With just about everything going mobile these days, Cisco has set in motion, its new vision for business mobility that aims to deliver solutions that integrate devices, applications, security and disparate networks into a unified platform... |
With just about everything going mobile these days, Cisco has set in motion, its new vision for business mobility that aims to deliver solutions that integrate devices, applications, security and disparate networks into a unified platform.
Cisco Motion, as the new initiative is called, seeks to address major pain points that organisation are facing in the mobility front today – extending applications to devices regardless of the connection, securing devices, centralizing client provisioning and selecting the right media at the right time.
At the cornerstone of the Cisco Motion vision is the Cisco 3300 Series Mobility Services Engine (MSE). This appliance-based platform offers an open application programming interface (API) for consolidating and supporting an array of mobility services across wireless and wired networks.
Cisco is releasing four initial software offerings for the MSE: Cisco Context-Aware Software, Cisco Adaptive Wireless Intrusion Prevention System (wIPS), Cisco Secure Client Manager and Cisco Mobile Intelligent Roaming.
“Today’s business mobility challenges cannot be solved using only traditional wireless LAN solutions when multiple network elements are converging and need to collaborate. Cisco’s Motion approach is a true services-oriented network architecture that creates a mobility network as a platform for integrating key business strategies, processes and goals,” said Brett Galloway, senior vice president of Cisco’s Wireless and Security Technology Group.
“To meet and exceed business mobility expectations, IT must secure and manage a range of devices, integrate multiple networks, enable applications, access information with a high level of security, and help ensure a consistent experience regardless of network connection or location.”
At a press meet last week, Cisco said the mobility market is estimated to be valued at 13 billion dollars globally by 2010. Although it was unable to give a breakdown on how much of this will be contributed by Asia, the San Jose, California based company did highlight that Asia’s extremely mobile workforce, its agility and out-of-box thinking strategies will definitely drive this market.
Maciej Kranz, vice president of marketing for Cisco’s wireless networking business unit told SDA Asia that the key verticals driving mobility today are Retail, Manufacturing, Healthcare and Education.
Customers requiring enhanced shopping experience, schools embarking on online learning, health records being available in real time for doctors and RFID (radio frequency identification) asset tracking shifting from a more passive to an active attitude were some of the growth areas leading the mobility race according to Kranz.
The Cisco MSE and its software will integrate with the Cisco Unified Wireless Network portfolio, Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco-compatible devices to expand the reach and value of an enterprise’s mobility system.
MSE’s partner ecosystem includes Nokia and Oracle, AeroScout, Agito Networks, Airetrak, IntelliDOT, Johnson Controls and OATSystems.
The Cisco 3350 Mobility Services Engine is scheduled to begin shipping in June 2008 with prices beginning at USD 19,995 USD.
The Cisco Context-Aware Software is scheduled to begin shipping in June 2008. The Cisco Unified Wireless Network Software Release 5.1 ships in May 2008, and includes critical new mobility features, as well as support for the Motion architectural approach. Both the Cisco Adaptive Wireless IPS Software and Cisco Mobile Intelligent Roaming Software are scheduled to ship in the second half of 2008, and the Cisco Secure Client Manager Software is scheduled to ship in the first half of 2009. |
