Imagine if COVID-19 hit five, 10 or 15 years ago when the information space surely would not have been able to transition quickly into a work-from-home environment. Without the network’s evolution to enhanced programmability over the past decade, many companies might not have survived the current pandemic.

Evolution to a software-centric, programmable network

Previously, the software and network were seen as separate entities. Yet today, engineers are now applying virtually the same construct of the continuous integration/continuous deployment pipeline to network infrastructure, according to Jacobs. And as they continue to blend software and network, engineers are developing new skill sets to see the network as code, as they experiment with new ways to program in light of expanding customer software needs.

“It’s a leap of faith for some of us who’ve been in the industry longer. We like to look at ourselves as the craftsman of the network, but now it’s definitely software centricity and programmability,” Jacobs said.

Going forward, Cisco expects enterprise customers to see a massive increase in machine-generated data relative to human-generated data. As a result, organizations can expect to see a simultaneous increase in the importance of network connectivity, according to Knipp, adding that the dramatic rise in machine-generated data will be related to increased visibility and evolving automation. The result: The enterprise can expect to see the accelerated evolution of connectivity, security and programmability. 

Programmability, in particular, helps Cisco deliver on its mission of enabling virtual human connections, like those between managers and employees, students and teachers, and doctors and patients. In light of the pandemic, however, its not enough to simply facilitate those connections. Businesses must leverage the insights gained from those connections, according to Knipp.

Use cases related to social distancing and contact tracing highlight the importance of leveraging networks and actionable insights to support both digital and human evolution.

“The network has a really important place to play there because we can pull insight from it. So I look at programmability and what we’re doing with DevNet to give relevance to the network for those types of really critical conversations that every organization is having right now,” Knipp stated.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the Cisco Accelerating Automation With DevNet event. (* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the Accelerating Automation With DevNet event. Neither Cisco Systems Inc., the sponsor for theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE