Reinventing networking for multi-cloud, multi-region connectivity

Summary

The speaker discusses the launch of Alkyra, a cloud-based solution addressing network challenges in expanding geographically, connecting to the cloud, and managing multiple cloud environments. Alkyra stands out by offering a comprehensive, scalable, and secure 'as a service' model, benefiting diverse industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and high-tech.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Cisco's successful acquisition in 2012 led to the launch of Alkyra, a solution designed to meet industry needs.
• 💡 Alkyra is built to address the challenges of expanding network footprints geographically, driven by the ubiquity of applications and users.
• 🔒 Security and network service integration are key concerns for customers connecting to the cloud.
• ☁️ Some customers are looking to expand their cloud presence across multiple regions, highlighting the need for unified segments and policies.
• 🌐 Alkyra is uniquely positioned as a cloud-based, as-a-service offering that serves cloud and hybrid environments, unlike traditional orchestration tools.
• 🚀 Alkyra aims to reinvent the network for the cloud era, offering a scalable and available solution that addresses scalability and availability issues.
• 🌟 Alkyra's comprehensive as-a-service capability is more extensive than what customers have seen before, covering multiple clouds and hybrid environments.
• 🔒 The solution streamlines security in a best-of-breed manner, allowing businesses to operate at their desired speed.
• 🏢 Alkyra has been adopted by a wide range of customers, including large AWS and Azure users, healthcare, manufacturing, finance, and high-tech startups.
• 🌍 The environments supported by Alkyra are global and extensive, with thousands of nodes deployed, demonstrating the solution's scalability and reach.

Q & A

What year was the speaker's first visit to ONS?

The speaker first visited ONS in 2012.

What significant event happened in 2012 related to Cisco?

In 2012, there was a successful acquisition by Cisco on the STU-AND side.

What product was launched based on the need for a new solution in the industry?

Alkyra was launched as the new solution in the industry.

What type of people typically attend the event mentioned in the script?

Intelligent, innovative, and forward-looking people attend the event.

What are the four main areas of struggle that customers at the show discuss?

The four main areas are expanding geographical footprint, connecting to the cloud, expanding within a single cloud to multiple regions, and expanding from a single cloud to multiple clouds.

What is the primary challenge with expanding a network footprint geographically?

The challenge is that applications and users are everywhere, but the network is not.

What concerns do customers have when trying to connect to the cloud?

Customers are uncertain about how to connect to the cloud, think about security, and insert network services into it.

What challenges arise for customers who want to expand their footprint into multiple regions within a single cloud?

Challenges include thinking about unified segments and unified policies across those regions.

What does the speaker say about Akira's position in addressing customer needs?

Akira is uniquely positioned as an as-a-service offering built in the cloud to offer services to the cloud and hybrid environments.

How does Akira differentiate itself from other solutions in the market?

Akira differentiates itself by offering a comprehensive as-a-service capability that spans across multiple clouds and hybrid environments, addressing scalability and availability issues.

What types of customers are using Akira's solution according to the script?

Customers include large AWS and Azure users, healthcare, manufacturing, financials, high-tech startups, and unicorn startups.

What is the speaker's view on the speed of setting up a global network with Akira?

The speaker believes that Akira provides the fastest way to spin up a global network.