Cisco Cloud Control: Unifying Network & Security with AI

Cisco is launching a new cloud-based control point to unify networking and cybersecurity management for its customers. This new system, called Cisco Cloud Control, aims to simplify managing various products and services. Here's the thing: Cisco believes security and networking should no longer be separate practices. Executive Jeff Schultz states these elements need to be "fused" to handle security effectively, especially with agent AI. Cisco Cloud Control offers a single login and management plane across networking, security, compute, observability, and collaboration. This unification is built on Cisco’s Data Fabric, which uses the Splunk Platform as its data layer. DJ Sampath, from Cisco’s AI Software and Platform group, explains this brings an entire estate together in one place, providing a single source of truth. The platform will support over 40 "ecosystem tooling connectors" and allows for custom applications and agents using natural language. This customization happens in the Cloud Control Studio, with components like Agent Builder and App Builder. These components are set for availability later this year. This matters because it could streamline how organizations manage and secure their complex digital infrastructure.