Again in February, Cisco launched a daring architectural shift to information middle networking with the launch of the Cisco N9300 Sequence Good Switches—a brand new class of change that unifies networking and safety right into a single, future-proof platform. At present’s information middle operators are in search of less complicated and safer methods to scale their environments, with out the necessity to layer on a number of safety options. N9300 Sequence Good Switches, a part of the Cisco Nexus portfolio, ship on this want, offering sturdy L4 segmentation throughout each single- and multi-fabric deployments.
By embedding superior safety straight into the community cloth, this modern platform permits superior segmentation, higher visibility, and helps scale back complete value of possession (TCO) with this transformative method to community design.
With the overall availability of top-of-rack (ToR) N9300 Sequence Good Switches in Networking Mode, fashionable information facilities are empowered to scale each effectively and securely. ToR L4 segmentation with Cisco Hypershield integration will probably be obtainable in an upcoming launch.
All the time-on safety with Cisco Reside Defend
Cisco Reside Defend, one other current modern launch, provides an additional layer of resilience to N9300 Sequence Good Switches and different Cisco Nexus collection switches by immediately guarding towards software program vulnerabilities. The answer operates with out requiring upgrades, reboots, patching, or downtime. Native to NX-OS, Reside Defend makes use of real-time, eBPF-based coverage enforcement to immediately mitigate superior widespread vulnerabilities and exposures (CVE).
Future-proof top-of-rack switches with Networking Mode
The brand new Networking Mode launch consists of the brand new Cisco N9324C-SE1U Good Swap and Cisco N9348Y2C6D-SE1U Good Swap, each powered by Cisco NX-OS 10.6(1s). These versatile platforms are optimized for leaf, border leaf, and border gateway roles, supporting VXLAN-EVPN and BGP-routed materials for each single-fabric and multi-site deployments.
These sensible switches ship complete L2/L3 capabilities, QoS, multicast help, and superior options akin to L2 mobility, active-active multi-site deployment, and catastrophe restoration continuity. When working in Networking Mode with DPUs powered down, they supply the excessive degree of efficiency wanted to assist future-proof information middle infrastructure. Networking Mode additionally facilitates the seamless integration of recent deployments and brownfield expansions with present Nexus information middle materials, whereas laying the groundwork for future ToR L4 segmentation.
The result’s simplified operations, lowered deployment complexity, and vital TCO financial savings with ToR L4 segmentation.
Strengthening information middle safety with ToR L4 segmentation
The upcoming Networking and Safety launch will combine ToR L4 segmentation straight into the community cloth, delivering superior safety on the edge—simplifying operations, strengthening safety, and delivering tangible enterprise outcomes, together with:
- Optimized operations: Nexus Dashboard streamlines NetOps administration, serving to scale back prices and speed up concern decision.
- Stronger safety and compliance: On-premises Hypershield and Cisco Safety Cloud Management (SCC) SaaS ship sturdy coverage enforcement to NetSecOps groups, decreasing dangers and supporting regulatory adherence.
- Sooner deployment and funding safety: Versatile VXLAN/BGP cloth integrates seamlessly into each greenfield and brownfield environments, accelerating deployments whereas defending present investments.
- Minimized threat and scalable safety: Superior stateful or stateless L4 segmentation (as much as 800G throughput) ensures safety insurance policies comply with workloads, confining breaches and delivering constant, adaptive safety.
- Lowered deployment threat: CRD schema-based coverage administration with validation/canary rollouts contribute to safe, secure deployments.
- Enhanced management: On-premises Hypershield management airplane gives higher operational management and improved information governance.
- Elevated agility: Streamlined upgrades decrease downtime and speed up adoption of recent capabilities.
- Proactive insights: Complete observability from Nexus Dashboard, Splunk, and Prometheus/Grafana integrations allow proactive concern detection and data-driven choice making.
Air-gapped management and unified safety with Hypershield
The on-premises Hypershield management airplane is light-weight, extremely obtainable, and air-gapped for safe operation. Complete international visibility is supported by means of each API- and UI-driven automation. Constructing on this, Cisco Safety Cloud Management permits unified coverage administration for distributed segmentation throughout sensible switches, brokers, and perimeter firewalls—streamlining safety operations and safeguarding crucial belongings.
Constant safety with Hypershield’s distributed segmentation
Hypershield’s distributed segmentation ensures constant, stateful safety by permitting safety insurance policies to comply with workloads throughout the material. Inline enforcement throughout sensible switches and brokers (kernel to community) eliminates blind spots and helps distributed insurance policies for agentless workloads akin to bare-metal servers and mainframes.
Enhanced observability: complete readability and safety
By integrating Cisco Nexus Dashboard with the on-premises Hypershield management airplane, NetOps and NetSecOps groups preserve unbiased controls whereas working extra collaboratively. This method accelerates downside decision and reduces operational overhead.
Further integrations with Splunk and Grafana present actionable, real-time insights, empowering information middle operations groups to proactively detect points, guarantee steady compliance, and optimize system efficiency—minimizing downtime and defending crucial enterprise capabilities.
Unprecedented resilience with Reside Defend
Organizations can now improve safety on Cisco NX-OS-based Nexus collection switches with out downtime or ready for PSIRTs and software program upgrades. Reside Defend leverages the Isovalent Tetragon agent and eBPF-based shields to quickly deploy compensating controls towards threats akin to privilege escalation CVEs.
Cisco is first to market with this modern characteristic, serving to information facilities stay safe and operational towards rising CVE threats.
Prepared now, constructed for what’s subsequent
“We’re excited in regards to the potential of Cisco’s Hypershield-enabled N9300 Sequence Nexus Good Switches. Our funding on this know-how permits us to seamlessly align our safety and networking methods, whereas sustaining the pliability to evolve every independently. This functionality enhances our agility, reduces operational threat, and ensures our infrastructure continues to maintain tempo with the rising calls for of our enterprise.”
— Eric Bradley, Chief Info Officer, TaxSlayer
Cisco N9300 Sequence Good Switches in Networking Mode provide rapid efficiency enhancements and operational simplicity, assembly the necessities of at present’s and tomorrow’s information middle environments. For superior segmentation and built-in safety, Community Mode ensures infrastructure can scale securely and supply lasting worth. And with steady vulnerability safety from Cisco Reside Defend, information middle operations profit from resilience, scalability, and sustained worth over time.
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