This is part 1 of the "Your Business Powered By Cisco Customer Solutions Architecture (CSA)" blog series.
Many IT organizations are challenged to take advantage of the new technologies enabled by Virtualization, Cloud, Analytics and IoT. Applications enabled by these new technologies must be protected from unauthorized use but remain accessible, in a secure manner, from any device in any location throughout the world. With a vast array of new technology choices and a substantial installed infrastructure base, it is important to have a place to start -a solutions architecture-that provides a framework for using these technologiesthat will drive business outcomes.
The CSA is a transformational customer-facing blueprint that delivers IT-based services for enterprise and service providers to achieve their business outcomes. To be relevant for our customers, the CSA was developed based on disruptive examples that Cisco engineers observed in the industry during their discussions with both enterprise and service provider customers worldwide.
Some of these disruptive examples include use of new technologies such as: Analytics, Cloud, Internet of Things (IoT), Internet of Everything (IoE) and Cyber security. It should also be stated that the front end for IT blueprint consulting is Cisco Consulting Services, and this CSA is representational of the sets of abstractions that describe the actual functions.
In all IT environments, both enterprise and service providers, Cisco sees two common trends:
In our vision of a solutions architecture, the interoperability of technologies and solutions at the application level, platform level, and infrastructure level as well as at the service level must be ensured. This motivates the creation of a solutions model with standardized terminology to promote a common understanding. Additionally, line of business desires to deliver innovative, disruptive services should be supported by a solutions architecture containing essential functional building blocks for security, virtualization, automation, performance, and end user needs. The CSA should facilitate a shared understanding across multiple organizations and disciplines about future directions. The purpose of this CSA is to drive customers' business outcomes through connected technology architecture, flexible enough to support traditional technology needs and disruptive technology transitions such as Analytics, Cloud and IoT.
Architects, field engineers and sales engineers may use this CSA to answer questions including but not limited to:
Benefits
The Cisco CSA enables businesses to adapt to the rapidly changing economic and technological environment with speed, simplicity, and efficiency while reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO). Some of the benefits of this Cisco CSA include:
Example Customer Uses of the CSA
The following examples provide some ways Cisco customers can use the Cisco CSA:
In my next blog, I'll discuss the Cisco CSA layered approach.
Tweet me @CiscoSP360 if you have any questions or comments.