Cisco Software Defined Access (SDA)
Cisco SDA makes building and managing networks faster, easier and improves business efficiency. By decoupling network functions from hardware, SD-Access ensures policy consistency, enables faster launches and significantly reduces issue resolution time and operational expense.
PETRONAS ICT seized the opportunity to adopt this technology as a networking solution for the future. The following section discusses how Cisco SDA addresses the challenges mentioned earlier.
Watch the Cisco SDA Overview Video
SD-Access allows organizations to set up and enforce automated access and consistent security policies across the network. This allows users, devices, and applications to be segmented in an automated, policy-driven way. Pre-tested identity-based security policy will be applied consistently to all users and devices, irrespective of the sub-network they are connected to. This will significantly bolster the network security.
For example, if there is an unauthorized manual change to a network device in the PETRONAS network, Cisco DNA Center is able to detect this change and enforce pre-defined policy by reverting the configuration to the original one.
Cisco SDA provides you network speed, security, and peace of mind
The tasks of configuring and provisioning network devices in a traditional network architecture are highly laborious, repetitive and prone to human error. By using artificial intelligence to automate these tasks, Cisco SD- Access minimizes the human errors, thus dramatically improves the network availability.
Configuring only needs to be done at Cisco DNA Center, a single network management and command center for the Cisco SDA solution. Using automation enabled by artificial intelligence, the configuration and the policy is then applied to tens or hundreds of network devices in minutes, instead of days.
For example, in the past, it took 60 days to complete deployment, configuration and testing in one of PETRONAS twin towers. Now it takes just 6 days with Cisco SDA.
The automation and assurance capabilities of Cisco SDA, have reduced the number of man-hours and related business costs significantly.
The change in project implementation cost per project has changed as follows:
6 people reduced to 3, 60 days reduced to 6, and MYR 720,000 reduced to MYR 36,000.
PETRONAS ICT has been able to reduce support/maintenance staff over the years to 10 people only due to automation, assurance and intent-based networking.
Changing business needs mean users require PETRONAS ICT to be agile and build solutions that meet new needs.
Cisco SD-Access allows PETRONAS ICT to roll out new services and applications or new branches faster with efficiency and optimal experience
