Cisco customers can expect an additional cloud option for its Catalyst networking and Nexus data center management services. The company announced that it had rolled out cloud-based management options to support todays hybrid workforce.
Catalyst cloud management
The first service, Cloud Management for Cisco Catalyst, allows users to manage and resolve Catalyst 9000 network switches, wireless access points, and branch devices via its Meraki dashboard in the cloud. Cisco stated that to move Catalyst management to the cloud, Cisco stated that customers only need to run a CLI command and provide some organizational information.
According to Chris Story, general manager and senior vice president of Cisco Networking Experiences, the service will evolve as time passes. He added that they would slowly move Catalyst wireless and wired devices under full cloud management and monitoring. Stori explained that the move to the cloud was inspired by simplicity, which guarantees a more streamlined and unified experience for campus and access networking.
What about Cisco customers who demand on-premises Catalyst management? Stori explained that there are two options. The first option still uses the DNA Center, its standard on-premises management package. The second option is to use the new DNA Center Virtual Appliance, which could let them manage and troubleshoot around 5,000 devices in the cloud. IT departments can use the Meraki dashboard or its DNA Center for management and monitoring, depending on their needs, location, and the regulations they are governed by.
Cisco hopes cloud-based management can eliminate the need for on-premises management and infrastructure. They also possess elastic scalability and software updates that integrate more seamlessly compared with on-premises management.
Nexus data-center gear in the cloud
The second cloud option, Cisco Nexus Cloud, allows data-center customers to easily manage networked Nexus resources in the cloud. It will be delivered as a service for private cloud, public cloud, and edge computing ecosystems. In addition, Nexus Cloud promises visibility on data-center energy usage in real-time, an excellent partner to users sustainability journey.
Brad Casemore, research VP of Datacenter and Multicloud Networks for IDC, explained that Nexus Cloud provides a solution for customers looking for more efficient management of their cloud resources. Casemore indicated that Cisco Nexus Cloud sets itself apart because it provides a global infrastructure view via a centralized dashboard with full Cisco support. This cloud option emphasizes simplicity, speed, simplified onboarding, strong security and compliance, and scalability.
