Cisco Podcast Network

In this episode of Shift Happens, host Jeff Edwards sits down with Rakesh Samtani, Senior Director of Partner Networking Sales at Cisco, to explore how AI is transforming network management and how the Cisco 360 Partner program initiative is reshaping the partner landscape. From key innovations unveiled at Cisco LIVE to actionable insights that can drive growth and profitability, this conversation...

As AI transforms IT infrastructure, it’s also reshaping what it takes for IT operations teams to assure performance and maintain quality digital experiences. In this episode, we’ll explore the new challenges facing ITOps teams as AI becomes more integrated into IT environments, covering key digital resilience strategies and important considerations. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:54 AI & IT Infrastructur...

WELCOME to Episode 18 of 404 - today, we're joined by Cisco SMB sales leader Koko Burns, and while her resume is impressive, her tales from her time in the field are even more so. Koko shares with us her real life experience with a Tinder Swindler, obituary hunting, and how to navigate awkward client interactions - spoiler: some people make it impossible. And once again, Kat reminds us that she's...

AB sits down with three of Cisco’s leaders: Lawrence Huang, SVP and GM of Network Platform and Wireless; Greg Dorai, SVP and GM of Cisco's Switching business; and Vikas Butaney, SVP and GM of Cisco Routing and Industrial IoT, to discuss Cisco's latest advancements, from AI-driven network management to Industrial IoT solutions, highlighting how these and other technologies are transforming the way...

AB sits down with Ramana Kompella, Cisco Fellow and Head of Cisco Research, for a great talk about Cisco's focus on quantum networking as a next-generation technology. From networking entanglement to the importance of research to the development of Cisco's new networking-entanglement chip, this conversation highlights how Cisco is innovating in ways that aim to unify classical and quantum internet...

In this episode of Shift Happens, host Jeff Edwards talks with Ken Seitz, Senior Director at Cisco, about the Cisco 360 Partner Value Index (PVI)—a game-changing shift in how Cisco recognizes and rewards partner performance. They break down how the Partner Value Incentive works, what it means for branding and profitability, and how it’s helping partners sharpen their focus in key areas like networ...

We jump right in by talking...supplements? Kat may be Pablo Escobar, who knows. She makes her own preworkout, and the rules around here. Kat then has a fire alarm, so we had to restart the show halfway through (shoutout to our production team, this ended up flowing really well). We then get into what we meant to talk about: tips for balancing work and working out, and why we both think it is SO im...

We are LIVE with a powerful kickoff episode featuring Jeetu Patel, Cisco's President and Chief Product Officer. In this kick-off episode, Jeetu reveals the core philosophy reshaping Cisco: “Quality is priority zero.” This is not the Cisco you knew 20 years ago. It’s a company redefining itself as an AI market leader, the incredible impact of Cisco SEs and Partners: “we’ve got to take the message a...

In this episode of Shift Happens, Jeff Edwards welcomes Sharon Price, Director of Strategy & Planning for Cisco’s Global Partner Organization, to unpack the new Cisco Partner Incentive (CPI) Estimator. Sharon shares how the tool helps partners model profitability, plan for growth, and align with the Cisco 360 Partner Program. Whether you're a partner or field team member, this episode gives you th...

This week Kat and Ian are diving into one of their favorite topics - Workplace Productivity. We've heard Ian's terrifying email organization (or lack thereof before), but believe it or not, this week he's coming in hot with the productive tips. Tune in this week for WebEx features that even Kat didn't know existed, and a general education on online folders for Ian. OH and if you're here for additi...

What really goes into the biggest partner program evolution Cisco has launched in 20 years? In this episode of Shift Happens, host Jeff Edwards is joined by two powerhouse leaders — Elisabeth De Dobbeleer, SVP of the Cisco Partner Program, and Rhonda Henley, VP of Americas Partner Sales — to unpack what’s new, what’s working, and what’s still in motion with the Cisco 360 Partner Program. They tack...

Jason Gallo, Global VP of Partner GTM at Cisco, joins Jeff Edwards to unpack the latest evolution of the Cisco 360 Partner Program. From key truths about the new estimator tool to aligning partner investments with what’s next — this episode delivers the insights you need to lead with clarity and confidence. Tune in and get ahead of the shift.

In this episode, Brandon tells us the story of the time a critical issue was discovered the day before the Cisco Live US event started. A race against the clock then starts to find a workaround before the attendees arrive. We discuss DHCP snooping and Cisco Live event network preparation.

New is always better, right? In this episode, Ian is joined Dave Soscia, Vice President of Cisco Product Management and Business Development at D&H Distributing to talk about his perspective on Cisco’s new partner program and how partners can optimize their profile before the launch date. Dave digs into how distribution can help partners with business analysis, practice consultations and even buil...

AI…nightmares? Join Kat and Ian for a part two to their original AI episode - slightly spookier. Will AI take over our jobs, our thoughts, the world? Press play to co-conspiracy deep dive…but also hear practical takeaways on how Cisco is securing AI models. Kat confesses to a close relationship with Chatgpt, and Ian vents about the need to upgrade his iPhone. From incredible sports references (1:2...

Service delivery chains are often made up of a longer string of dependencies than you might expect. When an outage happens, the root cause might not be in your systems or even with a third-party provider you depend on. It could actually trace back to yet another third-party provider they rely on. We saw this phenomenon in action recently when some Cloudflare services were affected by an outage ult...

Coming to you live...well at Cisco Live but in person! We dig into the week's biggest news from Cisco Live, from the actual notes Kat took during the sessions, to Ian's adventures. We also tackle the tough topics of what our Uber ratings are, how to pronounce "data," our thoughts on San Diego and what makes a good party at a conference. Something for everyone (especially those above a 4.9 Uber rat...

We're talking everything influencer marketing this week, from the influencer(s?) themself. From internal influencers and employee advocacy to finding the right "celebrity" to support your brand, we share what we've learned. Shoutout to the Giggly Squad. Kat shares what goes into making good influencer content based on her own experiences, and we find ourselves talking AI again...is Bing actually i...

Communication is key, and cloud communications have quickly become a critical component for businesses of all sizes, helping organizations stay agile in an increasingly digital-first world. Yet, many small businesses are still navigating the shift from outdated phone systems to modern, cloud-based solutions that unlock new opportunities for growth. In this episode, Ian is joined by Ben Rife, Presi...

Cloud monitoring requires holistic, end-to-end visibility across complex, interconnected environments rather than isolated metrics. Here are best practices CloudOps teams should keep in mind. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:47 What CloudOps Should Focus On 13:14 Decision-making 16:25 AI 17:53 Get in Touch ——— For additional insights, check out the links below: - The Ultimate Cloud Migration Survival K...

We're doing hot pilates, but not today...Today we are talking red flags, from two people lucky enough to work at a company with lots of green ones. We have a laundry list of things that tell you to stay FAR away from that company, and Kat definitely works through some past trauma from her first job...Lots to take in, but we definitely missed a few! Let us know yours. If you came to listen to this...

In this episode, we host Dimitar Dimitrov a Collaboration expert in Webex Calling who tells us a story about dead air. All calls are working fine except sometimes, people can't hear each other at all. From a classic problem description, they end up troubleshooting the whole network hunting after the lost packets. Dimitar also works with AI and tells us about his role in shaping the future of Cisco...

We're talking digital marketing, but what does that actually mean? We kick off and dig in on why we think it is too broad of a term. Are social media managers the new real estate agents? Everyone thinks they can be one, but there is a lot that goes into it! Kat gives her hit list of digital marketing best practices (10:50) off the cuff and flexes her knowledge (of the job she gets paid to do). May...

Just because an outage is subtle, doesn’t mean it’s harmless. Learn how to catch those pesky “stealth outages” that can so easily slip under the radar, and also unpack recent service disruptions at Slack, Microsoft 365, and X. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:56 Slack 08:16 Microsoft 365 11:22 X 13:26 Outage Trends: By the Numbers 16:26 Get in Touch ——— For additional insights, check out the links below: -...

We're back with an episode we actually did research for! Kat admits she's learning something from Ian? (7:48 if you don't believe it either), and at 9:18, Ian gets nervous deciding 404's niche. On top of the laughs, this week you get Kat and Ian's LinkedIn learnings and best practices - from an emoji in your name to best practices to boost your posts. And PLEASE for the sake of Ian's mental health...