2015 - Page 83 of 217

August 7, 2015 1 Comment

Open NX-OS featured on TechWiseTV

This is the first in a multi-part series where we cover ‘programmability’ for networking. The idea is to fully review the programming options now available inside the Nexus switches, (3000, 9000). This first episode covers new access with Linux tools, NX-API and more. Further shows will be diving into the details around Object Models and orchestration partners.

The primary point for any of these is to understand how Cisco Open NX-OS extensibility exposes greater programmability and automation capabilities. It is fascinating and full of new learning opportunities. It does not come without a few career questions of course…usually, something along the lines of: do network engineers need to become programmers now too?

Two answers: Yes. It depends.

Networking knowledge and skill should not be undersold here. Programming capabilities should be additive. They are useful in just about any tech career and obviously affecting the networking space. I think it’s foolish to ever quit learning but it does depend on your aspirations, your current level of satisfaction and perhaps how narrowly defined your skill set might be.

Full disclosure: I am not a programmer. I have been learning the fundamentals of python and a few others as I work on this series but I am not hire-able for this skill by any means. But the distinct feeling I get, and the feedback I hear from you guys: its not that hard. You are probably well versed in scripting for various CLI operations…take it up a few notches and work on some of these ‘readable’ languages that will have similar syntax. This will give you the ability to judge the appeal of what we are offering with ACI and other solutions much more credibly…and I guarantee you will find ways to get rid of redundant crap and stupid errors you may be fighting with yourself or your team.

JOIN US AT THE WORKSHOP

Live, interactive, never dull.

September 21, 2015

Programmable networks will forever change the way you manage infrastructure enabling you to dramatically accelerate configuration and deployment of your network, automate time consuming manual tasks, and allocate IT resources far more efficiently. Are you ready for the revolution?

Discover how to create a programmable network as we discuss and demonstrate the NX-API and NX-API REST (Object Model) in detail. Understand how Cisco Open NX-OS extensibility exposes greater programmability and automation capabilities that eliminate costly manual errors.

– You can sign up at the workshop tab when the date gets a bit closer, http://www.techwisetv.com

TechWiseTV 176: Open NX-OS: Programmability

Shownotes:

Two great experts on this episode.

Shane Corban shares Six Key Points: What OPEN means for NX-OS

Changes made across the software stack to address Extensibility, Openness, Programmability.

Auto Deployment (Bootstrap and Provisioning)
- Added support for PXE server, operationalize NX-OS software to match an existing server environment
Extensibility – how we package software
- We did not use to expose much beyond a bash shell
- Now you can install native RPM’s, and third party applications running processes as they would on a Linux server
Open Interfaces
- We are now adding support to leverage Linux like tools for debugging, configuration and troubleshooting…manipulate those front panel ports as native Linux interfaces within our switch software stack.
Application Integration (Adaptable SDK)
- Published an SDK, a build environment that you can install on any Linux server, download the build agent, and put your source into that directory structure and build into an RPM for installation and run it natively.
- Build your own custom automation apps, monitoring agents, and have them run natively on our platform
Programmability Tool Choice
- Sandbox
- We have a native Python shell today that has a Native Cisco Library that you can utilize for automation
- NX-API – the ability to embed CLI commands and structured data (JSON, XML) for execution on the switch via HTTP/HTTPS Interface to get back structured data back on show commands.
Management Tools
- Support for Chef and Puppet
- Agents will be publicly available on the enterprise sites
- Support for Open Stack, Neutron

NX-OS is now more modular, more open, more capable of third party integration providing a wide variety of programmability choices ideal for Dev-Ops environments.

Nicolas provides five case study examples.

Checking Software Version
Using Python script with NXAPI and JSON to pull version numbers
Python script to query multiple switches to check compliance against a specific version
VLAN Provisioning
Checking for proper VLAN provisioning

Special thanks behind the scenes to Rami Rammaha and Mark Jackson

_____

Authors

Robb Boyd

Producer, Writer, Host

2 Comments

Espionage in the Internet Age

Jean Gordon Kocienda

If you had asked me a few years ago, I might have predicted that the rise of large scale hacking and network-based Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) would spell the end of old-school espionage (poison-tipped umbrellas, office break-ins, dangles and the like). Those of us who fancy ourselves logical, savvy cyber security specialists can be forgiven for thinking such analog antics wouldn’t persist in a digital world.

And yet, human espionage remains a nagging issue. A Russian spy ring was disrupted in New York in January. New stories about employees stealing trade secrets from their employers regularly make headlines, such as this one in May. More than one article alleges that Vienna and Lausanne (home to recent Iranian nuclear negotiations) are swarming with spies from Tehran. And these are just the stories that get reported.

There is no question that spycraft is changing with the times. Recent, damaging breaches of US government employee information—amply documented elsewhere—provide some interesting hints as to how: Continue reading “Espionage in the Internet Age”

Authors

Jean Gordon Kocienda

Global Threat Analyst

Corporate Security Programs

4 Comments

Branch Direct Internet Access: is your branch office secure?

Elisa Caredio

With the recent launch of FirePower Threat Defense on Cisco 4000 Series Integrated Services Routers, I would like to spend some time talking about enterprise branch security and what are the requirements to keep in mind to secure your branch office. Let’s start out by examining your branch environment.

What’s happening at the branch today?

Cloud is redefining application delivery. Mobility is redefining network architecture. Next generation applications like Ultra High Definition videos, Web, and SaaS applications put increased pressure on bandwidth availability.

Organizations may be considering Direct Internet Access (DIA) at the branch to leverage local internet path for public cloud and internet access. Leveraging the local internet path at the branch reduces IT spending (freeing up costly WAN bandwidth for mission critical applications) and ensures better application experience, for example for applications hosted in the public cloud (less latency) but it may come with a cost since now the branch may be exposed to security threats. Continue reading “Branch Direct Internet Access: is your branch office secure?”

Authors

Elisa Caredio

Product Manager

Enterprise Routing

August 6, 2015 Leave a Comment

Securing the IoE with OpenAppID

Costas Kleopa

We introduced OpenAppID in early 2014 with the goal of empowering customers and the open source community to control application usage in their network environments. Since then, we have increased our coverage from 1,000 OpenAppID detectors to more than 2,600, and have received valuable feedback from the community on ways to improve the product.

The case of having an open, application-focused detection language and processing module for Snort has attracted the attention of the Internet of Everything (IoE) world. There are countless devices out there using the Internet on their own, varying from a remote IP based camera to an industrial based sensor in which may include some security features on them.

With the combination of OpenAppID and Snort we are giving the capability to the open source community to create their own application-based protocols and classifications, which can be used to Continue reading “Securing the IoE with OpenAppID”

Authors

Costas Kleopa

Manager, Cisco Security Business Group

1 Comment

IoE and Managing Assets in Motion: Making Better, Smarter, Faster Organizations

Tony Shakib

The Internet of Everything (IoE) is connecting everything everywhere — on the land, in the air, and even on the sea. Cisco recently helped a competitive yacht crew win regattas using the IoE to provide the competitive edge. The vessel was outfitted with an IoE ruggedized platform combining boat sensor data; GPS, wind, and weather information; and a local Wi-Fi network to help the crew make critical decisions almost instantaneously.

I’m particularly excited about this implementation of Cisco’s Mobile Asset Management. The program highlights our ability to connect data from billions of things so people can make smarter decisions about how to live, work, and play. This is a perfect example of the immense power of the IoE to solve real-world problems through connectivity, insightful data and analytics.

The most impressive attribute of the Mobile Asset Management Suite is that it applies to all industries. It helps customers identify, track, control, monitor, and secure IT and non-IT assets across buildings, remote sites, retail locations, manufacturing facilities, and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn9QfgCKF_Q

Continue reading “IoE and Managing Assets in Motion: Making Better, Smarter, Faster Organizations”

Authors

Tony Shakib

No Longer with Cisco

1 Comment

IT Paradox: Managing More Complex Networks with Limited Resources

Subu Subramanian

I speak with Cisco customers regularly. The topic of the Internet of Everything (IoE) comes up often. Put simply, their concerns can be summed up in a single question: How can I prepare for the network of tomorrow when it’s difficult to keep pace with managing the fast-moving complexity of my network today?

IoT: So Many Vulnerabilities. So Little Time and Resources. So Much at Stake.

Research firm IDC predicts there will be over 28 billion connected devices installed by 2020, while fellow analyst Gartner forecasts that 4.9 billion connected things will be in use in 2015, up 30 percent from 2014, and will reach 25 billion by 2020.

An example of one industry that’s moving to meet this opportunity is retailing. Like me, I’m sure you’ve noticed the change in your shopping experience — whether it’s contextual matching of products to your personal profile or in-store product or pricing comparisons using your mobile device.

But moving into the revolutionary digital retail environment enabled by the Internet of Things doesn’t come without risk. New connectedness brings new security threats. For the typical network administrator a major security issue like the Heartbleed bug can quickly turn into a bad case of heartburn. What’s the nature of the vulnerability? What devices are impacted? How do I respond? When you combine these questions with the day to day demands of directly supporting end-users, answering technical questions, resolving network issues, writing scripts, creating reports, monitoring systems and managing version controls, it’s not surprising that a network operations team can be overwhelmed. And that’s before the growing connectivity fueled by the Internet of Things. Continue reading “IT Paradox: Managing More Complex Networks with Limited Resources”

Authors

Subu Subramanian

Vice President and General Manager

Smart Services Installed Base (SSIB) Solutions Group

1 Comment

Order Up! The Cisco Aironet 1850 AP is Now Available!

Bruce Tiff

During the Cisco Live! event in San Diego, CA, the Aironet 1850 Access Point was unveiled to the public. Now Cisco has followed up the device’s debut and has announced the orderability and the shipping of the Aironet 1850 AP.

A perfect fit for any small or medium-sized networks, the Cisco Aironet 1850 AP is an entry-level device boasting cutting-edge 802.11ac Wave 2 capabilities that offers faster client performance. This high performance is enabled by multi-user, multi-in, multi-out (MU-MIMO) and the ability to offload to wired networks with two gigabit Ethernet ports.

When your network upgrades to Wave 2, you are afforded the abilities to take advantage of increased wireless bandwidth and to handle the demands of many more devices at one time. Gone are the days of slow and bottlenecked WiFi speeds. With a Wave 2 migration, you’re essentially stretching the bandwidth you already have.

The devices that connect to the Cisco Aironet 1850 AP don’t all have to be Wave 2 compliant. The AP supports the newest generations of WiFi clients as well as any of the previous generations.

For more information or to order the Cisco Aironet 1850 AP, please go here.

Authors

Bruce Tiff

Product Marketing Manager

Wireless Networking Business Unit (WNBU)

7 Comments

The Best Service Humanly Possible

Zack Taylor

Sitting in traffic the other day, I tuned off my Peter Frampton Spotify channel and started to listen to New York area local AM radio. The president of a mortgage business came on in an advertisement. He ended his pitch with the tag line “I promise you the best service humanly possible”.

This caught my attention. At one time I would have viewed this as a very positive statement. But is this still the case?

Consumers consistently cite the “indifference of one person” as a key reason they leave a supplier relationship. (Source: TARP).

The contact center industry has long counted on non-human software applications to attempt to emulate human interaction. This could be as simple as “if-then” routing schemes to sophisticated avatars which emulate human engagement (just “Ask Jenn” at Alaska Airlines – http://www.alaskaair.com/content/about-us/site-info/ask-jenn.aspx) Continue reading “The Best Service Humanly Possible”

Authors

Zack Taylor

Director

Cisco Global Collaboration

12 Comments

IT Competitions Unleash Critical Thinking and Hone Job Skills

Tae Yoo

One year from now more than 10,500 athletes from 205 National Olympic Committees will put their skills and perseverance to the test at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Next year’s medal winners may go on to become professional athletes, role models, and commercial spokespeople – for many, the visibility and success they achieve in front of an international audience launches their careers.

Most of us are familiar with the world’s largest international multi-sport event. But it might surprise you to learn that next week a different kind of global competition will take place in Brazil. Instead of tennis, swimming, or gymnastics, next week’s participants will show off their abilities in 50 professional fields – ranging from carpentry and cooking to robotics and web design.

Held every two years, the WorldSkills competition inspires and prepares today’s young people to become the skilled professionals of tomorrow. Participants also gain hands-on experience that helps them stand out with employers.

The Internet of Everything economy will create many opportunities for creative, tech-savvy people everywhere. As a WorldSkills Global Partner, Cisco provides networking infrastructure and sponsors an entire segment of the competition – IT Network Systems Administration, or Skill #39.

A student competes in Skill #39, IT Network Systems Administration, at WorldSkills 2013 in Leipzig, Germany. About 90% of Skill #39 competitors participate in Cisco Networking Academy. Photo courtesy WorldSkills.

Continue reading “IT Competitions Unleash Critical Thinking and Hone Job Skills”