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Imagine how different the world will be when inanimate objects have a voice. That’s what adding sensors and connectivity does to the physical world. Plants can tell us when they need water, robots can tell us when they need servicing, and our cars can talk to traffic lights to protect us and the pedestrians around us.  Giving objects a voice provides us with data that will have an enormous impact on our daily lives and will transform industries forever.

As the internet of things (IoT) market matures, early adopters have proven that IoT can help organizations be more efficient and sustainable and help create new business models and revenue streams. It is clear that the effect of IoT on digitizing operations technology (OT) will be just as significant as the transformation cloud had on IT.

There will be a tipping point when we’ll realize that impact – when IoT becomes mainstream. For most of the world to participate, IoT and wireless connectivity must be simplified. Traditional wireless network management is complex. Connecting billions and trillions of devices with traditional tools will be untenable. Simplifying IoT and wireless technologies is the key to crossing the chasm into mainstream adoption.

To scale from millions to billions to trillions of connected devices, enterprises and Communications Service Providers (CSPs) will need new ways of deploying, connecting, and managing devices at a massive scale. Luckily for customers, Cisco can help them build a bridge.

We address network complexity with an innovation strategy built on a cloud platform approach – to simplify everything and build powerful unified experiences based on Cisco´s unique heritage in network and security convergence via a cloud operating model.  Cisco’s strategy of cloud-driven automation, network and security insights, and publishing APIs that customers and partners can leverage to drive additional value creation is the power a cloud operations platforms enable.  Our heritage includes deep experience with bringing several cloud operations platforms to market –

  • Enterprise IT operation teams have been leveraging Meraki for over 10 years, and recently the Meraki platform started monitoring parts of the Catalyst The Meraki platform also provides internet health via Thousand Eyes and also provides a simple turn-key SASE solution called Cisco Plus Secure Connect
  • Announced at Cisco Live Amsterdam 2023 OT teams can now leverage Cisco’s IoT Operations Dashboard with Cisco Cyber Vision providing a holistic network and security solution for industrial IoT assets.

But the best technology is not enough. Cisco is committed to accelerating IoT adoption with an ecosystem of technology, system integrator, and CSP partners to create the specific outcomes that different industries require.

Enterprises already trust CSPs to deliver managed services, and now that enterprise role is growing. They are becoming a critical part of an enterprise’s IoT strategy, providing reliable cellular connectivity critical for those IoT devices deployed outside the enterprise domain and/or roaming over wide geographic distances. With their enterprise and geographic coverage, they can be the force multiplier that drives IoT across the chasm.

Crossing the Chasm with Cisco’s New Mobility Platform

To help CSPs drive mass-scale IoT, we are introducing the Cisco Mobility Services platform that simplifies how CSPs build, manage, and deliver new mobile services globally at scale. Built with the industry’s leading portfolio of 5G, edge, and cloud technologies, Cisco Mobility Services is designed to accelerate the go-to-market for new services—minimizing risks and costs while maximizing new opportunities to create additional value for several industries ranging from automotive, utility, logistics, manufacturing, mining, healthcare, and more.

Cisco Mobility Services offers simplified solutions offered as-a-Service to deliver advanced mobile IoT use-cases at scale, such as connected cars and connected distributed utilities, demanding secure, high bandwidth, low latency services from the carrier edge.

The Cisco Mobility Services platform includes the world’s first fully automated, full-stack cloud-native converged core network with distributed edge deployment that provides CSPs a graceful evolution from 3G to 4G to 5G. We have taken away the complexity, cost, and time required to deliver the visibility and control enterprises need.

A Strong Foundation

Cisco’s IoT business is matching this explosive industry growth. Our foundation in IoT technology is strong – from establishing the IoT cellular connectivity management category over 10 years ago with Cisco IoT Control Center. It is now the industry leading platform used by over 32,000 enterprises to manage connectivity for over 223 million devices, which includes 88 million connected cars. Our Industrial IoT business is projected to reach $1 billion this year with 17 straight quarters of growth and 23% year over year growth in the first quarter of FY23.  And let’s not forget Cisco Meraki IoT which is growing at 131% year over year.

This pedigree in IoT, plus our cloud operations expertise and a growing ecosystem of global partners such as NEC, Logicalis, and Qualcomm, enables Cisco to offer simple, secure, and seamless IoT solutions so anyone can begin their journey to modernize their business now.

Next Steps

  • Attending MWC 2023 in Barcelona? Then please stop by and see the Cisco Mobility Services cloud platform and other 5G solutions in action at our booth.
  • Please visit our IoT Control Center web page for more information.

 



Authors

Ken Davidson

Director, SaaS

Cloud Security Business Unit