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Stephen Speirs

SP Product Management

Cisco Customer Experience (CX)

Stephen Speirs is part of the Cisco Customer Experience Product Management team. This team is tasked with developing major new professional service offerings for Cisco. Stephen has worked on a range of technologies - 5G, NFV, Cloud, Data Center, SDN, DevOps and more. Working with customers and partners worldwide, Stephen has over 30 years industry experience in software development, IT, Data Centers and Service Provider Network Management.

Working with and building a 30 partner consortium, Stephen brought to life the 5G RuralFirst project - potentially the world's most ambitious rural 5G trial - winning part government funding to take 5G to Orkney and Somerset in the UK. Before joining Cisco Services in 2009, Stephen was senior manager, product management, in Cisco's Network Management Technology group, where he brought to market the multi-award winning Cisco MPLS Diagnostics Expert product. In Cisco Services, Stephen drove development of the Cloud Enablement Services - rated #1 by IDC in their 2013 client survey.

Stephen is based in Cisco's offices in Glasgow, Scotland, and was "acquired into" Cisco in 2000 through the acquisition of Atlantech Technologies Ltd. Since 2019, Stephen has served as non-exec director on the Ofcom Advisory Committee for Scotland (UK communications regulator). Stephen has a BSc (1st Hons) in Applied Physics from the University of Strathclyde, an MSc in Digital Systems Engineering from the University of Heriot Watt, and an MBA from the University of Strathclyde Graduate Business School.

Outside of work, family, cycling, running, and skiing keep him busy. Since 2019, he has been a member of the Ofcom (UK telecoms regulator) Advisory Committee for Scotland. Believing in "Giving Back" with work-related skills, Stephen also is a guest speaker on the Strathclyde University MBA program, an advisory board member on MaaS Scoltand (Mobility as a Service), and a student project mentor with Dundee University's Product Management BSc/MSc

Articles

April 5, 2014

DATA CENTER

Are You Ready for Dev Ops and SDN Software Development with Cisco ONE?

5 min read

One of the great challenges of SDN – that many in my view underplay – is the change in paradigm from having a vendor deliver your network (hardware...

February 27, 2014

DATA CENTER

How a Snowboarding ‘Wipeout’ Can Guide You On SDN Deployment

4 min read

  As I was thinking about how best to advise you on how to "experiment" with SDN technologies, and more specifically why you should run a formal pilot to evaluate...

February 14, 2014

DATA CENTER

Get Started on SDN and Cisco ONE: Learn from Our New Technical White Paper

5 min read

If you were to believe the industry press, you could easily be forgiven for thinking that many companies across the world were rolling software defined networking (SDN) technologies into their...

December 23, 2013

DATA CENTER

SDN Adoption Challenges: My Wrap Up For 2013

3 min read

2013 was the year I started working on SDN - specifically in the area of devising professional services for Cisco ONE and Application Centric Infrastructure, ACI.  A few...

December 11, 2013

DATA CENTER

SDN Reflections on the London Gartner Data Center Conference – Part 2

3 min read

Last week I started my SDN reflections on the London Gartner Data Center Conference, and I found I had quite a lot to discuss. Last week I covered: Do we need SDN? SDN and the Gartner Hype Cycle SDN Deployment Models So here is the concluding part. This week I’ll cover: Overlay-Based SDN — and the […]

December 6, 2013

DATA CENTER

SDN Reflections on the London Gartner Data Center Conference – Part 1

4 min read

Last week I was in London for the Gartner Data Center Conference.  As always there was a wide range of interesting topics being discussed, all very useful.  Working in Cisco...

November 19, 2013

DATA CENTER

The Quickest Way To Get Started with ACI

3 min read

By now, given all the launch and blogging activity activity over the past week or so, I am sure your understanding of and interest in

November 5, 2013

DATA CENTER

Navigating Your OpenStack Roadmap: Why You Should Run a “Pilot”

3 min read

The road in my picture below – the A82 that winds through Glencoe in Scotland – was used in the James Bond “Skyfall” movie in one of the amazing car chase scenes.  This road winds through sparsely inhabited territory, has lots of ups, downs, bumps and turns and if you’re not careful it can be […]

October 9, 2013

DATA CENTER

Cisco Domain Ten: The Compendium

3 min read

It’s hard to believe but it’s ten months since I first blogged on  Cisco Domain TenSM,  which is Cisco Service’s framework to guide you on your path to data center and cloud transformation. I’ve now covered all ten domains of this concise and powerful model.  I’ll now collect all articles – including my most Cisco Domain […]

September 26, 2013

DATA CENTER

SDN: Cisco Domain Ten tells us it’s not (just) about the Network

4 min read

In my first SDN blog, I asserted that "Services" - that is technical support, professional and consultancy services - are the missing "S" in the SDN debate.  I'd...

August 1, 2013

DATA CENTER

Learn More About Data Center and Cloud Adoption Challenges With Cisco Services Magazines

1 min read

Since around the turn of the year, specific to each region of the world, we in Cisco Services have established magazines (available in both printed and online formats)...

July 15, 2013

DATA CENTER

Cisco Domain Ten: Domain 10: Process and Governance – Part (b)

3 min read

Operational process and governance, as I discussed last month, is “Domain 10” in the Cisco Domain Ten(SM) model for data center transformation.  It’s so important in my opinion, and so often disregarded or de-prioritised when planning and executing data center transformation, that I’ll cover it twice! Last time, I discussed some of the “Process and Governance” […]

June 26, 2013

DATA CENTER

Cisco Professional Services for Cloud Ranked #1 in IDC Survey – Announced at CiscoLive!

1 min read

Having been part of the team who developed the Cisco Cloud Enablement Services, our professional services to help customers enable and adopt cloud computing, I was absolutely delighted watching the CiscoLive! keynote yesterday to hear Padmasree Warrior announce the results of the March 2013 IDC market research study that showed Cisco come out on top for […]

June 25, 2013

DATA CENTER

Meet our Experts @ CiscoLive!

2 min read

Some of our Cisco Services strategy and design consultants and leaders are at CiscoLive in Orlando this week.  If you are around, please take some time to learn from their...

June 23, 2013

DATA CENTER

Leading the Network Evolution to SDN – Helping You with Your SDN Adoption Strategy

3 min read

  If you are following the industry debates around Software Defined Networking (SDN), and are wondering “What really is SDN?”, “How the concepts of network virtualization and network programmability relate...

June 21, 2013

DATA CENTER

Cisco Domain Ten: Domain 10: Process and Governance – Part (a)

4 min read

So, with this blog, the end of my Cisco Domain Ten(SM) journey approaches.  Starting back in December, I’ve now covered each of the ten domains in our Cisco Services’ framework for data center transformation. A few weeks back, I discussed some of the challenges you may face in Domain 9: Security and Compliance, and it’s […]

Take 3: Ride Across Britain (again) to Raise Funds for Paralympic Athletes

3 min read

  It’s 5:30am on Monday morning (10th June 2013 to be precise). ” Wake up it’s a beautiful morning” by the Boo Radleys  is blasting out of the speakers at the camp site.   “I shouldn’t be up at this time” is one of the lines of this songs which rings so true to me on this day. […]

June 7, 2013

DATA CENTER

Services – the Missing “S” in the SDN Debate

5 min read

While I’ve been writing about Cisco Domain TenSM, I’ve been watching the SDN debate evolve in our industry, and I have to say, I’ve had my concerns.  Don’t get me wrong – I personally see SDN as an important and very much required evolution (and note: ‘evolution’ – not ‘revolution’) of the networking industry.  Being […]

May 27, 2013

DATA CENTER

Desktop Virtualization Automation – Upcoming Webinar on Wednesday May 29th

1 min read

Last week I blogged on Desktop Virtualization Automation – and how we in Cisco Services can help you develop custom automation software solutions for rapid provisioning of virtual desktops. If you are involved in desktop virtualization, or interested in automation and orchesration, you may want to attend our upcoming Bright Talk Webinar, scheduled for May 29th […]

May 23, 2013

DATA CENTER

Cisco Domain Ten: Domain 9: Security and Compliance

3 min read

Security and Compliance is the next domain in our Cisco Domain TenSM model that I will cover, following on from my previous post on Applications.  And following on from my previous posts around Cisco Domain Ten, I’ll give you a brief overview of the questions that come up when we discuss data center security and compliance […]

May 21, 2013

DATA CENTER

More on Management and Orchestration – Part 1 – Desktop Virtualization Automation

2 min read

Over the past year or so, from time to time, I’ve blogged about what we in Cisco Services have been doing with our Management and Orchestration solutions – for example Cisco Intelligent Automation for cloud – which I discussed in the Automation domain in my Cisco Domain Ten series, and also here, when we introduced […]

March 29, 2013

DATA CENTER

Cisco Domain Ten: Domain 8: Applications

3 min read

“Applications?”  I hear you say.  “Why are Cisco talking about application?  They’re a networking company!?”  If this is what you are thinking, I’m glad you are reading this blog.  As we’ve broadened to be an IT company, we in Cisco Services have been quietly building our application migration capability for the past 2 years.  And with cloud, […]

March 1, 2013

DATA CENTER

Cisco Domain Ten: Domain 7: Platform

3 min read

Domain 7 in our Cisco Domain TenSM framework for data center transformation is what we call “Platform”.  More specifically, this term refers to the “software platform” upon which your business applications will run.  In short, this area is where we examine operating systems, databases and other types of middleware and help you figure out your […]

February 25, 2013

DATA CENTER

Cisco Domain Ten – The Story So Far

Over the past 2 months  or so, I’ve been blogging on Cisco Domain TenSM, Cisco Service’s framework to guide you on your path to data center and cloud transformation. We are just over half way through the discussion on Cisco Domain Ten, so I thought it worthwhile, especially for anyone reading about this concept for […]

February 15, 2013

DATA CENTER

Cisco Domain Ten: Domain 6: Service Financial Management (with yet another free whitepaper!)

Service Financial Management is the focus of Domain 6 in Cisco Services‘ DomainTenSM Model for Data Center and Cloud Transformation. Closely related to the User Portal (Domain 4) and Service Catalog and Management (Domain 5), service financial management is one of those organizationally challenging topics for the data center management team – although with the advent […]

January 25, 2013

DATA CENTER

Cisco Domain Ten: Domain 5: Service Catalog and Management (and free white paper)

5 min read

I introduced the Cisco Domain TenSM framework for data center and cloud transformation back in December, and after my previous blog discussing “Domain 4: the User Portal“, it’s now time to discuss Domain 5, which considers Service Catalog and Management.  In this post, I’d like to illustrate the important, central role the service catalog has in […]

January 4, 2013

DATA CENTER

Cisco Domain Ten: Domain 4: The User Portal

3 min read

The New Year 2013 has well and truly arrived – Happy New Year to all – and it’s time for me to continue on the Cisco journey of data center and cloud transformation.  Last month I introduced the Cisco Domain TenSM  framework, the approach we in Cisco Services take to help customers enhance and transform […]

January 4, 2013

DATA CENTER

Scenery from Skyfall, cycling by the Loch Ness Monster and 60mph+ Winds

1 min read

If you’ve followed my posts over 2012 for Cisco Data Center,  you may have noticed that I took a slight departure back in September from data center topics to tell you about a “Giving Back” initiative I was part of in 2012 – the “Deloitte Ride Across Britain” (RAB).   I noted previously the role […]

December 21, 2012

DATA CENTER

Cisco Domain Ten: Domain 3: Automation and Orchestration

3 min read

Continuing my tour of the Cisco Domain Ten (SM)  framework for simplifying data center transformation, with this blog, I’ll build upon my previous blogs and introduce Domain 3, which is concerned with “Automation and Orchestration“.     I’ve asserted previously that having an automated, virtualized data center is a necessary – but insufficient – basis for […]

December 12, 2012

DATA CENTER

Cisco Domain Ten: Domain 2: Virtualization and Abstraction

2 min read

Last week I introduced our new Cisco Services framework to help guide your data center and cloud transformation – Cisco Domain Ten (SM). I also described the types of challenges you should be thinking about in the Facilities and Infrastructure layer, Domain 1.  Now let’s discuss the type of challenges that Domain 2, Virtualization and Abstraction, could […]

December 6, 2012

DATA CENTER

Cisco Domain Ten: Domain 1: Facilities and Infrastructure

3 min read

Yesterday I introduced you to the Cisco Domain TenSM, Cisco Services’ framework for simplifying data center transformation.  This model is applicable to both business  (enterprise), public sector (e.g. government, federal) and service provider (incl telco) organizations. Today I will summarize some key challenges that you should consider when planning a transition to cloud (as one example […]

December 5, 2012

DATA CENTER

Introducing Cisco Domain Ten(SM) – Cisco Services’ Blueprint for Simplifying Data Center and Cloud Transform …

4 min read

This week at the Gartner Data  Center Conference in Las Vegas, Cisco Services is unveiling Cisco Domain Ten(SM) – Cisco’s Framework for Simplifying Data Center and Cloud Transformation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnLFReBBV7c...

December 4, 2012

DATA CENTER

Watch this space for Data Center and Cloud Transformation – Exciting News – and if you are at the Gartner Da …

1 min read

In Cisco Data Center Services, we've been building towards this for the past 3 or 4 years.  We're formalised our approach over the past year.  Our early adopter customers have...

December 4, 2012

DATA CENTER

My Other Computer is a Vblock!

1 min read

As I mentioned in a previous post, I was in London last week at a conference.  I picked up the badge shown  in the photo below, and it...

November 26, 2012

DATA CENTER

Take 2: From an Ancient Scottish Castle to the Gartner Data Center Conference in London

1 min read

Time flies!  I'm off to the Gartner Data Center conference in London again.  And as per last year, I'll drive my this ancient and very historical...

November 22, 2012

DATA CENTER

Making it Easier for You to do Business with Us – Fixed Price Professional Services from Cisco

3 min read

Professional services, Consultancy Services, Advanced Services - call them what you will.   I can hear you say:   “On No!  Complexity”.  “Now I need to work a Statement of Work”.  “I...

So did we see the Loch Ness Monster? – Ride Across Britain to Raise Funds for Paralympic Athletes

4 min read

Since ” ’tis the season” for giving in many parts of the world, and as end of the calendar year approaches, I’ve decided to finish my working year reflecting upon the biggest “Giving Back” initiative I was personally part of in September of this year (2012) –  my two stages of the Deloitte Ride Across […]