Not that long ago, IT industry analysts predicted that the corporate data center would become a thing of the past. Organizations would ultimately move all their applications and data to the cloud, eliminating the need for onsite data center infrastructure.
Then came AI.
Organizations are recognizing the need for onsite data centers to support AI workloads. Keeping AI on premises can minimize latency, protect sensitive data and keep cloud costs in check.
To get there, many organizations need to upgrade their onsite infrastructure to meet the demands of AI. In a recent survey conducted by Sandpiper Research & Insights, 71 percent of respondents said their data centers are unable to meet the demands of AI today. Not surprisingly, 88 percent said they plan to expand data center capacity.
Cisco has introduced a new suite of offerings to help them do that. Cisco’s Secure Infrastructure for AI includes innovations to improve security and resilience, simplify operations, and enable more intelligent workspaces.
Why Infrastructure Upgrades Are Needed
AI places significant demands on the data center, particularly in terms of compute and power. AI training and inferencing require advanced processors and accelerators, which in turn require large amounts of electricity. Optimized cooling strategies are needed to manage the heat generated by AI-capable servers.
The network also plays a key role in supporting AI. AI workloads need high-throughput, low-latency connectivity to transfer large datasets with minimal delays. The network must be reliable to prevent disruptions that impact performance and flexible enough to adapt to changing workloads.
Robust security is critically important. Security should be baked into all layers, from the network core to the application. There should also be mechanisms for enforcing security policies across the environment and preventing attacks from spreading should they occur.
How Cisco Is Transforming the Network for AI
Cisco has expanded its line of routers based on the Silicon One architecture, which provides high-bandwidth routing and switching silicon for demanding network applications. Silicon One also helps simplify network deployment and management with a single architecture that can be used across various network functions and devices. This approach allows for greater flexibility, scalability and efficiency in network design and operations.
Cisco has also introduced an agentic AI framework within its Cross Network Automation portfolio, enabling greater automation and predictive insights that help improve network efficiency and reliability. The company says its Cross Network Automation technology can reduce operating overhead by as much as 66 percent. Additionally, Cisco AI Assistant, based on a domain-specific LLM trained with Cisco courseware, enables administrators to control the entire Cisco suite through a conversational interface.
Deeper integrations between Cisco and Splunk provide greater visibility into network performance and health. Cisco ThousandEyes and Splunk Observability share data in both directions, enabling networking teams to quickly identify the root causes of issues for faster recovery and better overall performance and reliability.
Enhanced Security, Streamlined Collaboration
Security is an integral part of Cisco’s Secure Infrastructure for AI. Cisco’s Hybrid Mesh Firewall is a highly distributed security fabric with unified management to enforce consistent security policies. It acts as a single, cohesive security layer that spans different network environments, protecting applications regardless of their location. Zero Trust Network Access authenticates users based on identity and continuously monitors user activity and device posture to ensure ongoing security.
Cisco is also enabling a more intelligent workplace with AI-powered collaboration. The company’s modern network infrastructure ensures always-on access and robust security so people can work together more effectively.
In a recent survey by Omdia, just 13 percent of organizations said their networks were AI-ready. If you’re looking to upgrade your infrastructure to support your AI initiatives, Cerium is here to help. As a long-time Cisco partner, we have the knowledge and experience to deliver Cisco’s full suite of solutions and services, including Secure Infrastructure for AI.
