Merriam-Webster defines simplicity as a state of being simple, uncomplicated and uncompounded.

We often find ourselves caught up in a dilemma where we need to choose between simplicity and capability. Capability usually brings complexity along with it, thereby making the decision difficult. When you are deliberating between something that is simple vs complex, you inherently are trying to figure out one, how easy it is to comprehend and two, whether it can do everything that you need it to. The two words — simple and complex — are unfortunately not adequate to make this decision. One of the reasons that most of us struggle with this is because we consider simple and complex to be opposites and try to define everything within either frame. If we rather try to evaluate based on whether what we are considering is basic or advanced in capability and complicated or simple to use, the choice suddenly becomes obvious based on what we want.

Simple does not have to mean rudimentary , they are not the same. Likewise, anything that is advanced in function doesn’t have to be complicated. It is possible to have the benefits of an advanced system that meets your needs without being complicated to use.

My now 12 year old has always been fond of building mechanical systems. Starting from a few, larger building blocks to create basic designs when she was toddler, she quickly moved onto onto to building more complex systems built from a large number of smaller pieces that were quite intricate in design and function. And every time she was done building either of those, they each worked flawlessly. I asked her once how difficult was it to move from basic to complex designs and what she said got me thinking. She said, “it’s simple, putting these blocks together is easy no matter how big or small they are. The shapes are easy to understand, they fit together nicely and perfectly every time and the best part is I can move around a few pieces to build something new without having to break everything apart”. That was probably my first lesson on simplicity . My daughter taught me the benefits of simplicity that day which for her were easy to understand, easy to change and easy to fix.

We are midst of a new kind of IT revolution. For those who have seen networks evolve over the last few decades, they know that IT networks have moved on from just being a connectivity mechanism between users and resources with pre-defined service-level agreements to becoming a critical asset for the success of any business. Businesses want to embrace technology that allows them to adapt to new trends like IoT, Mobility and Cloud. The emergence of new kinds of IoT devices, trends like BYOD and the increasing presence of Cloud SaaS applications in enterprises pose new security challenges for IT. There is a high level of scrutiny when it comes to data — whether it is driven by compliance or privacy of their clients. Security is no longer an after-thought. Controlling and optimizing IT costs is also a critical for businesses to perform efficiently and improve productivity. It is not surprising then if a network administrator feels overwhelmed by all these new demands on any modern networking system.

While these demands of the networks are non-negotiable, and while the complexity of the systems will increase to address these demands, the networks themselves don’t have to be complicated. Cisco’s Intent Based Networking bridges the gap between IT and business and now lets you have the network that constantly adapts, protects and informs across all IT and business processes to deliver on your business goals. It abstracts the intricacies of the network through a completely automated and self-healing system. With IT simplicity at its core and with full automation and assurance, it is built grounds-up with Security, Mobility, Cloud and IoT as the fundamental building blocks.

A network that is software driven, automated and intelligent is a catalyst for growth for any businesses. Such a network requires best-in-class building blocks at every layer that work together seamlessly. Cisco Catalyst 9000 series switches are designed for Intent Based networks. Powered by the best access switching UADP ASIC and modern Open IOS XE operating system, the Catalyst 9000 series offer all the benefits that an IT administrator looks for to make their day-to-day work easy. The programmable ASIC and software, industry standard APIs, data models and streaming telemetry not only simplify management and troubleshooting but also future proof existing IT investments. Catalyst 9000 series of switches with built-in RFIDs for inventory tracking, blue beacon for device identification and wireless console access over Bluetooth takes IT simplicity to new unmatched levels. The new Catalyst 9200 family inherits the same principles of the Catalyst 9000 series and extends IT simplicity for smaller sized networks.

And while the Catalyst 9000 series switches provide state-of-the-art IT simplicity, they do so without compromising on capabilities. Industry-leading ASIC, platform and operating system along with a simple to consume software subscription license model that allows access to ongoing innovations make Catalyst 9000 series access switches best in their class. The value of a network for a modern business extends beyond basic connectivity and that’s exactly what the new Catalyst 9000 series offers with end to end security, resiliency and high availability. Cisco understands that no matter what the size of your network, security and business continuity are critical for your business to succeed. With the new Catalyst 9200 series, Cisco now extends the same value to mid-market for smaller sized networks.

So who says you need to compromise on capability for Simplicity? Think again, think Catalyst 9000.

Simplicity also means freedom from pretense. Stay tuned for my next blog.