600-660 approach - Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure - Advanced Updated: 2024 | ||||||||
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Exam Code: 600-660 Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure - Advanced approach January 2024 by Killexams.com team | ||||||||
600-660 Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure - Advanced Exam Detail: The 600-660 Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure - Advanced (DCACIA) exam is part of the Cisco Certified Specialist - Data Center ACI Implementation certification track. This exam focuses on validating the knowledge and skills of candidates in implementing advanced features and functionalities of Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI). Here are the exam details for the DCACIA certification: - Number of Questions: The exact number of questions may vary, but the exam typically consists of multiple-choice and simulation-based questions. - Time Limit: The time allotted to complete the exam is 90 minutes. Course Outline: The course outline for the Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure - Advanced (DCACIA) certification covers various advanced subjects related to Cisco ACI implementation. The subjects typically included in the course outline are as follows: 1. Cisco ACI Concepts and Architecture: - Understanding the fundamental concepts of Cisco ACI. - Exploring the ACI fabric architecture and components. - ACI packet forwarding and policy enforcement. 2. ACI Policy Model: - Advanced policy constructs and contracts in ACI. - Implementing policy enforcement using filters and contracts. - Quality of Service (QoS) in ACI. 3. ACI Fabric Operations and Troubleshooting: - Fabric discovery and inventory management. - Monitoring and troubleshooting ACI fabric components. - Diagnosing and resolving common ACI fabric issues. 4. ACI Programmability and Automation: - ACI REST API fundamentals and programmability. - Leveraging Python and Ansible for ACI automation. - Integrating ACI with orchestration platforms. Exam Objectives: The objectives of the Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure - Advanced (DCACIA) exam are as follows: - Assessing candidates' understanding of Cisco ACI concepts, architecture, and packet forwarding. - Evaluating candidates' proficiency in implementing advanced policy constructs and contracts in ACI. - Testing candidates' knowledge of fabric operations, troubleshooting, and resolution of ACI fabric issues. - Assessing candidates' ability to leverage programmability and automation for ACI using REST API, Python, and Ansible. Exam Syllabus: The specific exam syllabus for the Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure - Advanced (DCACIA) certification may cover the following topics: 1. Cisco ACI Concepts and Architecture: - ACI fundamentals and fabric architecture. - ACI packet forwarding and policy enforcement. 2. ACI Policy Model: - Advanced policy constructs and contracts. - Implementation of filters and contracts. - Quality of Service (QoS) in ACI. 3. ACI Fabric Operations and Troubleshooting: - Fabric discovery and inventory management. - Monitoring and troubleshooting ACI fabric components. - Diagnosing and resolving common ACI fabric issues. 4. ACI Programmability and Automation: - ACI REST API fundamentals and programmability. - Automation using Python and Ansible. - Integration of ACI with orchestration platforms. Please note that the specific exam content and syllabus may be updated over time. It's recommended to refer to the official Cisco Certification website for the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding the Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure - Advanced (DCACIA) exam, including the number of questions, time limit, and detailed exam objectives and syllabus. | ||||||||
Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure - Advanced Cisco Infrastructure approach | ||||||||
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600-660 Dumps 600-660 Braindumps 600-660 Real Questions 600-660 Practice Test 600-660 dumps free Cisco 600-660 Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure Advanced http://killexams.com/pass4sure/exam-detail/600-660 QUESTION 53 What are two characteristics of Cisco ACI and Spanning Tree Protocol interaction? (Choose two.) A. When a TCN BPDU is received in a VLAN, Cisco ACI flushes the endpoints for the associated encapsulation. B. STP BPDUs are dropped due to MCP. C. MST BPDUs are flooded correctly in Cisco ACI fabric without additional configuration. D. BPDU filter and BPDU guard can be configured on Cisco ACI leaf edge ports. E. Cisco ACI must be configured as the STP root for all VLANs. Correct Answer: DE Section: Traditional network with ACI Reference: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/aci/aci_virtual_edge/configuration/1-x/b_Virtual_Edge_Config_Guide_1_2_2/b_Virtual_Edge_Config_Guide_1_2_2_chapter_0101.html QUESTION 54 Where are STP BPDUs flooded in Cisco ACI fabric? A. in the bridge domain VLAN B. in the native VLAN ID C. in the access encapsulation VLAN part of different VLAN pools D. in the VNID that is assigned to the FD VLAN Correct Answer: A Section: Traditional network with ACI Reference: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/collateral/data-center-virtualization/application-centric-infrastructure/white-paper-c11-737909.html QUESTION 55 Refer to the exhibit. How are the STP BPDUs forwarded over Cisco ACI fabric? A. STP BPDUs that are generated by Switch2 are received by Switch1 and Switch3. B. Cisco ACI fabric drops all STP BPDUs that are generated by the external switches. C. Cisco ACI acts as the STP root for all three external switches. D. STP BPDUs that are generated by Switch1 are received only by Switch3. Correct Answer: A Section: Traditional network with ACI Reference: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cisco-aci-network-behaviour-stptcn-how-identify-loop-ankit-kulshresta QUESTION 56 What are two characteristics of Cisco ACI interaction with MSTP? (Choose two.) A. A Cisco ACI leaf flushes all local endpoints in the received EPG when an MSTP TCN frame is received. B. A static path binding is required for native VLAN to carry the MST BPDUs in existing EPGs. C. Mis-cabling protocol is used to snoop the MSTP TCN packets. D. A dedicated EPG must be created for the native VLAN ID with static bindings toward the MSTP-enabled switches. E. The PVST simulation must be configured on external network switches to support MSTP. Correct Answer: CD Section: Traditional network with ACI QUESTION 57 Cisco ACI fabric is migrated from network-centric mode to application-centric mode. What is possible in an application-centric design? A. remapping of VLAN pools B. migration of bare metal servers to virtual machines C. creation of additional EPGs under one bridge domain D. Cisco ACI VMM integration with hypervisors Correct Answer: C Section: Traditional network with ACI /Refer ence: QUESTION 58 What is a design implication for Cisco ACI using an application- centric approach? A. Multiple VLANs and/or multiple EPGs are under one bridge domain B. VLAN numbers are in the names of the bridge domain and EPG objects C. One EPG is mapped to multiple bridge domains D. One VLAN equals one EPG equals one bridge domain Correct Answer: C Section: Traditional network with ACI QUESTION 59 What are two characteristics of network-centric design in Cisco ACI? (Choose two.) A. There is open communication between EPGs B. EPGs are used for microsegmentation C. EPGs are different security zones D. Applications define the network requirements E. A bridge domain has one subnet and one EPG Correct Answer: BE Section: Traditional network with ACI QUESTION 60 DRAG DROP An engineer must migrate servers from a legacy data center infrastructure to a Cisco ACI fabric. Drag and drop the steps from the left into the order that they must be completed on the right to ensure the least amount of downtime. Select and Place: Correct Answer: Section: Traditional network with ACI For More exams visit https://killexams.com/vendors-exam-list Kill your exam at First Attempt....Guaranteed! | ||||||||
"We went from being a reactive type of organisation to a proactive, preventive organisation," says McElroy. "We used to work off spreadsheets⌠each team would say by their gut how they felt the system was doing. Now, they not only know the health of their systems, but they also have visibility into business transactions, enabling us to build trend analysis on retention rates and the booking funnel. With Cisco solutions, we're data-driven." Another Cisco customer is Carhartt, an American clothing brand that produces and sells millions of garments and accessories every year. With customers worldwide, and peak periods such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, a single hour of downtime can mean millions of dollars in lost revenue. But the company was struggling with identifying and resolving issues due to a lack of visibility, says Bryan Laszlo, manager of application performance at Carhartt. "Before implementing Cisco Full-Stack Observability, they had a very siloed approach to solving problems," he says. "We had to bring in a lot of IT people to figure out what was happening. Now their mean time to resolution has reduced dramatically." As a result, Carhartt is building a dedicated team to leverage Cisco's FSO solutions, allowing them to identify potential issues early and prevent them from affecting the user experience. Carhartt can now also see orders going through the system, their monetary value, and other key data points to ensure smooth operations. "It's about getting the right information to the right people at the right time," says Laszlo. "You can only do that with end-to-end visibility and Cisco Full-Stack Observability is the way to get there." Going beyond monitoringFSO provides a holistic view of the entire IT environment, which transforms the way technology and innovation is handled. According to a global survey by Cisco titled The Age of Observability, 88% of technologists believe that the shift to observability will enable them to operate more strategically and focus more time on innovation. With unified visibility across their hybrid application landscapes, IT leaders can break down silos between people, processes and data, and unite and engage all technologists around a shared vision. It means that teams can be brought together around a shared vision and organisational goals. "Organisations are full of incredibly talented people, but they are working in silos," says Borgeest. "With FSO, companies have the opportunity to democratise their teams' view of the challenges and the opportunities. This acts as a competitive tool, helping indicate where to invest next and how to de-risk innovation, helping take the timidity out of your next step." "Observability is critical to any business where applications are at the core of the way they interface and serve customers and employees alike. I predict we'll start seeing more technologists with observability somewhere in their title in the coming months and years, and I'm excited to see how businesses will leverage this." ÂPublished 12-28-23 Submitted by Cisco Systems, Inc. We released their annual Purpose Report, which reflects and celebrates the past yearâs work towards Powering an Inclusive Future for Allâthe progress weâve made against their goals, and the people and lives weâve touched. The report explores the theme, The Power of Purpose, because they recognize that when they intersect their business, technology, and a network of partners together with their purpose, they create a powerful force for lasting change. And they have some incredible examples from this year, including the announcement that they achieved their goal of positively impacting 1 billion lives, and did so over a year early! For many years, the purpose of their Purpose Report has been to look back. But they must also look ahead. Any company looking to successfully execute their business strategy must consider the changing terrain, identify upcoming challenges and trends, and anticipate how to best meet evolving requirements. The same is true for purpose. This yearâs Purpose Report begins to explore the landscape, and where they see opportunities for Purpose to grow. Our biggest challenges are interconnected and interdependent The past several years brought us all unprecedented challenges, and a world more prone to polarization than before. But instead of binary questions and issues, a more multipolar world has emerged, requiring us to operate with more nuance and greater context than ever. In this context one thing is clearâwe are more interconnected and interdependent than ever. Our lives and futures are linked by their shared dependence on their planet and its environments. They have a global responsibility to solve the climate crisis together. They see the growth of an increasingly digital and global economy, keeping us connected through ecosystems of financial interdependence. And as they learned in the recent pandemic, their collective health is also inextricably linked. Global crises also continue to grow increasingly interconnectedÂÂââand the consequences disproportionately fall on vulnerable communities. Developing nations who often contribute the least to climate change bear the brunt of its impact. And due to a lack of infrastructure and technological advancement, they are often the least equipped to respond to natural disasters. While the digital economy continues to grow, 2.6 billion people remain unconnected, denying them access to the opportunities and resources available. The consequences of each crisis exacerbate othersÂÂâaccess to education is disrupted, progress for women and girls is set back, and extreme poverty rates rise. Pursuing their Purpose can and must be the glue that brings us together to meet this moment and address these complex, interconnected issues. The question they must continue to ask as they look ahead is, how? This yearâs report reflects on howâhow they achieved their goal of positively impacting 1 billion lives, how the private sector can work in new ways to address critical issues facing their societies, and how they can apply lessons from the past to build resilience in their communities for the future. Where do they go from here? There is no doubt that the path forward for business in a multipolar world isnât entirely clear. There is significant work ahead to address risks in supply chains and manufacturing, and complex questions on how to best navigate a shifting geopolitical terrain. But should these challenges and uncertainties also apply to Purpose? I donât think so. In fact, in this moment when many are shying away from a global mindset and approach, their Purpose work proceeds by pursuing what is most meaningful, regardless if that is at the local or global level. Purpose can flex. It operates in a lane that is valued around the world, giving all of us who do this work the space to create and iterate, to sway and pivot, and find their rhythm. And when they do, pursuing their Purpose holds the door open for economic initiatives. As they close the year in which they reached a goal of positively impacting one billion people, Iâm looking ahead and considering the next goal weâll set for ourselves. They are stronger with their partners by their sideâan ecosystem focused on driving impact. Weâll continue to do this if they integrate the lessons of the past and take a new approach in the days and years ahead. I hope youâll join us on this journey and read about their impact this year, and my reflections on whatâs next, in their FY23 Purpose Report. Together, they can do good for their communities, good for their businesses, and good for all. Read the full Cisco FY23 Purpose Report View original content here. âThe focus for Cisco overall is to build these agile platforms for IT to work faster and smarter, and they are building this across every aspect of the infrastructure, including users and applications,â Ciscoâs Prashanth Shenoy tells CRN. With simplicity and agility top of mind for Cisco Systems, the tech giant unveiled its new IT platform strategy for moving and automating workloads and applications on Wednesday during Cisco Partner Summit Digital 2020. The new approach will help customers work faster and smarter, especially at a time when resources are scarce and IT requirements have changed overnight, said Prashanth Shenoy, vice president of marketing, Enterprise, Data Center and Cloud Networking, IoT, and Developer Platform for Cisco. Specifically, when it comes to the hybrid cloud approach. âWeâre living in challenging environments, especially IT, which is being tasked with driving new projects in a very rapid manner that no one expected three quarters ago,â Shenoy said. âIT projects are being approved and implemented in weeks, rather than a year and the amount of work that IT has to do to drive that is immense.â [Related: Cisco DevNet Specialization Fast-Tracked To Help Partners In A Post-COVID World]â Cisco revealed three new and updated solutions as part of its platform approach, including new features for systems management platform Cisco Intersight, A Cisco Nexus Dashboard, and an updated Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE). The updates will help businesses that are re-thinking their tooling and IT operations, Shenoy said. The Cisco Intersight hybrid cloud platform that connects private data centers to private clouds has been extended to offer an Intersight Kubernetes Service, which will let infrastructure teams automate the lifecycle management of Kubernetes and containerized applications across any environment. Itâs not just developers that need to understand Kubernetes and containers anymore, said Todd Brannon, senior director, data center marketing for Cisco. âWeâre seeing Kubernetes and containers go mainstream. Itâs not just the DevOps teams that need to be adept -- weâre seeing the core IT teams being tasked with operationalizing these environments and for many, these are relatively new stacks of software,â he said. The new offering will let businesses handle containers as a service in a predictable and consistent way, Brannon said. Intersight Workload Optimizer, a new service available now, simplifies application resources management and telemetry data into a single tool that lets customers balance application performance and cost. Additionally, Cisco unveiled Intersight integration with AppDynamics, an integrated service with Workload Optimizer, which gives IT teams visibility into cloud-native applications to Strengthen management across their infrastructure and stay ahead of issues, Brannon said. âWeâve set a very ambitious goal for ourselves to build out Intersight as an all-in platform for hybrid IT, because hybrid cloud can be hard, but it doesnât have to be,â he said. Over in the data center, the new Cisco Nexus Dashboard provides insights and automation to operate multi-cloud data center networks, including on-premise, virtual edge and cloud sites. The new dashboard consolidates Ciscoâs portfolio of operational services and critical third-party services to give customers one place to manage application lifecycles, according to the San Jose, Calif.-based company. The updated Cisco ISE now simplifies secure network access across all domains, extending the zero-trust workplace to anywhere and on anything. Businesses can now use ISE to identify a variety of IoT endpoints to enforce consistent policies from the cloud to give teams the agility and flexibility they need to secure their organizations, Cisco said. âThe focus for Cisco overall is to build these agile platforms for IT to work faster and smarter, and they are building this across every aspect of the infrastructure, including users and applications,â Shenoy said. The new open platform approach will give Cisco partners the opportunity to layer their own services on top and integrate with third-party technology, Shenoy added. âSince all of these are software platform, it will help [partners] drive that recurring revenue stream and profitably software businesses,â he said. The new Cisco Intersight features and the Cisco Nexus Dashboard will be available by the end of the calendar year, with the Cisco Intersight Kubernetes Service becoming available in the first half of 2021. The updated Cisco ISE is available now, according to Cisco. Cisco and Pure Storage Thursday unveiled an expansion of their FlashStack converged infrastructure offerings to included the first Cisco Validated Designs featuring the two technologies. The new Cisco Validated Designs, or CVDs in Cisco parlance, target virtual desktop infrastructure and Oracle Real Application Cluster (RAC) environments, said Satinder Sethi, vice president of data center and cloud solutions at Cisco, San Jose, Calif. The new CVDs represent the latest in the Cisco and Pure Storage FlashStack converged infrastructure partnership, which was first unveiled in 2014. [Related: mp;amp;A: Pure Storage CEO Dietzen Talks About NetApp/SolidFire, Flash Storage Future] The first new CVD is the Cisco Validated Design for FlashStack with VMware Horizon that certifies specific FlashStack configurations for enterprise virtual desktop infrastructure deployments of up to 5,000 seats, Sethi told CRN. The second is the Cisco Validated Design on FlashStack Data Center for Oracle 12c and RAC, which Sethi said were tested in four-node and eight-node versions. Cisco also has seen FlashStack deployments with SAP HANA, and will eventually have a Cisco Validated Design for that solution, he said. FlashStack is already generating interest from various customers, said Kevin Prahm, vice president of sales and operations at ACS, a Huntington Beach, Calif.-based solution provider and channel partner of both Cisco and Pure Storage. "The unique aspect of FlashStack is that it unites a dominant company like Cisco and a strong storage innovator like Pure Storage and creates a solution that customers are looking for," Prahm told CRN. The market is looking for Google-like performance, and Pure Storage offers it with FlashStack, Prahm said. "Customers want something efficient, is simple to operate, and offers high performance," he said. "They see it in the FlashStack approach." Putting the Cisco Validated Design label on a solution is always a good thing, ACS' Prahm said. "CVDs are important," he said. "They bring multiple vendors together and demonstrate the unification of a solution. CVDs validate the overall offering for the marketplace." Cisco also works with other storage vendors on converged infrastructure offerings, including with NetApp on FlexPod, Nimble Storage on SmartStack, IBM on VersaStack, and Dell EMC with VCE, Sethi said. The company used to work closely on VSPEX converged infrastructure solutions with EMC, but those offerings are no longer available, he said. Michael Sotnick, vice president of channels and alliances at Pure Storage, said the Mountain View, Calif.-based company has participated in thousands of joint deployments of FlashStack, and has taken Pure Storage to more than 2,300 customers as of the end of the last fiscal quarter. However, it has not participated in any other converged infrastructure offerings, he told CRN. "Across the board, we're seeing wide adoption of Pure Storage for customers who have adopted Cisco UCS," he said. "Cisco's easy, elegant UCS solution works well with Pure Storage." Cisco (CSCO) has exhibited a modest 3.1% average revenue growth and 4.8% average adjusted operating profit growth over the past five years. The company is experiencing a decline in market share within both the networking and security end markets. Consequently, I recommend initiating coverage with a 'Sell' rating and assigning a fair value of $45. Networking is Losing to AristaIt is evident that Cisco is ceding market share to Arista, with Cisco experiencing low-single-digit growth, whereas Arista (ANET) has achieved double-digit growth over the past few years. The accompanying chart underscores this trend, revealing that Cisco added only 1 million 100/200/400G switch ports compared to Arista's notable 2 million during the same period. The decline in Cisco's market share can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, a decade ago, as enterprises began migrating their workflows to the cloud, Cisco did not promptly adjust its product strategy to align with the demands of the cloud transition era. Instead, the company maintained its focus on traditional on-premise routers and switching technology, neglecting significant investments in software-defined networking (SDN). SDN-powered switches offer greater suitability for cloud deployment, providing enhanced flexibility and scalability capabilities. Secondly, a decade ago, Cisco held a dominant position, with traditional networking products generating substantial cash flow and profits. The challenge arose when it became difficult for the company to disrupt its own success and reallocate resources to embrace newly developed technologies. Lastly, in 2013, Cisco introduced ACI, its premier software-defined networking (SDN) solution for data centers, utilizing the Nexus 9000 series products as spine and leaf switches. While Cisco endeavors to catch up with rivals in providing data center solutions, the company finds itself arriving late to the game. Moreover, Cisco's historical premium pricing is losing favor among enterprises as more budget-friendly options emerge. Outdated Network SecurityCisco's End-to-End Security business encompasses Cloud and Application Security, Industrial Security, Network Security, and User and Device Security. A decade ago, Cisco's security business thrived as a bundled offering with their networking devices, providing a comprehensive solution for network integration. However, in the current era of cloud computing, their End-to-End Security has become outdated, lagging behind competitors such as Palo Alto (PANW). In FY23, Cisco's End-to-End Security revenue only experienced a modest growth of 4.3%. It appears that their security products remain hardware-centric, a characteristic ill-suited to the evolving demands of cloud security and comprehensive protection. In contrast, rivals like Palo Alto employ a modular approach, offering multiple modules or subscriptions to counter various internet threats. The accompanying chart illustrates the revenue trends among major cybersecurity companies, highlighting Palo Alto and Fortinet's (FTNT) significant market share gains in recent years. Their success can be attributed to software and module-centric products that align more effectively with the requirements of cloud infrastructure. For readers seeking a deeper understanding, I recommend referring to my introductory article on Palo Alto Networks. Splunk AcquisitionCisco is strategically leveraging M&A to transition a significant portion of their business towards software and services. Noteworthy acquisitions include Splunk, acquired for $28 billion in 2023, IMImobile for $730 million in 2021, ThousandEyes for $1 billion in 2020, and Duo Security for $2.3 billion in 2018. While the Splunk deal has the potential to enhance Cisco's capabilities in security and observability, it appears that there are limited synergies between Splunk and Cisco. The primary driver behind Cisco's decision to acquire at such a high cost is their struggle with topline growth. Cisco is paying a premium of approximately 30% over Splunk's market price before the deal was announced, with the acquisition price implying over 7x forward revenue. The accompanying chart illustrates Splunk's revenue growth and adjusted operating margin trend, which is currently standing at around the low-to-mid teens. Splunk specializes in security data analytics, operating a platform that collects extensive datasets from various sources. However, according to Palo Alto's management, Splunk's solutions may present challenges in promptly investigating cybersecurity incidents. Palo Alto's Security Operations Center (SOC), on the other hand, can seamlessly integrate AI into SOC transformation and automation processes, allowing for faster and more efficient investigation of cyber threats. It's worth noting that Splunk is actively investing in AI and automation technologies, and its vast datasets remain a key advantage in the cybersecurity space. In addition, Splunk is endeavoring to expand its presence in the infrastructure observability market. However, as a relatively smaller player in this space, it faces competition from established companies such as Datadog (DDOG) and Dynatrace (DT). It appears that Splunk, entering the field later, may struggle to compete effectively against these specialized players. According to Datadog's management, Splunk's platform is centralized in security management, presenting a notable difference from Datadog's infrastructure, which operates in real-time. For a more in-depth exploration of observability, I recommend referring to my introductory article on Datadog. In summary, the potential for synergies between Cisco and Splunk is questionable. This uncertainty arises from the fundamental differences in Splunk's business model, centered around subscription-based solutions, and Cisco's traditional hardware-centric business model. Isovalent DealCisco announced its acquisition of Isovalent in December. Cisco had previously participated in the startup's Series A funding at the end of 2020. Isovalent, a cloud-native security and networking startup, is expected to enhance Cisco's security capabilities for cloud infrastructure. Isovalent leverages eBPF and Cilium to gather data sets from both Linux and Windows, integrating with various platforms and applications such as Splunk, Datadog, and Isovalent itself. I believe the acquisition of Isovalent will benefit Splunk's ecosystem. It's important to note that Isovalent, while a small company, faces competition from several alternatives in the market. Financial Results and OutlookDuring Q1 FY24, Cisco achieved a robust 7.6% revenue growth and an impressive 27.6% growth in adjusted net income, reaching the upper end of their guidance range. Their balance sheet remains strong with $23.5 billion in cash and cash equivalents. Operating activities generated $2.4 billion in cash, and they returned $2.8 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. For FY24, revenue guidance is set to be between $53.8 billion and $55 billion, with Non-GAAP earnings per share ranging from $3.87 to $3.93. The guidance suggests one or two quarters of low revenue growth followed by a return to normal growth. The subdued growth in the upcoming quarters is attributed to implementation constraints, with large customers working through elevated product shipments from previous quarters. Essentially, Cisco over-earned in the prior fiscal year. The current full-year guidance implies an approximately -5% revenue growth rate, a reasonable expectation given the over-earning in the preceding fiscal year. The table below provides an overview of Cisco's historical financials. In summary, they have demonstrated a low growth rate in both topline and bottom-line figures, with an average of 3.1% revenue growth and 4.8% net income growth. Their balance sheet remains robust with a net positive cash position, and their dividend payout and share buyback activities are deemed decent. ValuationThe revenue growth assumption for FY24 takes into account the near-term headwinds stemming from elevated inventory shipped to their large customers, aligning with their provided guidance. When projecting normalized revenue growth, the model assumes 3% for organic revenue growth and 0.7% for acquisition growth, consistent with their historical average. Given the sluggish top-line growth, the likelihood of generating significant operating leverage is low. The estimate suggests only a 10 basis points leverage annually. The model employs a 10% discount rate, assumes a 3% terminal growth rate, and considers a 19% tax rate. Based on these parameters, the calculated fair value is $45 per share. Key RisksWeak Growth in Q2 and Q3 FY24: As discussed in their Q1 FY24 earnings call, the management anticipates a challenging Q2 and Q3, attributing it to the elevated inventory shipped to their large customers. I believe the subdued growth in the upcoming quarters is temporary, and their growth rate should resume once these customers have successfully digested their inventories. Collaboration Business Decline: The collaboration business, contributing over 7% to Cisco's total revenue, faced a decline of 9.4% in FY23 and 5.4% in FY22. Cisco encompasses Meetings, Collaboration Devices, and Contact Center businesses within this segment. The significant rise of Zoom (ZM) has introduced considerable downside risk for Cisco's collaboration business, and I anticipate ongoing pressure on this business segment in the future. ConclusionIn light of the challenges Cisco is facing in the cloud transition era and the perceived erosion of their competitive advantages, particularly in the realm of on-premise networking, I am initiating a 'Sell' rating. I assign a fair value of $45. Earning specialized certifications is a surefire way to advance your career in the IT field, regardless of industry or current career level. The right certification validates your skills and knowledge, which makes you more desirable to future employers who want to attract and retain the best employees. Below, weâll explore the top IT certifications and share how to examine your goals to choose the right path forward. Weâve narrowed IT certifications into specific categories to help IT professionals assess whatâs available and pursue the best certifications to show their willingness to learn and develop the in-demand career skills employers want. Best database certificationsÂDatabase platforms have changed greatly over the years, but database technology remains important for various applications and computing tasks. Available certifications for IT professionals include those for database administrators (DBAs), database developers, data analysts and architects, business intelligence, and data warehousing specialists, and other data professionals. Obtaining database certifications demonstrates an understanding of database concepts, design, implementation, administration and security. This can boost your credibility in the job market and show potential employers that you have the skills needed to work with databases. The best database certifications include the following: Best SAS certificationsÂSAS is one of the worldâs leading firms for business analytics, data warehousing and data mining. Today, the SAS Global Certification Program offers 23 credentials across categories including foundation tools, advanced analytics, business intelligence, data management and administration. SAS programmers remain in high demand, with a quick search of job boards showing thousands of open positions. Obtaining SAS certification shows employers that you are proficient in the companyâs popular suite of tools. Some of SASâs certification programs include the following: Many professionals earn certifications to help navigate their career paths. According to the IT Salary Report, 92 percent of information technology professionals have at least one certification. Best Cisco certificationsÂCisco Systems is a market leader not only in networking and communications products, but also storage networking and solutions for data centers. Cisco offers a variety of certifications for IT professionals, ranging from entry level credentials to expert-level exams. These certifications prepare professionals for Cisco-related careers. A search of job boards reveals thousands of open positions for Cisco experts, underscoring the continued relevance of these skills. Some of Ciscoâs certifications include the following: Best Dell certificationsÂDell Technologies remains one of the worldâs leading computing companies. In addition to its well-known hardware lineup, Dell also offers solutions for networks, storage, servers, gateways and embedded computing, as well as a broad range of IT and business services. Becoming certified in Dell products can help make IT professionals competitive in engineering roles for server, virtualization, networking, systems, integration and data security. Additional roles include consultants, account executives, system administrators, IT managers and deployment managers. Best mobility certificationsÂIn the mobile era, it has become increasingly important for network engineers to support local, remote and mobile users, as well as provide proper infrastructure. The focus on application and app development now leans more toward mobile environments, requiring security professionals to thoroughly address mobility from all perspectives. Due to the fast-changing nature of mobile technology, not many mobility certifications have become widely adopted. However, a few of the top mobility certifications can help IT professionals stand out in this rapidly evolving field. If part of your job includes selling and implementing an IT solution, you may want to pursue the best sales certifications. Youâll show your organization that youâre willing to go above and beyond to reach sales targets. Best computer hardware certificationsÂAs remote and computer-based work has become more common, itâs more important than ever that businesses and individuals be able to maintain their hardware. While discussions about potential computer-related jobs often revolve around software work and coding, jumping into the IT field by becoming a computer technician is an excellent starting point. Today, thousands of hardware technician jobs are available across the country. Entering this industry becomes more accessible for those who acquire computer hardware certifications. These certifications can showcase your expertise and proficiency in the upkeep of computers, mobile devices, printers and other hardware components. Best Google Cloud certificationsÂIT pros with solid cloud computing skills continue to be in high demand as more companies adopt cloud technologies. Today, Google Cloud is one of the market leaders in the cloud computing space. Regardless of where you are in your IT career, engaging with certification programs can demonstrate your willingness to keep on top of rapidly evolving cloud technologies. To that end, Google has introduced a host of certifications for its cloud platform, including the following: Best evergreen IT certificationsIn the fast-changing world of technology, it can help to focus on certifications that have stood the test of time. âEvergreenâ refers to certifications that remain popular year after year. The top evergreen certifications are based on recent pay surveys in IT, reports from IT professionals about certifications they want or pursue the most, and those that appear most frequently in online job postings. Obtaining these credentials is one step toward ensuring that your skills remain relevant for a long time: Best IT governance certificationsÂIT governance provides structure for aligning a companyâs IT with its business strategies. Organizations faced with compliance rigors always need experienced IT pros who can see the big picture and understand technology risks. This means certified IT governance professionals are likely to remain in high demand. Earning one of the following certifications proves a commitment to understanding the role of IT governance and its position in a companyâs current and future success. Getting certified can validate your expert knowledge and lead to advanced career opportunities. Best system administrator certificationsÂAn IT system administrator is responsible for managing and maintaining the information technology infrastructure within an organization. The position demands sought-after career skills, ranging from configuring and maintaining servers and clients to managing access controls, network services, and addressing application resource requirements. If youâre in charge of managing modern servers, thereâs a long list of tools and technologies that system administrators must master. Obtaining some of the most prominent system administrator certifications can demonstrate your mastery to potential employers. Best ITIL certificationsÂITIL, or Information Technology Infrastructure Library, was developed to establish standardized best practices for IT services within government agencies. Over the ensuing four decades, businesses of all types embraced, modified, and extended ITIL, shaping it into a comprehensive framework for managing IT service delivery. The ITIL framework remains the benchmark for best practices in IT service and delivery management, offering certification programs that cater to IT professionals at all levels. These training and certification courses ensure that IT professionals stay well-prepared for the ongoing evolution in IT service delivery management. There are four certifications in the ITIL certification program: Best enterprise architect certificationsÂAn IT enterprise architect is responsible for designing and managing the overall structure and framework of an organizationâs information technology system. Enterprise architect certifications are among the highest that an IT professional can achieve; fewer than 1 percent ultimately reach this level. Enterprise architects are among the highest-paid employees and consultants in the tech industry. These certifications can put IT professionals on a path to many lucrative positions. The average worker earns over six figures annually. Some top enterprise architect certifications are listed below: To become an enterprise IT architect, youâll need knowledge of systems deployment, design and architecture, as well as a strong business foundation. Best CompTIA certificationsCompTIA is a nonprofit trade association made up of more than 2,000 member organizations and 3,000 business partners. The organizationâs vendor-neutral certification program is one of the best recognized in the IT industry. Since CompTIA developed its A+ credential in 1993, it has issued more than two million certifications. CompTIA certifications are grouped by skill set and focus on the real-world skills IT professionals need. Armed with these credentials, you can demonstrate that you know how to manage and support IT infrastructure. Best Oracle certificationsÂA longtime leader in database software, Oracle also offers cloud solutions, servers, engineered systems, storage, and more. The company has more than 430,000 customers in 175 countries. Today, Oracleâs training program offers six certification levels that span 16 product categories with more than 200 individual credentials. Considering the depth and breadth of this program â and the number of Oracle customers â itâs no surprise that Oracle certifications are highly sought after. Vendor-specific certifications address a particular vendorâs hardware and software. For example, you can pursue Oracle certifications and Dell certifications to become an expert in those companiesâ environments. Best business continuity and disaster recovery certificationsBusiness continuity and disaster recovery keep systems running and data available in the event of interruptions or faults. These programs bring systems back to normal operation after a disaster has occurred. Business continuity and disaster recovery certifications are seeing a healthy uptrend as new cloud-based tools grow in popularity. While business continuity planning and disaster recovery planning have always been essential, theyâre becoming more critical than ever â and IT certifications are following suit. Maintaining independence and editorial freedom is essential to their mission of empowering investor success. They provide a platform for their authors to report on investments fairly, accurately, and from the investorâs point of view. They also respect individual opinionsââthey represent the unvarnished thinking of their people and exacting analysis of their research processes. Our authors can publish views that they may or may not agree with, but they show their work, distinguish facts from opinions, and make sure their analysis is clear and in no way misleading or deceptive. To further protect the integrity of their editorial content, they keep a strict separation between their sales teams and authors to remove any pressure or influence on their analyses and research. Read their editorial policy to learn more about their process. The Cisco Talos Year in Review report released Tuesday highlights new trends in the cybersecurity threat landscape. Weâll focus on three subjects covered: the ransomware cybercriminal ecosystem, network infrastructure attacks and commodity loader malware. More ransomware actors switched to extortion rather than encryption, while commodity loaders evolved to be stealthier and highly effective, although new major security improvements have seen the day in 2023, such as Microsoft Office disabling macros by default. Network devices are increasingly impacted by cybercriminals and state-sponsored threat actors. Jump to: The ransomware cybercriminal ecosystem changedMost targeted verticalIn terms of ransomware, the most targeted vertical, as observed by Cisco Talos in 2023, was the healthcare and public health sector, which is not surprising since the organizations in that sector often suffer from underfunded budgets for cybersecurity and low downtime tolerance (Figure A). In addition, those organizations are interesting targets because they possess protected health information. Figure A Some ransomware groups have been changingThe most active ransomware group for the second year in a row was LockBit (25.3% of the total number of posts made to data leak sites), followed by ALPHV (10.7%) and Clop (8.2%). Yet some ransomware groups kept changing in 2023; those structures often merged or rebranded in an attempt to confuse law enforcement and researchers tracking them. The cybercriminals active in the field often work for several ransomware-as-a-service services at the same time. Multiple leaks of ransomware source code and builders also affected the ransomware threat landscape because these allowed more people (even those with little technical knowledge) to start their own operations. Zero-days exploited at an unprecedented paceHighly technical actors have been exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities at an unprecedented pace. The Clop ransomware group in particular has been able to exploit multiple zero-day vulnerabilities, including vulnerabilities in the GoAnywhere MFT platform, MOVEit and PaperCut. Cisco Talos states that âClopâs repeated efforts to exploit zero-day vulnerabilities is highly unusual for a ransomware group given the resources required to develop such capabilities,â yet it is still unsure that they do develop exploits on their own. When questioned about it in an email interview, a Cisco spokesperson told TechRepublic, âBecause of the murkiness in the relationships that constitute the ransomware ecosystem, it can be difficult to accurately parse out which personnel/organizations are responsible for which actions. Because of this, they do not have direct insight into how Cl0p obtained the 0days and have not observed any indications that they purchased them. Regardless of whether they developed them themselves or purchased them, the usage suggests Cl0p is well-resourced, either in engineering talent or in finances and connections that would allow them to obtain from a third party.â More affiliates are using a data theft extortion modelAnother remarkable shift in the ransomware threat landscape is that more affiliates are now switching to a data theft extortion model rather than the usual encryption model. In these attacks, cybercriminals do not deploy ransomware; instead, they steal organizationsâ sensitive information before asking for a ransom. The improvements in ransomware detection capabilities from Endpoint Detection and Response and Extended Detection and Response software might be one reason for switching tactics and stopping deploying ransomware on the targeted systems. Cisco Talos also suspects the aggressive pursuits from U.S. and international law enforcement against ransomware actors might be another reason for that change. Network infrastructure attacks increasedCisco Talos observed an increase in attacks on networking devices in 2023, particularly attacks operated by China- and Russia-based groups looking to advance espionage objectives and facilitate stealthy operations against secondary targets. The researchers observed such activity from other cybercriminals, including initial access brokers and ransomware threat actors. Weak security on network devicesNetworking devices, although being key components to any organizationâs IT infrastructure, are not often examined from a security point of view and are often poorly patched, making them an interesting target for cybercriminals. Yet those devices often run on non-standard operating systems, rendering their exploitation harder by cybercriminals but also unmonitored by standard security solutions. The typical compromise of those devices starts with threat actors exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities, weak or default credentials, or insecure device configuration. A Cisco spokesman told TechRepublic that âthe continued prevalence of default credentials may be partly explained by the sheer number of vendors and products combined with the lack of uniform standards/best practices. The move away from default credentials should certainly help Strengthen the situation. It is important to note that weak credentials can also be exploited if the actor is able to brute-force or password-spray, and that access brokers still achieve success in obtaining credentials and selling them on the dark web. This means that even if organizations are not using default credentials, itâs essential they create unique and complex passwords, employ MFA where possible, and emphasize additional security measures such as segmentation and IR planning as well.â Targeted devices had a high severity scoreVulnerabilities affecting network devices in 2023 all had a high severity score, meaning those devices were easily exploitable and had the potential to cause significant operational impact, according to Cisco Talos. Once compromised, those devices allow attackers to capture sensitive network information, facilitating further access to the targetâs networks. Attackers also might plant malware on the devices to establish an initial foothold in the targetâs infrastructure without the need for any authentication, or to redirect network traffic to actor-controlled servers. Finally, the devices are also often used by attackers as anonymization proxies for conducting attacks on other targets. Commodity loader malware evolvedCommodity loader malware such as Qakbot, Ursnif, Emotet, Trickbot and IcedID have been around for years. They were initially banking trojans, looking for credit card information theft on infected computers. In late 2023, new variants of IcedID and Ursnif appeared with a striking difference as compared to their older versions: Their banking trojan capabilities had been removed, and their dropper functionalities had been improved. The IcedID new samples have been used by initial access brokers known for commonly selling network accesses to ransomware groups. The latest Ursnif variants were used by the Royal ransomware group. Qakbot also evolved, deploying new features ideally suited to help ransomware groups. This evolution from banking trojan to loader is attractive for cybercriminals who want to be stealthier; the banking trojan function removal renders those malware less detectable. The infecting vector for Qakbot, IcedID and Ursnif evolved, as Microsoftâs new security measures on Office products affected the malware threat landscape, forcing cybercriminals to find new ways to use macros undetected or avoid using them completely (Figure B). Figure B Threat actors used different methods compared to previous years for spreading their malware and infecting devices, such as using JavaScript, PowerShell, OneNote documents, or HTA files, to name a few. They also used the Google Ads platform to deploy malware such as Ursnif, IcedID or Trickbot, fully avoiding macros. Some other threat actors deploying Emotet, IcedID and Ursnif have been observed using older methods with macros, probably because the success rate on unpatched enterprise legacy systems is still high. How to protect your business from these cybersecurity threatsThe threat landscape evolves to suit cybercriminalsâ needs, and your security team needs to ensure its mitigation strategies are keeping up with the trends. Here are some tips for securing your business from these cyberthreats. In addition, all operating systems and software must be up to date and patched to avoid being compromised by common vulnerabilities. RansomwareAccess control mechanisms should be carefully reviewed in all corporate environments, and data segmentation should be applied for storing sensitive data because ransomware threat actors are increasingly trying to steal sensitive data rather than encrypt it. Network devicesNetwork devices must be up to date and patched. Default passwords, if any, must be changed to strong passwords. All of the devicesâ configuration files should be carefully analyzed and tuned to avoid any malicious exploitation. When possible, multifactor authentication must be deployed on those devices. Also, inbound and outbound communications from the devices should be monitored to detect malicious communication. Commodity loadersThe main families of commodity loaders have dropped their banking trojan capabilities to be lighter and stealthier, even without using macros â often to facilitate ransomware operations. Organizations should educate their employees to handle more file types with caution, such as PDF files or ZIP archives that might contain malicious files. Disclosure: I work for Trend Micro, but the views expressed in this article are mine. Ciscoâs acquisition of Splunk in September generated a lot of commentary, most of which unsurprisingly focused on how the two companies complement each other and what this means for their respective customers. As Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins stated when announcing the purchase, âour combined capabilities will drive the next generation of AI-enabled security and observability. From threat detection and response to threat prediction and prevention, they will help make organizations of all sizes more secure and resilient.â From the product perspective, it is clear that the synergies are substantial. Cisco sells hardware that generates massive amounts of data and Splunk is the category leader for data-intensive observability and security information and event management (SIEM) products. Viewed from the industry perspective, Splunkâs acquisition fits a distinct pattern.This transaction represents the fifth this year for an observability platform following changes of control at Moogsoft, Ops Ramp, Sumo Logic and New Relic. In all cases, including PE firm Francisco Partnerâs takeover of both New Relic and Sumo Logic, the aim is clear: use the data these companies collect to fuel the next big wave of AI-powered operations and security tools. However, this next generation of AI-enabled tools faces a significant challenge: AI is data-hungry and requires always-hot storage, which is likely to be prohibitively expensive on current platforms. This fundamental economic challenge confronts not just Cisco, but also HPE (Ops Ramp), Dell (Moogsoft), and Francisco Partners, as they attempt to make good on this AI-driven vision. It is possible, unless architectures change, that the high cost of storing and using data in these platforms, and the tradeoffs these costs impose, will impede the building of AI-enabled products. AI is Data Hungry With a few caveats, it is safe to say that more data makes for better AI models and, by extension, AI-enabled products. Larger training sets translate into greater accuracy, the ability to detect subtle patterns, and most importantly for the use cases envisioned by Cisco, generalization accuracy. Generalization describes how well a model can analyze and make accurate predictions on new data. For security use cases this can mean the difference between detecting or failing to detect a cyber threat. But itâs not just enough to have a lot of data at hand. That data needs to be easy to access repeatedly and on a basically ad hoc basis. Thatâs because the process of building and training models is experimental and iterative. In data storage terms, AI use cases require hot data. And when it comes to platforms like Splunk, thatâs a problem. In AI, All Data Must Be Hot To minimize costs, data on todayâs leading SIEM and observability platforms is stored in hot and cold tiers.  Hot storage is for data that must be accessed frequently and requires fast or low-latency query responses. This could be anything from customer databases to Kubernetes logs. It is data used in the daily operation of an application. Cold storage, on the other hand, serves as a low-cost archive. But in order to achieve this cost savings, performance is sacrificed. Cold data is slow to access and difficult to query. To be usable, cold data must be transferred back to the hot storage tier, which can take hours or even days. Cold storage simply wonât work for AI use cases. Data science teams use data in three phases: exploratory analysis, feature engineering and training, and maintenance of deployed models, each of which is characterized by constant refinement through experimentation. Each phase is highly iterative, as is the entire process. Anything that slows down these iterations, increases costs, or otherwise creates operational friction â and restoring data from cold storage does all three â will negatively impact the quality of AI-enabled products. The High Cost of Storage Forces Tradeoffs It is no surprise to anyone paying attention to the industry that Splunk, like its competitors, is perceived as expensive. It was a top concern of customers before the acquisition and it remains the number one concern in surveys taken since. It is easy to see why. Though their pricing is somewhat opaque, estimates put the cost to store a GB of data for a month at $1,800 for hot data. Compare that to the starting cost to store data in AWSâs S3 for $0.023 (essentially cold storage). Of course, thereâs a lot of value added to the data stored in observability platforms, such as compute and storage resources required to build indexes that make that data searchable, but understanding the costs doesnât change the fact that storing data in these platforms is expensive. According to Honeycomb and other sources, companies on average spend an astounding 20 to 30 percent of their overall cloud budget on observability. The solution Splunk and others adopted to help manage these massive costs â and the crux of the problem for Ciscoâs AI ambitions â is an aggressive retention policy that keeps only thirty to ninety days of data in hot storage. After that, data can be deleted or, optionally, moved to the cold tier from which, according to Splunkâs own documentation, it takes 24 hours to restore. A New Model is Needed Observability and SIEM are here to stay. The service that platforms like Splunk provide is valuable enough for companies to dedicate a significant percentage of their budget to provisioning it. But the costs to deliver these services today will impede the products they deliver tomorrow if the fundamental economics of hot data storage isnât overturned. Hot storage costs need to be much closer to raw object storage to serve the AI ambitions of companies like Cisco, Dell, and HPE. Architectures are emerging that decouple storage, allowing compute and storage to scale independently, and index that data so that it can be searched quickly. This provides solid-state drive-like query performance at near object storage prices. The biggest hurdle may not be a strictly technical one, though. The incumbent observability and SIEM vendors must recognize that they have a significant economic barrier to executing on their AI-enabled product roadmap. Once they realize this, they can proceed to the solution: integrating next-gen data storage technologies optimized for machine-generated data into their underlying infrastructure. Only then can vendors like Cisco, HP, etc. transform the economics of big data and deliver on the promise of AI-enabled security and observability. About the Author Marty Kagan is the CEO and co-founder of Hydrolix, an Oregon-based maker of cloud data processing software. He was previously founder and CEO of Cedexis (acquired by Citrix) and held executive engineering positions at Akamai Technologies, Fastly, and Jive Software. Sign up for the free insideBIGDATA newsletter. Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/InsideBigData1 Join us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/insidebigdata/ Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insideBIGDATANOW | ||||||||
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