Technology

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) has unveiled a suite of new AI-focused infrastructure solutions, including a dedicated AI server family and plug-and-play AI PODs. These innovations are designed to accelerate AI adoption across enterprises by providing scalable, secure, and simplified pathways to advanced AI technologies.

The announcement marks Cisco’s entry into the AI server market, featuring the new UCS C885A M8 servers purpose-built for GPU-intensive workloads. The company also introduced AI PODs—ready-to-deploy stacks tailored for industry-specific AI use cases—enabling organizations to navigate AI’s rapid evolution without increasing complexity.

Addressing AI Infrastructure Challenges

Cisco’s move comes as enterprises face mounting pressure to adopt AI technologies. While 89% of IT professionals plan to deploy AI workloads within two years, only 14% of organizations currently report their infrastructure is AI-ready, according to Cisco’s AI Readiness Index.

“Enterprise customers are under pressure to deploy AI workloads as AI shifts toward autonomous problem-solving,” said Jeetu Patel, Chief Product Officer at Cisco. “Our innovations like AI PODs and GPU servers enhance the security, compliance, and computational power of AI workloads, guiding customers through their AI journeys.”

Key Announcements

1. Accelerated Compute Solutions

   • The UCS C885A M8 servers are designed for demanding AI training and inference workloads, leveraging the NVIDIA HGX supercomputing platform and H100 and H200 Tensor Core GPUs.
   • Integrated NVIDIA networking and security tools provide zero-trust security and accelerated data access.

2. Plug-and-Play AI PODs

   • These pre-configured infrastructure stacks combine compute, networking, storage, and cloud management, tailored for specific AI use cases.
   • Built on Cisco Validated Designs (CVDs), AI PODs streamline deployment, reduce risk, and accelerate ROI by integrating NVIDIA AI Enterprise software for optimized performance.

3. Expanded AI Ecosystem

   • Cisco’s solutions integrate with its 800G Nexus switching platforms and the Nexus HyperFabric AI solution, ensuring seamless scalability and connectivity for enterprise AI infrastructure.

Driving Collaboration and Innovation

Cisco is leveraging partnerships with industry leaders, including NVIDIA, Presidio, CDW, and World Wide Technology (WWT), to foster innovation and support enterprises in their AI journeys. These collaborations aim to address common challenges, such as the complexity of AI infrastructure stacks, by providing businesses with adaptable, easy-to-manage solutions.

"AI’s transformative potential demands scalable infrastructure,” said Bob Pette, Vice President of Enterprise Platforms at NVIDIA. “Cisco’s new AI solutions advance enterprises’ ability to harness AI for growth and innovation.”

Simplifying AI for Enterprises

Cisco’s new offerings are managed through Cisco Intersight, a centralized platform for automating infrastructure management. This ensures simplified configuration and streamlined operations, making AI more accessible for enterprises regardless of their starting point.

As AI continues to reshape industries, Cisco’s latest solutions position it as a key enabler of enterprise AI adoption, providing robust infrastructure and strategic support to drive innovation and efficiency.

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