Highlights:

· Cisco will help businesses and their employees in hybrid setups to get their work done more securely and effectively.

· Wi-Fi 6E will be available through the Catalyst 9136 and Meraki MR57 access points.

New announcement by Cisco

Cisco announced new features and product enhancements that help businesses and their employees do their work more securely and effectively in a hybrid setup. During the launch, the company introduced various new devices and features to help boost the work completion rate and protect the networks on which business is done.

To help employees and employers with in-office work, Cisco declared that Wi-Fi 6E would be available through the Catalyst 9136 and Meraki MR57 access points. The all-new Cisco Wi-Fi 6E products are known to be the first enhanced 6E access points that will help businesses and their employees with high-traffic hybrid setups. The Wi-Fi 6E will also open a brand-new spectrum in the form of 6GHz band. The access points will utilize the newly accessible spectrum that matches wired speeds and gigabit performance.

Wi-Fi 6E will significantly expand performance and capacity for the newest devices utilizing collaborative applications created for hybrid work and combined with Cisco’s DNA Center and DNA Spaces.

With these upgrades, the company aims to foster collaboration in the offices, branches, and campuses by offering Internet of Things (IoT) and operational technology benefits in intelligent buildings at scale.

Cisco also announced three new varieties of the expansion of the Catalyst 9000x line of switches in the following forms–

  • 9300x
  • 9400x
  • 9500x/9600x

These forms of Catalyst 9000x will support the traffic brought in from increased wireless capacity.

With regards to security perspective, Cisco also commented that a private 5G managed service will become available to its service provider partners. Cisco’s 5G managed services will provide an easy way to keep networks safe for digital transitions to hybrid work environments and IoT in smart buildings. Incorporation of this private 5G service, when combined with Cisco’s OpenRoaming, will enable users to smoothly switch between various technologies within buildings supporting the technology.

The managed service will complement Wi-Fi to connect physical operations like smart building OT and industrial IoT with IT analytics, systems, and automation to enhance network efficacy. Cisco’s private 5G is delivered from the cloud to reduce operational, technical, and business risks so that IT firms can implement the digital transition t hybrid work and secure IoT deployments.

With hybrid setup gaining popularity among firms and employees, it is important that employees connect securely and safely over shared networks outside and inside the office to get work done faster, better, and more creatively.

Experts’ view

Todd Nightingale, EVP, GM Enterprise Networking and Cloud at Cisco, said, “Hybrid work doesn’t work without the network.” He added, “The network is the foundation of all hybrid work solutions. The capabilities of the network empower the capabilities of the workforce. The more performance, agility and flexibility built into networks, the stronger the workforce. Our new wireless networking solutions together with the new Catalyst switches powered by Silicon One will support our customers’ ambitions for hybrid work, enabling productivity, resiliency and agility by connecting everyone and everything from everywhere.”

Chris Stori, SVP, GM – Enterprise Networking and IOT and Meraki at Cisco, said, “The private 5G service will provide users an easy-to-use, but powerful tool in keeping their businesses safe.” He further added, “As customers add more devices to their workspaces, trusted access points are a very important area for us here at Cisco.”