UPDATED 22:50 EDT / MAY 12 2017

EMERGING TECH

Cisco focuses on security, simplicity amid its digital transformation

It just works. That’s the mantra for new enterprise-grade technology today, and there’s good reason. When “it just works,” companies don’t need a room full of information technology administrators just to get started with the cloud. When “it just works,” nobody gets a 4 a.m. phone call about their information being hacked. When “it just works,” technology becomes a real solution for business problems, according to Tim Rod (pictured), director of sales business development at Cisco Systems Inc.

Cisco is one of those industry giants defining what “it just works” means, Rod stated. This is a massive change for the company, and the industry. “Cisco is going through a transformation. Security is the number one priority for Cisco,” Rod said during Dell EMC World in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Rod spoke to host John Furrier (@furrier) and guest host Keith Townsend (@CTOAdvisor), of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE’s mobile live-streaming studio, to talk about Cisco’s focus on security, customer dialogue, the Internet of Things and how Cisco is changing to meet new customer needs. (* Disclosure below.)

Security comes first

Protecting a company’s assets today is more important than ever. For Cisco, security is the priority. To help with this, it has made acquisitions, built its own IP and collaborated with others. Since the tech is evolving, as are the threats, Cisco has formed partnerships to stay agile and keep up.

“We’re looking across the entire threat continuum to determine ways to protect the customer,” Rod said.

The move toward security and simplicity comes from speaking with customers. Budgets are shrinking, but more is being asked of these businesses. Better, simpler technology can solve their business problems, but Cisco can’t supply those solutions without effective partnerships, according to Rod.

The speed of technology evolution makes this a challenge for any company. Traditional models and jobs are all coming together. Tech executives need to know where to distribute their resources, while also looking for ways to worry less about their infrastructure, Rod added.

Meanwhile, IoT is ramping up, adding more devices to the network. For Cisco, that means asking what customers will do with this technology and discovering who will benefit the most, Rod explained. While Cisco is well-positioned with a strong partner ecosystem, answering these questions will still be a challenge. Even at the front of the wave, Cisco can’t do it alone, Rod concluded.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s independent editorial coverage of Dell EMC World 2017(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for Dell EMC World. Neither Dell nor other sponsors have editorial influence on content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE

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