the IPv6 options. This is a crucial and timely topic because operators are faced with important decisions about which transition technologies to use, when to implement them, and where in the network.

We’re pleased to report that Nav is finished and is ready to reveal the results of his findings. To keep the scope of his analysis within a reasonable boundary, he initially focused on just one scenario: that of a wireline carrier considering the deployment of a Carrier Grade NAT-only implementation (which basically just extends the life of IPv4 with no IPv6), or migrating to IPv6 with a combination of CGNAT (for short term IPv4 extension) and while new customers were deployed with 6rd.

The results of this study are detailed in a new Read More »

Tags: 6rd, CGNAT, cgv6, Cisco, IDC, IPv6, Nav Chander, service proider

By Carlos Cordero, Director, Service Provider Internet Business Solutions Group

In my previous blog I explained the importance of collaborative testing between telecommunications service providers (SPs) and their network vendors in order to achieve higher service quality levels. I’d like to start where I left off and move on to exploring how this type of collaboration can extend into the planning process.

SPs with the highest service quality tend to have a strong planning capability within both their Network Engineering and Operations organizations, which is directly coordinated with their vendors. Leading SPs establish a joint Program Management Office (PMO) with their network equipment vendor, whose scope of responsibility includes early bug identification, bug remediation, and new feature deployment. This includes structured, joint planning meetings and performance reviews which are attended by VP-level engineering and operations executives, as well as senior members of the vendor’s account team, services organization, and the development organization.

The joint SP-vendor PMO performs several critical activities.  First, it drives requirements gathering with senior network designers, and then works with them until actual code is released.  The PMO also develops network architectures with the vendor and the SP’s engineers using “Plan-of-Record” (POR) documentation.  Next, the PMO jointly prioritizes feature functionality with the vendor, keeping track of critical features needed by specified timeframes.  It works closely with the vendor’s development organization to understand any design limitations, testing issues, and special conditions.  In addition to performing classic management functions, the PMO makes use of “Bug Workbooks” to track all major, critical, and minor bugs and trends.

For example, Read More »

Tags: business agility, carrier-grade, Cisco, IBSG, operational best practices, partnership, PMO, Service Provider, service quality, telecommunications

As a follow up to a recent post, “Lessons about cloud from Enterprise Connect,” which discusses the merits of moving to cloud-based collaboration solutions, I wanted to dig a little deeper into which collaboration applications should be a priority for your move from premise-based to cloud-based solutions.

While we at Cisco certainly realize that cloud-based collaboration solutions are not a “one size fits all” deployment, we’ve outlined our suggested priorities as you work to migrate your collaboration technology to the cloud.

In order to maximize the return on your collaboration investment I’d first suggest going with a robust instant messaging (IM) and presence solution in order to collaborate more effectively with colleagues, partners, and customers. Cisco’s answer is Cisco Jabber a unified communications platform that in addition to IM and presence includes voice, video, desktop sharing and conferencing. With Jabber available from a wealth of mobile and fixed endpoints (from iPhone to Android, to the iPad and to both Windows and Mac) having this application migrated to your organization’s cloud allows you to work from any workspace, on any device, giving you the opportunity to communicate from truly anywhere.

Next, I’d suggest incorporating a web / video conferencing solution in order to stay engaged with colleagues, customers and partners from afar in the current mobile workplace ecosystem, which is not showing signs of slowing down. Cisco WebEx^® Conferencing increases productivity and accelerates results with the ability to meet anytime, anywhere, in a compelling and cost-effective package.

Read More »

Tags: Cisco, cloud, cloud collaboration, cloud services, collaboration, Enterprise, enterprise apps