Cisco in 2025: Lots of hard work ahead

Hypershield consists of artificial intelligence software, virtual machines and other technologies that will eventually be built into network components such as switches, routers and servers. According to Cisco, it promises to allow organizations to autonomously segment their networks in the event of threats, gain rapid protection against exploits without the need to patch or update firewalls, and automatically update software without interrupting computing resources.

Goals in the areas of networks, artificial intelligence and platformization

Looking to the future, Cisco needs to refocus on enterprise networks and work to make data centers a comprehensive home for artificial intelligence applications, industry observers say. Safety technology must also remain a priority.

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“2025 will be an important year for Cisco as the company implements ambitious internal changes to capitalize on a dynamic external environment fueled by the power of artificial intelligence,” said Brandon Butler, senior manager of enterprise networking research at IDC.

Updated leadership will play a role: In August 2024, Cisco announced plans to reconfigure its networking, security and collaboration business units as part of a restructuring that included 7% global workforce reduction and appointed Jeetu Patel as Chief Product Officer.

“In terms of internal changes, the appointment of Jitu Patel as Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer is a significant step for the company. Patel has the opportunity to more closely unify Cisco’s broad product portfolio while ensuring it aligns with key growth areas,” Butler said.

A key part of this strategy, Butler said, will be Cisco’s vision of a platform-based approach to networking and security that provides a more unified experience and management across all Cisco products, while also allowing for integrated capabilities such as artificial intelligence, observability and security to be integrated into each, said Butler. .