Year: 2015

May 12, 2015 Leave a Comment
Avatar

#DigitalTransformation Fueling the Need for Workforce Transformation

Digital disruption is transforming virtually every role in every industry. Every day I see how the proliferation of online, mobile, and social interactions has created the need for completely new marketing strategies—and completely new skillsets for marketing professionals. We can see this same disruption across industries, as the Internet of Everything (IoE) creates fundamental transformation through the networked connection of people, process, data, and things.

For example, we recently published a new report that shows a global oil and gas (O&G) industry awash with disruption, and primed for digital transformation. Low oil prices have upended the sector, spurring an urgent rethinking of strategy by oil and gas executives—and accelerating the adoption of IoE.

This disruption is one of many factors impacting the oil and gas workforce today—from field workers all the way to the executive suite. Not only will new skills be required in an industry transformed by IoE, but new digital processes will also be needed to transfer knowledge, collaborate to solve problems in real time, and capture insights from a torrent of digital data.

To become agile enough to compete in the IoE Era, the oil and gas workforce must possess a mix of technical skills, industry knowledge, and business acumen. With talent shortages due to massive numbers of professionals retiring over the next few years—and a lack of necessary digital skills among those who remain— O&G firms need to make bold moves to transform their workforce strategy.

  1. Extend the reach of existing expertise –Video-based collaboration can help bridge the expected talent gap by making the most of professional expertise that is spread too thin, as well as providing ongoing training throughout the organization. Video and web collaboration can effectively bring remote experts to any location, without the need for travel. For example, Saipem, an Italian oilfield services company, has employed high-definition video conferencing to cut travel costs, boost productivity, and provide subject-matter expertise throughout the company and with partners.
Real-time collaboration tools are increasingly important for far-flung oil and gas organizations.

Continue reading “#DigitalTransformation Fueling the Need for Workforce Transformation”

Authors

Avatar

Karen Walker

Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer

Leave a Comment
Avatar

Introducing “Cisco Refresh”

In 2001, Cisco Capital introduced Cisco Certified Refurbished Equipment (CCRE) a program designed to sell Cisco’s high-quality refurbished products. To address the growing secondary market, and provide a price-competitive and trusted alternative in those cases when buying new equipment is not an option, Cisco Capital is evolving its CCRE program to become Cisco Refresh. Available through Cisco authorized resellers and the Cisco Commerce Workspace, products sold through Cisco Refresh are remanufactured and backed by the same Cisco warranty and service support options as if buying new. Providing a range of value-added lifecycle solutions, Cisco Refresh also introduces a new sales tool and expanded profitability opportunities for partners.

  • 1 Click Tool (1CT) availability: Now available to all partners worldwide, this tool allows easy blending of customer’s bill of materials along with a simple way of identifying the right discount required to close the deal. The tool also introduces “Watch List,” a new feature that allows partners to insert certain part numbers they are tracking, and automatically be notified when these parts become available.
  • Expanded portfolio: Approximately 500 products have been added to the Cisco Refresh portfolio providing partners with extra revenue potential and product availability. The inventory – consisting now of nearly 4,000 offerings – includes products from all technology areas, including switching, routing, wireless, IP telephony, security, and other advanced technologies.
  • Cisco Refresh Partner Incentive Program (RFIP): Partners registered in RFIP may be able to receive an additional rebate on eligible Cisco Refresh sales.
  • Distributors: Global distributors have full access to the Cisco Refresh inventory and can carry a range of products either in stock or available on request.

Continue reading “Introducing “Cisco Refresh””

Authors

Avatar

Alastair Borissow

Director

POE: Global Sales Strategy, Operations and Planning

Leave a Comment
Avatar

Attackers Slipping Past Corporate Defenses with Macros and Cloud Hosting

Macro malware is a good example of malware writers and distributors using old tricks that most users have forgotten to spread malware. Unlike earlier macro malware, these macros don’t infect other documents but download password stealing trojans and install them on targets. Macro malware typically arrives via email with an attachment that contains a macro-based phishing attack in the form of an MS Office document (usually Word or Excel). The malicious code is written using the older Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) scripting language.

What makes the current versions of macro malware particularly dangerous is that the code is often heavily obfuscated, making detection difficult. Furthermore, once the document is opened and macros are enabled, the malware installs and begins to monitor Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox browser activities with the capability of grabbing screenshots and logging keystrokes. The attacker’s ultimate goal is stealing these login credentials that give access to corporate and financial data.

Distribution of malware by email using malicious Word and Excel files containing macros is on the rise. Popular malware used by cyber criminals including Dridex, Vawtrack, Betabot, and Rovnix have been distributed using this tactic. Based on data analyzed by Cisco Managed Threat Defense Team, email attacks where macros are the method of infection are up 50% from February and have more than doubled since October of last year.

email-attacks-per-month-clustered

Email Attacks per Month

Keep reading to learn more about Email Attacks Using Malicious Macros

Authors

Avatar

Tim Gurganus

Info Security Incident Manager, Cisco Active Threat Analytics

Cisco Security Services

2 Comments
Avatar

FlexPod Adds UCS Director Management, Database, and Hybrid Cloud Solutions

Last quarter, we featured solutions with Microsoft and edge computing solutions with UCS Mini. This quarter, FlexPod built on UCS integrated infrastructure and NetApp storage continues its leadership with new designs for data center management, database platforms, and hybrid cloud deployments.

Recently released solutions include:FlexPod DC

FlexPod with UCS Director

Two new validated designs feature UCS Director and how it provides IT administrators the capability to accelerate FlexPod deployments and automate frequent operational tasks.  The automation and self-service mechanisms enable users to consume infrastructure without manual intervention for provisioning or configuration of pooled resources. This combination of standardization, workflow automation and self-service offered in a secure manner by Cisco UCS Director on a FlexPod platform, gives businesses the opportunity to offer IT-as- a-Service. Cisco ACI provides fabric and services automation based on the needs of the application. However, there are other parts of the infrastructure that are required for applications to optimally operate, which are outside the scope of ACI.  Resources such as storage, virtual machines, and physical servers are still very important to applications.  This is where Cisco UCS Director helps accelerate deployments by automating all of FlexPod’s resources into a single automated process. Continue reading “FlexPod Adds UCS Director Management, Database, and Hybrid Cloud Solutions”

Authors

Avatar

Tim Stack

Product Marketing Manager

Data Center and Compute

5 Comments
Avatar

Making Teamwork Simpler

I thought I’d spend a few moments to share a little about what we’re working on in the Cloud Collaboration Technology Group at Cisco. Simplifying collaboration has been top of mind. But it’s been evident that we needed to think about it differently this time.

There is a new type of worker that has emerged that requires collaboration at any place and at any time. They stay constantly in touch with their colleagues and rapidly create and share new ideas, concepts and documents. They fuel shorter project cycles and juggle more projects at one time.  They are not bound by hierarchies that say who they can and should work with: they simply find the right people the need to work with to get their jobs done, and get to it.  They are agile, work in small teams and they are moving fast.  Does this sound familiar to you?

So when we think about what’s next, we believe there is a tremendous opportunity to create a new class of collaboration tool that is specifically targeted to these types of workers, and here’s what we think is needed: Continue reading “Making Teamwork Simpler”

Authors

Avatar

Jens Meggers

No Longer with Cisco

May 11, 2015 Leave a Comment
Avatar

A Tour of Cisco’s Allen Data Center

As a consultant I have seen many different ‘Data Centers’, from Co-location facilities, to in house and well thought out, to a dirty closet that no one was using. Douglas Alger gave us a tour of Cisco’s Data Center in Allen, TX about a month ago. I was expecting to be impressed and I was not disappointed. Cisco has made a commitment to all of their Data Centers at least Leeds Silver certified. The Data Center in Allen, TX is Leeds Gold certified. Also, Cisco tried to use as much off the shelf components as possible so that this model can be replicated to every Data Center.

Outside of the Data Center building

When driving up to the Data Center it was not the usual look of a Data Center. You really have to know where you are going to find it. The building is surrounded by berms 15-20 feet tall. This is doubles as a camouflage for the building, but it’s primary purpose is to deflect tornados from hitting the building directly. If a tornado is heading for the building, the base would have to climb the berms which in turn would cause the tornado to ‘jump’ over the building.

The roof of the Data Center has a high level of wind tolerance, but the building is constructed in several layers. A tornado could take off several of these layers and the Data Center could continue to operate.

There are the typical barriers expected in a secure facility such as fencing, vehicle barriers, cameras, and a bicycle rack. Yeah, a bicycle rack. Part of the Leeds certificate is the ability for alternate modes of transportation to the office. Installing a bicycle rack and shower inside was an easy way to get additional points for the Leeds certification. Continue reading “A Tour of Cisco’s Allen Data Center”

Authors

Avatar

Charles D. Galler Jr

Network and UC Engineer

1 Comment
Avatar

Empowering “Makers” to Become Global Problem Solvers

MakerConCisco is proud to be a presenting sponsor of MakerCon, which will bring together leaders in the “maker movement” on May 12 and 13 at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, California.

If you’re unfamiliar with the maker movement, it is, as Joan Voight wrote in Adweek, “the umbrella term for independent inventors, designers, and tinkerers.”

Thanks to the growth of shared “makerspaces” – with 3D printers, laser cutters, and computer-aided design programs – and open source hardware, these makers can build prototypes, collaborate with others, and turn their visions into reality. Makers value collaboration, openness, and learning new skills with and from their peers. They stimulate innovation and address social and environmental problems.

Continue reading “Empowering “Makers” to Become Global Problem Solvers”

Authors

Avatar

Alexis Raymond

Senior Manager

Chief Sustainability Office

9 Comments
Avatar

Analytics Opens a Window into Each Shopper’s Journey

The key to retail today is customer understanding —where each customer stands on his or her personal shopping journey, whether in-store or out. Retailers must “know” each shopper as never before. And they must offer the kinds of contextual, personally relevant experiences that will optimize their merchandise mix, create faster inventory turns, and drive greater customer engagement.

After all, the typical customer today is mobile, connected, and has heightened expectations. Many are accustomed to a deeper level of real-time interaction from innovative online retailers than from traditional brick-and-mortar stores.

https://youtu.be/IE9uzp4Rya0?list=PLE122E9E4108CAEBE

Yet, as a recent Cisco study revealed, offline retailers – or retailers that combine on and offline capabilities – have their own unique advantages – if they step up to the opportunities of the Internet of Everything (IoE) economy. By blending the benefits of the physical store — such as the ability to touch, compare, and try on products — with the benefits of the virtual world, retailers can create a new value proposition that can’t be matched by their online-only competitors. In the process, they not only drive their own industry’s disruption but challenge for market leadership.

Continue reading “Analytics Opens a Window into Each Shopper’s Journey”

Authors

Avatar

Mala Anand

No Longer with Cisco

1 Comment
Avatar

Making the Branch Core to Omnichannel, and a Hub for Financial Expertise

I recently returned from a Financial Services Summit event in China, where I discussed trends in an omnichannel delivery strategy with an audience from 30 banks. A central part of my discussion was the notion that things are not changing, they’ve already changed. Consumers across the globe have a heavy appetite for digital services.

Digital consumers across all age groups are adopting new digital behaviors at a faster pace. For example, it took one European bank 10 years to have 20 million hits per month on their website, but when they introduced their new mobile banking app, it only took 1.5 years to reach 20 million hits per month.

In a recent Internet of Everything (IoE) in Financial Services consumer study conducted by Cisco across 12 countries, we saw that in China, there is a high interest for alternative banking solutions. However, this same group of respondents (72 percent) put the branch as their first preference for opening up an account. We saw similarly high scores across Brazil, India, Russia and Mexico. The U.S. consumers came in at 60 percent.

So, what does this tell us? For one, it tells us that we need to not only evolve our mobile strategy but also see the branch as a valuable asset that is complementary to mobile and still core to any omnichannel banking delivery model.

Yes, the branch still matters. From opening up an account, to applying for a car loan or even a mortgage, there is an educational and personal interaction component to that journey. Consumers often feel that they are not fully equipped to make decisions about financial products and services alone and often seek advice and guidance from a trusted banking specialist. Continue reading “Making the Branch Core to Omnichannel, and a Hub for Financial Expertise”

Authors

Avatar

Leni Selvaggio

Global Senior Manager

Financial Services Industry