PLDT and Cisco urge organizations to prioritize digital transformation

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PLDT Enterprise, the business arm of PLDT, and BOUNDLESS: Philippine Digital Convention 2022 (PH Digicon) highlighted emerging technologies and practices to help leaders and consumers adapt to the ever-changing business landscape during the panel discussion “Going Beyond the Future of Tech,” moderated by PLDT-Smart FVP and Group Head of Corporate Communications, Catherine Yap-Yang. The panel was joined by global tech leaders such as ePLDT President and CEO, Victor S. Genuino, Nokia Vice President and Head of Southeast Asia, Daniel Jaeger, and Cisco Head of AppDynamics, APJC, Simon Rizkallah.

 ePLDT President and CEO, Victor S. Genuino on adapting to the ‘new normal’ for consumers and businesses 

“With today’s ever changing business landscape, enterprises are seeing the need to adapt because consumers are changing the way they consume products and services: they want goods and services delivered in a convenient, timely, and secure manner,” explains Victor S. Genuino, ePLDT President and CEO. “Businesses are realizing that if they are to adapt to this new normal, their businesses have to transform as well.” 

Cisco, the worldwide leader in technology, and one of this year’s keystone sponsors for PH Digicon 2022, shared insights on how the company embodies what it means to be boundless–in terms of always putting customers first and helping build a resilient and flexible enterprise as companies bounce back into their new normal.    

“From Cisco’s perspective, the end user is always in mind,” says Simon Rizkallah, Head of AppDynamics, APJC, Cisco. “We also understand that digital transformation really occurs with the service provider. [And so, we congratulate] service providers like PLDT who have managed, during COVID, to live up to the level that customers were looking for and enable people to operate their businesses, for people to work from home, and for kids to continue their education through e-learning.” 

 Simon Rizkallah, Head of AppDynamics, APJC, Cisco talked about how digital transformation is a continuous evolution 

Rizkallah goes on to explain that from a digital transformation perspective, it is still occurring, that it is a continuous task and evolution. Cisco also continues to take steps into adapting to this evolution, from insight and automation to sustainability in smart infrastructure, and data security. 

“For us at Cisco, the Environmental, Social, and Governance requirement is top of mind. So, everything that’s going to come out from Cisco moving forward is going to be focused on power and how we can become greener for the environment,” Rizkallah shares. “Security is also top of mind for everyone. We’ve seen hacks across the globe and power utilities, so, [for us and service providers] how do we protect this critical infrastructure as it becomes digital?” 

PH Digicon remains to be the Philippines’ most prestigious and one of the most sought-after digital thought leadership events in APAC that brings together global thought leaders and technology experts from across all industries. 

For more information, visit https://pldtenterprise.com/.  

NTT LTD. ACCELERATES SECURE BY DESIGN SOLUTIONS: The addition of Cisco’s cloud security technology aligns with NTT Ltd.’s managed security services to architect secure networks for enterprises

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NTT Ltd., a world-leading global technology services provider, announced that it is expanding its existing security services portfolio and reference architectures with Cisco, to provide enhanced secure networking to organizations around the world. During the global pandemic and now into the expected recovery phase, organizations need to move quickly to ensure their infrastructure, which was designed to support one way of working, can now keep a new remote and distributed workforce connected, productive and secure. This requires a Secure by Design approach to ensure agility, while at the same time not compromising the organization’s security posture.

“Secure by Design means being cybersecurity conscious at all levels of business and building security into the solution from the very start,” says Matthew Gyde, Chief Executive Officer and President for NTT Ltd.’s Security division. “Expansion of the existing relationship with our long-time partner, Cisco will strengthen our portfolio of solutions for our clients.”

NTT Ltd.’s managed security services incorporate a Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) architecture, which leverages the cloud-delivered firewall, now available with Cisco Umbrella, combined with Cisco’s SD-WAN (Software Defined Wide Area Network). NTT Ltd. will continue to support Cisco’s on-premise Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) product and Firepower series appliances, across three global security services platforms: Threat Detection, Enterprise Security Monitoring, and Device Management. 

Enhanced by Cisco’s latest technologies, NTT Ltd.’s managed security services provide additional protection by detecting unknown malicious activity through NTT Ltd.’s unique threat intelligence and AI detection capabilities. This will support alert correlation activity, optimize security controls, and enable organizations to prioritize their vulnerabilities.

“NTT Ltd.’s Secure by Design approach delivers tangible outcomes to clients that want to extract the full value of Cisco’s suite of cybersecurity products and the software development, as well as the  integration with Cisco’s software-defined networking solution,” said John Maynard, Vice President, Global Security Sales at Cisco. “With the rise in SaaS adoption and number of remote offices and users, organizations are adopting SD-WAN* solutions to manage different types of traffic and enable direct-to-internet access. The addition of Cisco Umbrella will offer NTT clients the scale, security, and reliability needed to safely enable today’s remote workforce.”

NTT Ltd. is recognized as a ‘Leader’ in IDC’s MarketScape: Worldwide Managed Security Services 2020 Vendor Assessment. According to Dominic Trott, IDC's Research Director for Security and Privacy in Europe: "Secure by Design concepts are a potent weapon in the security team’s armoury when seeking to link security with business outcomes. They provide project owners and users the confidence to focus on innovation and supporting client needs, without having to worry about the security implications. NTT’s partnership with Cisco, which ‘bakes’ security into network and cloud infrastructures, can help customers turn the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity for security to demonstrate its transformational impact. IDC’s research shows that, while ‘tactical’ use cases such as secure remote access dominated early responses to the crisis, sentiment is shifting towards more strategic use cases such as secure connectivity and data security, where the partnership can have an impact.”

 

NTT Ltd. Security is a division of NTT Ltd., a global technology services company. The Security division helps clients create a digital business that’s secure by design. With unsurpassed threat intelligence, we help you to predict, detect, and respond to cyberthreats, while supporting business innovation and managing risk. Security has a global network of Security Operations Centers, seven R&D centers and over 2,000 security experts, and handles hundreds of thousands of security incidents annually across six continents. We ensure that resources are used effectively by delivering the right mix of Managed Security Services, Security Consulting Services and Security Technology. NTT Ltd. works with organizations around the world to achieve business outcomes through intelligent technology solutions. For us, intelligent means data driven, connected, digital and secure. Our global assets and integrated ICT stack capabilities provide unique offerings in cloud-enabling networking, hybrid cloud, data centers, digital transformation, client experience, workplace and cybersecurity. As a global ICT provider, we employ more than 40,000 people in a diverse and dynamic workplace that spans 57countries, trading in 73 countries and delivering services in over 200 countries and regions. Together we enable the connected future.
Visit us at hello.global.ntt

 

Cisco Philippines: Communication Technology fully impacts national disaster approach

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Entering the rainy season, the Local Government Units (LGUs) of various regions have kickstarted awareness drives and preparedness programs anchored on Disaster Risk Reduction and Mitigation (DRRM) for this year's Disaster Resilience month.

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center attributes the effectiveness of disaster reduction and response to the effectivity of managing information before, during, and after a disaster. However, utilizing relevant information is largely anchored on the availability and most importantly, the reliability of platforms for communication in place, according to Cisco Managing Director for the Philippines Karrie Ilagan.

"A huge part of the government's DRRM measures for a disaster-prone country like ours is vigilant preparation as this is the foundation of our response to and recovery from disasters," said Ilagan. "While preparation may involve tasks like having survival kits ready at home or LGUs readying early warning systems and transport systems like rubber boats and trucks, technology is a powerful tool that also plays a crucial role in DRRM and in fact, cuts across all stages of our disaster approach."

Based on Cisco's multinational partnerships, Ilagan forecasts communication technology greatly benefiting each DRRM aspect the government has in place:

1.       Prevention and Mitigation

In order for the development of DRRM plans to be accurate, Ilagan believes communication technology must aid community assessments through solutions that facilitate end-to-end monitoring. 

"Evaluating municipalities will need continual monitoring of areas exposed to natural or man-made risks like flooding or even vehicular accidents," she said.

Ilagan also highlighted that the reliability of these surveillance solutions is hinged on cloud platforms that allow seamless data gathering, storage, and exchange, easing the generation of vital community reports. Likewise, continual communication on surveyed areas are dependent on communication solutions that facilitate consistent exchanges between LGUs and their communities to ensure these reports are updated.

2.       Preparedness

Ilagan further discussed that strong partnerships and coordination among all key players like LGUs and their constituents rely on collaboration solutions that expand from traditional telecommunication platforms.

To Ilagan Video Conferencing will innovate communication between these LGU's, giving critical meetings full context while maximizing the time of each stakeholder through an all in one platform.  With advanced video conferencing technology, stakeholders will be able to utilize all the benefits of reliable audio conferencing with the added value of visual aids.

"We can't grasp in its entirety how much valuable time has gone to waste in preparation just because stakeholders had difficulty relaying critical information to each other. Visual reports are understood, appreciated, and applied faster when everyone involved can see them because they transcend verbal challenges in collaboration." 

3.       Response

Collaboration among stakeholders facilitated by reliable communication solutions carry over to the next DRRM aspect of response. Integrated and Coordinated search, rescue, and retrieval capacities are fortified with resilient, uninterrupted communication among municipality Network Operation Centers.

On the other end, mobile IP-based communication systems will aid on-ground operations using small-scale, independent Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)—using the internet to facilitate phone calls. These can be enforced to bridge possible communication gaps caused by damaged or destroyed infrastructure.

Tactical kits that are easy to deploy and navigate without the need for technical experts will greatly benefit early recovery implementations as well by assisting in the public's connection to family, friends, and colleagues in devastated regions.

4.       Rehabilitation and Recovery

Finally, on the road to recovery and rehabilitation, communication technology can aid reconstruction efforts for disaster and climate change resilient infrastructure through faster exchanges. Quick relay of data from small municipalities to national government offices like the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRRMC) has the potential to hasten assistance. Tactical solutions can ease reporting on potential or new hazards each region must take into account and can help facilitate monitoring for rehabilitation progress.

While recovery efforts are underway, mobile VOIP solutions can also provide interim connectivity infrastructure for constituents as communication tower reconstructions take place.

"We have plenty of use cases from different countries for our communication and collaboration solutions, Meraki Wifi, Webex, and Emergency Communication Kit--but all of them contributed to the effectivity of each nation's disaster plan and we see the same potential in the Philippines," Ilagan concluded.