Cisco revamps networking platform with new silicon and software

US networking giant Cisco has unveiled a major refresh of its core technology, including a first-ever unified silicon architecture, a new OS and a new platform.

Cisco is positioning this big reveal as its ‘internet for the future’ strategy, which seems like a more hyperbolic way of describing a major product refresh. At the core of it is Cisco Silicon One, a new microarchitecture that is designed to be flexible enough to use anywhere in the network. It makes its debut in the Cisco 8000 router series networking platform that also features a new operating system called IOS XR7.

“Innovation requires focused investment, the right team and a culture that values imagination,” said Chuck Robbins, CEO of Cisco. “We are dedicated to transforming the industry to build a new internet for the 5G era. Our latest solutions in silicon, optics and software represent the continued innovation we’re driving that helps our customers stay ahead of the curve and create new, ground-breaking experiences for their customers and end users for decades to come.”

“Cisco’s technology strategy is not about the next-generation of a single product area,” said David Goeckeler, GM of the Networking and Security Business at Cisco. “We have spent the past several years investing in whole categories of independent technologies that we believe will converge in the future — and ultimately will allow us to solve the hardest problems on the verge of eroding the advancement of digital innovation. This strategy is delivering the most ambitious development project the company has ever achieved.”

Cisco has some heavyweight partners in this endeavour, with Google Cloud and Facebook’s TIP initiative speaking up in support. The broader narrative is that this is all about supporting 5G and all the good stuff we’re promised it will bring, which implies a renewed focus on the operator market. You can read in-depth analysis of the move on Light Reading here and here.