Dive Brief:

• Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins unveiled more details about the company’s intent-based networking software at Cisco’s Live conference Wednesday, according to ZDNet. Intent-based networking uses machine learning to interpret data and provide users with more network intelligence and high levels of security, said Robbins. 
• Intent-based networking relies heavily on Cisco’s new Catalyst 9000 line of switches. It’s also heavily focused on security, and Cisco says it can detect malware threats in encrypted traffic, making Cisco the only company capable of doing so.
• Robbins said 75 companies, including NASA, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Wipro are currently testing the new software and hardware. Intent-based networking will become a necessary choice for many companies, and the only way IT departments will be able to manage all the devices connected to their networks, according to Robbins. 

Dive Insight:

The new approach is essentially software designed to make it easier for corporate customers to manage and monitor their networks. The move is part of a larger trend of companies across sectors implementing solutions that take a software-based approach to what used to be a hardware solution.

But Cisco is taking on the subscription model, which has defined the rise of modern computing. Customers that buy the new intent-based networking equipment will need to buy a subscription to access many of the new software features.

Cisco has been working hard to pivot its business away from its traditional hardware business. As its sales struggle, Cisco is betting heavily on its ability to reinvent the network. As Robbins explains it, for Cisco, it’s a big bet at a time when the company needs a big bet that can pay off.

For a company rooted in the days of proprietary hardware sales, it’s a provocative idea that some of the newer, innovative startups could envy.