CiscoChat Podcast

Ian and THE Sammy Brenner are back, and Sammy has officially negotiated her way into the co-chair seat for this week's episode. We're ditching the usual format to get into the nitty-gritty of the "art of the ask." Sammy shares her journey from "begging" to co-hosting, while Ian reflects on his own early-career lessons and the realization that if you don't ask, you simply won't get. Beyond the banter, we dive deep into the tactical side of career growth. We're breaking down how to research your worth, why you should never be the first to drop a number, and the secret power of the pause. Whether you're staring down a new job offer or prepping for a promotion cycle, we're sharing the strategies—and the stories—to help you stop leaving money on the table. While we miss Kat this week, you won't want to miss this one. Tune in now!

The Challenge: Service Providers are facing a dual pressure: exploding bandwidth demands from AI/ML workloads and the critical need to reduce cost-per-bit. Traditional hub-and-spoke architectures can no longer keep up. Francis will pull back the curtain on how Lumen is transforming its metro and long-haul networks using Cisco Routed Optical Networking. In this session, we will explore: • Architectural Evolution: Moving from legacy transport to a converged, flat IP+Optical layer. • Scaling for AI: How Lumen is deploying 400G/800G to support massive Data Center Interconnect (DCI) demands. • Operational Efficiency: Practical insights on automating multi-layer provisioning to speed up time-to-service.

20 years. One company. Zero shortcuts. In this episode of Shift Happens, Jeff Edwards sits down with Amy Bahlo who didn't join Cisco for the brand—she joined for a September start date so she could spend one more summer at a camp that mattered to her. Two decades later, she's leading one of Cisco's most strategic global partnerships, driving $80M in co-sell with Microsoft and now scaling that motion globally with Google. This episode isn't just about big numbers—it's about what actually builds a career that lasts. Amy gets real about the moments that didn't go her way—and why missing a role she knew was hers became the catalyst for something bigger

How are Mercy Ships and Milton Keynes Hospital using data collection to transform accessing health? In this episode of Tech Unscripted, we explore the future of Tech for Healthcare and its role in improving global patient outcomes. Join us as we sit down with Grady Nichols from Mercy Ships and Ollie Chandler from Milton Keynes University Hospital to discuss how cutting-edge technology is bridging the gap in underserved regions and optimizing clinical decision-making.

Happy (belated) one-year anniversary to the pod! To celebrate, Ian is looking forward to reliving 2016 with The Chainsmokers at Cisco Live, and Kat is building an army of AI agents to do her job for her. We're breaking down the actual difference between a regular chatbot and an autonomous AI agent, and debating whether outsourcing your life to a virtual Board of Directors makes you lazy or just a genius. From setting up agents in Webex's AI Agent Studio to managing your new digital employees, we have your AI strategy covered (we think). Guys...it's been a year. If you haven't given us a click, this is your sign: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html

In the latest episode of Shift Happens, Jeff sits down with Gary Wolfson, Director of Global Partner Communities at Cisco, for a behind-the-scenes look at what it really took to co-design The Cisco 360 Partner Program—not just in theory, but in practice. This isn't just a story about partner programs—it's a masterclass in trust. Gary breaks down the difference between listening and hearing (and why partners know instantly which one you're doing), and introduces a simple but powerful framework: listen → interpret → act → be accountable. Sounds simple… until you try to do it at global scale, across thousands of partners, in the middle of massive change. What unfolds is a story of courage, vulnerability, and consistency—where trust wasn't built through words, but through action, rhythm, and follow-through. From early skepticism in Dublin to confidence at Partner Summit, this episode captures the real shift: when feedback stops being a checkbox and becomes your identity. Why listen: •

The Internet Report podcast explores the telemetry behind recent SaaS disruptions to reveal how NetOps leaders can regain control of business continuity during an outage.    ———    CHAPTERS  00:10 Intro  00:52 Cloudflare 08:38 Salesforce 13:27 Outage Trends: By the Numbers  15:34 Get in Touch    ———    Explore the Cloudflare and Salesforce outages further in the ThousandEyes platform (no login required):     - Cloudflare: https://apfjyufeawshlcxbsvhsicakwoupobbf.share.thousandeyes.com/internet-insights/views/?roundId=1771612800&metric=interfaces&scenarioId=outageTraffic&filters=N4IgZglgNgLgpgJwM4gFygIYActQgYwxggHsA7AERIFsMIyAVDAczQG0BdAGhG1wKKkyAeQCuMFnADK%2BEljjsQAQQBiKgKIBhBuooB9HVIZ7hAJT0BJAHJ7NShkoAywgOIhuvJGXYBGAMwBAKxcAEwADACcIQAsIR4wCBhgkPhiEszSsvKKqhraugbqRibm1rb2Tq7uAL7VQA      - Salesforce: https://awzppfpqlujxnslfkbxhmhbdtpkugkks.share.thousandeyes.com/network-app-synthetics/views/?testId=8329769&startTime=1773723600&detailId=map&metrics=httpAvailability&timelineWindow=1773702000,1773744000&prefixId=13533839    
  For additional insights, check out The Internet Outage Survival Kit: https://www.thousandeyes.com/resources/the-internet-outage-survival-kit?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q3_internetreport_q3fy26ep133_podcast    ———    Want to get in touch?    If you have questions, feedback, or guests you would like to see featured on the show, send us a note at InternetReport@thousandeyes.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn or X: @thousandeyes    ———    ABOUT THE INTERNET REPORT  This is The Internet Report, a podcast uncovering what's working and what's breaking on the Internet—and why.     Tune in to hear ThousandEyes' Internet experts dig into some of the most interesting outage events from the past couple weeks, discussing what went awry—was it the Internet, or an application issue?    Plus, learn about the latest trends in ISP outages, cloud network outages, collaboration network outages, and more.    Catch all the episodes on your favorite podcast platform:      - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-report/id1506984526      - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ADFvqAtgsbYwk4JiZFqHQ?si=00e9c4b53aff4d08&nd=1&dlsi=eab65c9ea39d4773      - SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ciscopodcastnetwork/sets/the-internet-report      - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theinternetreport_official

We jump right in by asking a deceptively simple question: do you have a personal brand, and if so...what is it? That quickly turns into Kat and Ian accidentally hyping each other up, questioning their professional identities, and landing on the idea that being good at work starts with being a good human. Ian explains why he's sending out 360 feedback surveys “because he's insecure,” while Kat defends her commitment to being on time (something Ian can't comment on...) Then we get into actual tips: how personal brands are built day by day. From accountability and consistency to perception and reputation, this episode is all about how people experience you at work — and why that matters more than ever in a virtual world. If you found this insightful, funny, or just like us...give us a click to keep the show funded! https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html

In this episode, we interview Liz Rice, a contributor to eBPF. She tells us what this technology means for the linux kernel but also for future security app, for kernel observability and last but not least for container networking. A technology so good it's even coming to Windows.

Unlock AI for Retail and Predictive data analytics success with Samsoe Samsoe and Cisco Meraki. In this episode of Tech Unscripted, Bryan Jones (SVP, Cisco) sits down with Simeon Solarsky, Head of IT and Operations at Samsoe Samsoe, to explore how to bridge the gap between online presence and brick-and-mortar stores. We dive deep into how leveraging Predictive data analytics and modern infrastructure like Wi-Fi 7 can turn IT from a cost center into a powerful engine for growth.

In this special edition of Shift Happens: Talking Shift, Jeff Edwards sits down with Ari Butler, founder of AB3 Communications, to unpack a powerful tension in today's workplace: how you can be more productive than ever… and trusted less at the same time. From his roots in theater to advising leaders across companies like Cisco, Google Cloud, and Goldman Sachs, Ari brings a unique perspective: leadership isn't just strategy—it's a creative, performative act. And every interaction? It's either building trust… or quietly eroding it. We explore what most leaders get wrong—focusing on what they want to say instead of what others need to hear—and why the best communicators don't just inform… they move people to act.

A prompt from former guest Brad Oliver sparks this week's conversation as Kat and Ian swap their favorite life hacks — from AI-powered routines to everyday habits that (mostly) keep things on track. Kat shares her go-to method for turning a packed morning into a time-blocked, lock-screen-ready game plan (truly, you should steal this), while Ian brings ideas on using AI as a personal coach for growth, productivity, and even wellness. They also get into practical strategies like the two-minute rule, quick-start momentum tricks, journaling habits, and small upgrades that make a big difference. Along the way, they touch on discipline, habit stacking, why being on time is harder than it should be (at least for Ian), and a simple relationship tip that can change how you show up for others. A mix of useful ideas, honest moments, and a few habits still in progress. Another life hack: buying Cisco products for your small or medium business. Check them out here: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html#tabs-9da71fbd27-item-1288c79d71-tab

In the latest episode of the Cisco AI Insights podcast, hosts Rafael Herrera and Sonia Marques are joined by Dr. Catarina Carvalho, a Cisco leader in machine learning engineering. Together, they unpack the complex academic paper " Multi-Crit: Benchmarking Multimodal Judges on Pluralistic Criteria-Following," developed by researchers from the University of Maryland and the University of Waterloo. As the industry moves toward more reliable multimodal models, traditional pass-or-fail evaluation is no longer sufficient. This paper introduces a hierarchical framework that uses "LLM-as-a-judge" to evaluate outputs across five distinct criteria: visual grounding, logical coherence, factuality, reflection, and conciseness. Dr. Carvalho guides the discussion through the nuances of this "judge of judges" approach, exploring why human alignment remains the gold standard even as we automate evaluation processes. A special thank you to the teams at both The University of Waterloo and The University of Maryland, College Park, for developing this month's paper. If you are interested in reading the paper yourself, please visit this link: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2511.21662.

30 episodes… already?!

AB sits down with Tom Gillis, Cisco's SVP and GM, Infrastructure & Security Group, to explore the crucial role security plays in the ever-changing AI landscape.

Ian and Kat are back with a "yin and yang" week of personal chaos and professional growth. Kat recounts the harrowing story of her recent hit-and-run—including a very embarrassing realization about her side-view mirror—and shares how she managed to keep her cool (and her work schedule) on track. Beyond the road drama, Kat dives into her experience at a women's-only C-suite event, discussing the power of intimate networking, the future of AI in the workplace, and the importance of Cisco showing up in non-traditional spaces. Ian and Kat also get real about the "triangle of life"—balancing fitness, money, and sanity—and why sometimes, you just have to give yourself a break. Tune in for an episode full of personal anecdotes, leadership insights, and a reminder that even when things (or cars) get hit, the show must go on. Since we didn't talk (much) Cisco this week, PLEASE give us a click here: https://id.cisco.com/app/ciscoid_aemcloudprodsaml_1/exk14lk1xf6SKDANc5d7/sso/saml

What does it really take to redesign one of the most influential partner programs in the tech industry? In this episode of Shift Happens, Jeff Edwards sits down with Brian Overmeyer, Director of Partner Strategy and Programs at Cisco, to go behind the scenes of The Cisco 360 Partner Program. With a background in industrial-organizational psychology and more than two decades shaping Cisco's partner ecosystem, Brian shares how programs are more than incentives—they're roadmaps that guide behavior, reward value, and help partners grow alongside Cisco. From the legacy of Cisco's Gold program to a new model built around customer outcomes, platform value, and partner co-design, this conversation explores the strategy, complexity, and trust required to evolve a program that supports tens of thousands of partners around the world. Why listen: •

Unified Networking Architecture: Find out how X-Haul consolidates fronthaul, midhaul, and backhaul into a single, software-defined transport platform, and enables seamless 5G deployment across diverse topologies. AI-Drive Automation and Optimization: Learn to reduce operational expenses by up to 40% while improving service reliability. Future-Ready Scalability: Dive deep into how this technology supports emerging applications requiring ultra-low latency and massive bandwidth.

Visibility from diverse networks can help uncover blind spots to detect regional issues and invisible failures impacting end users. In this episode, you'll hear first-hand insights on the operational challenges and technical strategies involved in building, validating, and expanding a global monitoring infrastructure. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 03:21 Why Multi-location Monitoring Matters 06:48 Agent Management and Operational Challenges 14:16 Debugging Methodologies and Validation Processes 19:07 Getting the Most from Vendor Collaboration 24:16 Internet Misconceptions and Considerations 25:22 Notable Operational Outcomes ——— For additional insights, check out the links below: Cloud Agents: The Big Picture To Getting the Best Picture: https://www.thousandeyes.com/blog/cloud-agents-big-picture-best-picture?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q3_internetreport_q3fy26ep132_podcast The Internet Outage Survival Kit: https://www.thousandeyes.com/resources/the-internet-outage-survival-kit?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q3_internetreport_q3fy26ep132_podcast ——— Want to get in touch? If you have questions, feedback, or guests you would like to see featured on the show, send us a note at InternetReport@thousandeyes.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn or X. ——— ABOUT THE INTERNET REPORT This is The Internet Report, a podcast uncovering what's working and what's breaking on the Internet—and why. Tune in to hear ThousandEyes' Internet experts dig into some of the most interesting outage events from the past couple weeks, discussing what went awry—was it the Internet, or an application issue? Plus, learn about the latest trends in ISP outages, cloud network outages, collaboration network outages, and more. Catch all the episodes on your favorite podcast platform: - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-report/id1506984526 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ADFvqAtgsbYwk4JiZFqHQ?si=00e9c4b53aff4d08&nd=1&dlsi=eab65c9ea39d4773 - SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ciscopodcastnetwork/sets/the-internet-report - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theinternetreport_official

Happy spring cleaning time! We're cleaning house with this episode. Enjoy some behind-the-scenes recordings from 404 over the last few months! If you haven't already, and you want to keep these BTS episodes coming, check out Cisco's solutions for small and medium businesses: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html

Jeff Edwards sits down with Rebecca Leach—former Cisco and AppDynamics leader turned executive coach and founder of Growth Road, an executive coaching practice focused on helping leaders navigate change with clarity, confidence, and connection. After nearly two decades in tech leadership, Rebecca reached a pivotal moment: stay in the familiar rhythm of corporate success, or step into ambiguity and redefine what leadership—and identity—really meant. What followed wasn't just a career transition. It became the foundation for Growth Road, where Rebecca now helps leaders grow through the same kinds of shifts she experienced herself. In this candid conversation, Rebecca shares the emotions behind leaving a long, successful corporate career, the courage it takes to embrace uncertainty, and the lessons leaders can carry forward when the path ahead isn't clear. Why listen: • ⚡ The hidden risk of tying your identity to your title •

AB sits down with Tim Coogan, Cisco's SVP, Global Partner Sales, for a fun chat about the important role partners play to drive positive business outcomes. From partnering in the AI era to the link between sales and partnerships, this informative conversation highlights why it's critical for business to cultivate a powerful partner ecosystem.

In this special edition of Shift Happens — Talking Shift, host Jeff Edwards sits down with Jon Sanchez, Founder & CEO of Team Performance Institute, to unpack a simple truth: leadership isn't about managing projects — it's about developing people. Drawing on Jon's background at the United States Naval Academy and in SEAL training, they explore why the most powerful leadership tool isn't a strategy deck — it's the 1:1 conversation. They break down why culture is built in personal interactions, why accountability strengthens relationships, and why performance follows connection. Why Listen

In this episode, we interview Jean Christophe Rode, principal engineer working in the IOS-XR engineering team. He also specalizes in SONIC support. He explains how this open source operating system is gaining ground and what are the difference with Cisco proprietary IOS-XR. No blue Hedgehogs are mentioned in this episode

Ian's out, Carina's in (for a week) — and somehow 404 is both nicer and more organized? In this week's episode, Kat is joined by her best friend in marketing, Carina Barreto for a very real and relatable deep dive into life in field marketing. From partner strategy and demand gen to why events are way more than just catering and a PowerPoint, the two unpack what actually makes a customer say “yes” — and why experiential marketing is the way. They also get into the unspoken truth of the role: sales is your best friend (like, 80% of your calendar kind of best friend), the art of saying yes before you earn the right to say no, and how building internal advocates can make or break your success. Along the way, expect tangents on MBA survival, women-focused executive events, and the eternal question of what sounds better than just staying home? No Ian this week, but don't worry — Kat and Carina still manage to get their jokes in just like he's there. If you like the show, give us a click to keep the funding coming: id.cisco.com/app/ciscoid_aemcloudprodsaml_1/exk14lk1xf6SKDANc5d7/sso/saml

In the latest episode of the Cisco AI Insights Podcast, hosts Rafael Herrera and Sónia Marques welcome Cisco AI operations engineer James Tidd for a discussion on the world of small language models (SLMs) and the evolution of efficient AI inference. Together, they unravel the complexities behind “Fast Inference from Transformers via Speculative Decoding,” a groundbreaking paper from Google that explores how smaller draft models can speed up large language model predictions while maintaining accuracy. James shares his hands-on experience experimenting with the technique, leveraging knowledge distillation and speculative execution. The trio also discusses the potential of this approach to optimize AI, reduce power consumption and costs, and help businesses of all sizes get more out of existing hardware. A special thank you to Google's AI team for developing this month's paper. If you are interested in reading the paper yourself, please visit this link: https://research.google/blog/looking-back-at-speculative-decoding/.

Cisco SE Talks: AI in Manufacturing with Sentinel- Episode 8 is LIVE! In this episode of Cisco SE Talks, we dive deep into the practical applications of AI with many of our manufacturing customers. We're thrilled to also bring in Bob Keblusek – Chief Innovation and Technology Office at Sentinel and Richard Sonnen, Director of AI Innovation and Matt LeMasters, Cisco SE as we talk through customer pain points and challenges specific to manufacturing and true partnership with Cisco. As part of the discussion – we also discuss how Cloud with AI can sometime be the easy button, but often comes with Security challenges and ultimate cost restraints. Join us for this jam-packed session – we're Cisco SEs lead the way! Watch the full episode now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGoNjF93Mxo

AB sits down with Gordon Thomson, Cisco's SVP EMEA Sales and EMEA President, for a great talk about The EMEA Moment, sovereign critical infrastructure, and how AI is a tool that is helping unlock human potential.

What does it really take to lead through massive change? In this special edition episode: Talking Shift, we explore the human side of transformation — in the middle of the biggest partner evolution in 25+ years: The Cisco 360 Partner Program. But this conversation goes deeper than programs. Jeff Edwards sits with Jon Sanchez, Founder and CEO of Team Performance Institute, to unpack… why change is so hard? Because it challenges identity. Because leaders move faster than their teams. Because we expect adoption without allowing the process. This episode is about failing forward, becoming a beginner again, and leading with empathy through uncertainty.

AB sits down with Zeus Kerravala, founder of ZK Research and a leading technology industry analyst, for a great conversation on the role analysts play in the world of tech, trends and innovations related to AI infrastructure, why the network is critical to AI workloads, and more.

Fran Katsoudas, Cisco's EVP and Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer, discusses her 29-year Cisco journey and shares insights on AI's workplace impact.

Carlos Pereira, Cisco Fellow & CX Chief Architect, discusses real AI adoption challenges/opportunities, and why Cisco is the trusted AI partner for businesses.

Kat enters her MBA era and quickly learns that going back to school with a full-time job is less glow-up and more calendar Tetris, midnight accounting homework, and life choices made over coffee and mild panic. We get into the real reason she chose to go back to school, and the career pivot logic before the conversation turns to time management, burnout, and the very real kitchen-counter study sessions. Kat shares insights into the cost (financial and other...), tradeoffs, and the networking perks of being in an executive program. Ian does his best to avoid sounding like Michael Scott as he asks questions throughout. An honest, slightly chaotic look at balancing work, school, and real life—plus why going back to class hits differently when you actually chose to be there. If you like the show, and want us to keep our jobs, give us a click here: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html Thanks, Kowalski!

What if the real competitive advantage isn't the technology—but the story you tell about it? In this episode of Shift Happens, Jeff Edwards sits down with Jason Marks, CEO of Techrategy and LEAD Above, to explore why storytelling—not specs—is what actually wins in tech. From simplifying complex platforms to making AI readiness feel practical (not risky), this conversation breaks down how the One Cisco story drives clarity, trust, and better outcomes when it's told well.

We're talking “managing up” today—yes, that elusive art of keeping your boss in the loop (without sounding like you're bragging or, you know, a robot). Kat and Ian break down what it really means to make your boss's life easier, from running those infamous one-on-ones to knowing when to say “no, but here's a solution.” Along the way, we tackle the big questions: Can a yellow sweater actually help you survive February? Is it possible to be strategic and human? And why is it so hard to talk about your own wins without feeling icky? Spoiler: We don't have it all figured out, but we've got stories, hacks, and plenty of self-deprecating humor (plus a cameo from Ian's dogs). If you haven't already, and you want to keep these half-baked insights coming, check out Cisco's solutions for small and medium businesses: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html

Digital information is constantly in motion, crossing borders and jurisdictions. Learn about the current dynamics around data sovereignty and the importance of understanding the path your data takes. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 03:38 Data in Flight 06:52 Consideration Factors for Data Paths 10:17 Failover Considerations 12:13 On Encryption and Quantum Computing 13:57 How AI Adds Complexity to Data Sovereignty 16:17 Key Takeaways For additional insights, check out The Internet Outage Survival Kit: https://www.thousandeyes.com/resources/the-internet-outage-survival-kit?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q3_internetreport_q3fy26ep131_podcast ——— Want to get in touch? If you have questions, feedback, or guests you would like to see featured on the show, send us a note at InternetReport@thousandeyes.com. Or, follow us on LinkedIn or X:. ——— ABOUT THE INTERNET REPORT This is The Internet Report, a podcast uncovering what's working and what's breaking on the Internet—and why. Tune in to hear ThousandEyes' Internet experts dig into some of the most interesting outage events from recent weeks, discussing what went awry—was it the Internet, or an application issue? Plus, learn about the latest trends in ISP outages, cloud network outages, collaboration network outages, and more. Catch all the episodes on your favorite podcast platform: - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-report/id1506984526 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ADFvqAtgsbYwk4JiZFqHQ?si=00e9c4b53aff4d08&nd=1&dlsi=eab65c9ea39d4773 - SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ciscopodcastnetwork/sets/the-internet-report - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCewXUwLMfn7Y69C6vGRVwyw

Ian and Kat are back and talking things they think they are better at than they actually are...both skiing and the Microsoft Office Suite. From concatenating cells in Excel to creating works of art in PowerPoint, we delve into the products that every single person in the corporate world uses every day and where are our gaps are. Ian gives tricks to help fake it until you make it in Excel, Kat may be the world's foremost Word user (at least in her own mind), and they both then brag about flex their PowerPoint and OneNote skills. We then talk about how AI is being integrated into everyday tools, AND even talk about how Microsoft Teams runs on Cisco's collaboration endpoints (have to keep the bosses happy with the product pitch)! Also, you should just use Webex. It's the best. And secure. If you want to learn more about Webex, check it out here: www.webex.com

What if growth isn't the problem—revenue quality is? This is the moment before the Shift. Jeff Edwards sat down with John Roger, Founder and Managing Partner of Southern Technology Partners, around the holidays to break down the real economics behind partner success. From recurring revenue and managed services to lifecycle engagement and the Cisco 360 Partner Program – on the heels of its launch, this episode gets straight to what actually drives predictable, durable profitability. Why listen

In this episode , Tristan takes us through a tour of what Cisco is doing to make all network devices more secure, not just the new products. Security concerns are not just about security vulnerabilities, your base configuration has the biggest impact actually ... Resilient Infrastructure overview: ⁠https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/trust-center/resilient-infrastructure.html#~overview⁠  Feature Deprecation details: ⁠https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en_us/about/doing_business/trust-center/docs/cisco-resilient-infrastructure-feature-deprecation-and-removal-details.pdf⁠  Alternatives:  ⁠https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en_us/about/doing_business/trust-center/docs/cisco-infrastructure-resilience-feature-removal-and-suggested-alternatives.pdf⁠   Additional links on threat landscape in 2026: ⁠https://blogs.cisco.com/news/doubling-down-on-resilient-infrastructure⁠  ⁠https://blog.talosintelligence.com/salt-typhoon-analysis/⁠   

Kat and Ian are back—and this time, they've brought in Steve Guillman, Cisco's US Distribution Partner Sales Leader and the mastermind behind (joking) Cisco's new partner program, Cisco 360. Together, they unpack what partner programs are, why we should care and the buzz around Cisco's big partner program update, tossing out the jargon and serving up the real story (we think). Curious why Cisco decided to revamp a 25-year-old program? Wondering if all this change is actually a good thing? Steve lays it all out—from why partners should care, to how Cisco 360 is designed to reward partners for the awesome work they're already doing (yes, there's a little math, but we promise it's worth it). You'll get honest takes, a couple of groan-worthy analogies (grocery stores, anyone?), and the kind of channel banter that only comes from years in the trenches. If you've ever wondered what really goes on behind the scenes with Cisco's partner programs—or just want to hear someone explain this to Kat “like she's five”—this episode's for you. Want to support the show (and keep the analogies coming)? Check out Cisco's solutions for small and medium businesses: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html

Join us for a look ahead at some of the emerging outage trends for ITOps teams to keep in mind for 2026 and beyond. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 02:30 Monitoring for Component and Interaction Health 05:14 The Rising Scope of Automation 07:20 Real-World Scenarios 09:05 Observability Challenges 11:05 Getting Ahead of Interaction Failures 13:24 Outage Trends: By the Numbers ——— For additional insights, check out The Internet Outage Survival Kit: https://www.thousandeyes.com/resources/the-internet-outage-survival-kit?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q2_internetreport_q2fy26ep130_podcast ——— Want to get in touch? If you have questions, feedback, or guests you would like to see featured on the show, send us a note at InternetReport@thousandeyes.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn or X. ——— ABOUT THE INTERNET REPORT This is The Internet Report, a podcast uncovering what's working and what's breaking on the Internet—and why. Tune in to hear ThousandEyes' Internet experts dig into some of the most interesting outage events from recent weeks, discussing what went awry—was it the Internet, or an application issue? Plus, learn about the latest trends in ISP outages, cloud network outages, collaboration network outages, and more. Catch all the episodes on your favorite podcast platform: - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-report/id1506984526 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ADFvqAtgsbYwk4JiZFqHQ?si=00e9c4b53aff4d08&nd=1&dlsi=eab65c9ea39d4773 - SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ciscopodcastnetwork/sets/the-internet-report - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCewXUwLMfn7Y69C6vGRVwyw

Every major transformation needs a backbone—and for Cisco partners, that backbone is the Partner Experience Platform (PXP). In this episode of Shift Happens, Jeff Edwards sits down with Patrick Heenan, leader of PXP strategy and development, to explore how Cisco is redefining partner experience through co-design, simplicity, and AI-powered insights—all in support of the Cisco 360 partner program. From turning complex data into clear actions to giving partners real-time visibility into growth, performance, and opportunity, this conversation shows how PXP is becoming the central intelligence platform for partner success. Why listen: •

Ian and Kat finally let an actual expert onto the pod with their first external guest, technical recruiter Ann McCreight of Find Great People, for a wildly honest chat about AI in hiring, resumes that try way too hard, and why you absolutely should not list “English” as your programming language. Along the way, we cover keyword stuffing, Canva crimes, interview prep with robots, four-mile interview runs (??), and the shocking revelation that Ian's old resume… isn't that bad. Equal parts career advice and group therapy, this is the episode for you whether you are actively looking for a new job, or your resume is collecting virtual dust in a shared drive somewhere. If you came here to learn about Cisco SMB, we still got you here: cisco.com/content/cdc/login.html?referer=/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html

In this month's episode of The Cisco AI Insights Podcast, hosts Rafael Herrera and Sónia Marques welcome Giota Antonakaki, a Cisco leader in machine learning engineering, for an illuminating deep dive into a recent academic research shaping AI agent technology. Together, they unpack “The Illusion of Diminishing Returns: Measuring Long Horizon Execution in LLMs”, a paper challenging the common belief that scaling large language models (LLMs) results in only marginal gains.   The conversation explores fresh concepts like “long horizon” and “self-conditioning,” revealing how even small improvements in LLM step accuracy can dramatically boost performance in complex, multi-step tasks. Giota breaks down the difference between planning, reasoning, and execution in LLMs, and why reasoning-focused models outperform even the largest standard LLMs for long-running AI agents. We also extend a special thank you to Akshit Sinha and his team of researchers for developing this month's paper. If you are interested in reading the paper yourself, please visit this link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.09677.

Ian and Kat are joined this week by their white whale, Ian's mentor and Cisco's Vice President of Global Channel Marketing and Mid-Market/SMB, Stephen Tessitore. Stephen is on a mission to mentor 100 new leaders (he's WELL on his way), and shares his insights with us on how to find a mentor, how to be a mentor and how to come prepared to get the most out of the relationship. Kat and Ian then spend the last 4 minutes roasting Ian for his Chipotle habits. Maybe something he can work on with a mentor? If you want to learn more about Cisco's solutions for small and medium businesses (which we definitely did not talk about this week), check them out here: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html#tabs-35d568e0ff-item-4bd7dc8124-tab

What does it take to redesign a partner incentive program after more than 20 years—without losing trust, predictability, or momentum? In this episode of Shift Happens, host Jeff Edwards sits down with Fred Farges, Senior Director of Cisco's Global Partner Incentive Program and a key architect of the Cisco 360 Partner Program, to unpack one of the most significant transformations in Cisco's partner ecosystem. They explore how market forces like AI, subscription-based revenue, and customer adoption are reshaping partner profitability—and why Cisco made the decision to co-design its future partner model with partners at global scale. This conversation covers: ● Why legacy partner incentives had to evolve ● How Cisco 360 balances innovation with predictability ● What partners can expect at launch and beyond ● The role of growth, adoption, and lifecycle in long-term success Whether you're inside Cisco, part of the partner ecosystem, or leading change in enterprise technology, this episode offers a clear, candid look at how transformation happens.

Join us for a recap of some of 2025's most notable Internet outages and incidents, with key learnings for ITOps teams to take into 2026. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 03:16 An Important Nuance 05:16 Global Impacts 07:44 Architecture and Failure Modes 10:05 When DNS Is The Culprit 13:05 The Importance of Looking at Combined Signals 15:54 On Configuration Change Issues 19:23 Key Takeaways ——— For additional insights, check out the links below: Blog: https://www.thousandeyes.com/blog/the-top-internet-outages-of-2025-analyses-and-takeaways#google-cloud-incident?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q2_internetreport_q2fy26ep1_podcast?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q2_internetreport_q2fy26ep129_podcast The Internet Outage Survival Kit: https://www.thousandeyes.com/resources/the-internet-outage-survival-kit?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q2_internetreport_q2fy26ep129_podcast ——— Want to get in touch? If you have questions, feedback, or guests you would like to see featured on the show, send us a note at InternetReport@thousandeyes.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn or X. ——— ABOUT THE INTERNET REPORT This is The Internet Report, a podcast uncovering what's working and what's breaking on the Internet—and why. Tune in to hear ThousandEyes' Internet experts dig into some of the most interesting outage events from the past couple weeks, discussing what went awry—was it the Internet, or an application issue? Plus, learn about the latest trends in ISP outages, cloud network outages, collaboration network outages, and more. Catch all the episodes on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform: - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-report/id1506984526 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ADFvqAtgsbYwk4JiZFqHQ?si=00e9c4b53aff4d08&nd=1&dlsi=eab65c9ea39d4773 - SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ciscopodcastnetwork/sets/the-internet-report - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCewXUwLMfn7Y69C6vGRVwyw

New year, new us? Probably not. But we ARE talking all things about resolutions - from Kat's witchiness and vision boards to Ian's list of goals we share our process and take a look back at our 2025 resolutions and year-over-year (YoY) improvements - including Ian drinking less soda...shock! We then dive into how to go about making good resolutions (~6:20 in) before devolving into Kat mocking Ian once again. Feels like this should be a resolution for her? Short and sweet this week! If one of your resolutions is to learn more about Cisco's solutions for small and medium businesses, check them out here: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html

In this episode of Cisco SE Talks, we dive deep into the practical applications of AI with many of our financial and high frequency trading customers. We're thrilled to also bring in Sudheesh Subhash – VP of Innovation & Emerging Technologies at EPlus, Zeki Yasar - Principal Architect focusing on AI and Jake Perakis, Cisco SE - as we talk through customer financial pain points and challenges, as they embark on their AI journey. We also take a deeper dive on how cloud with AI can sometimes be the easy button but comes with significant security challenges and cost restraints. Join us as Cisco SEs lead the way as Cisco re-defines the AI market transformation with our customers and partner! #Cisco #CiscoSE #CiscoEPlus #AI #SELed #CiscoAI #SETalks #CiscoSETalks