Cisco Champion Radio

In this episode of Cisco Champion Radio, we discuss the latest updates to the CCNP security certification, highlighting the integration of modern topics like Zero Trust and AI to address the evolving cybersecurity landscape. We also explore how resources like Cisco U and practical tools such as Cisco Modeling Labs empower professionals to bridge the cybersecurity skills gap and maximize their security technology investments.

Resources:

LWC: https://learnwith.cisco.com/30-day-challenge.html?utm_campaign=fy27-cs-challenge&utm_source=web&utm_medium=champions

SCOR LP: https://blogs.cisco.com/learning/cisco-security-certification-updates-your-questions-answered

CCNP FAQ blog: https://blogs.cisco.com/learning/cisco-security-certification-updates-your-questions-answered

SCOR LP: https://u.cisco.com/paths/implementing-operating-cisco-security-core-technologies-21906?utm_campaign=fy27-cs-awareness&utm_source=web&utm_medium=champions

Cisco guests

Kyle Winters, Senior Technical Advocate, Cisco

Francois Caen, Technical Product Manager, Cisco

Cisco Champion Hosts

Rickey Keith, Vertical Systems Engineer, WWT

Richard Cordan, Cyber Range Master, TD SYNNEX

Moderator

Danielle Carter, Cisco, CCR Program/ Customer Voices

Speakers: Jack Klecha, VP, Information Security, Security & Trust Organization and Jon Woolwine, VP, Cisco IT

Description:

Join Cisco IT and security leaders John Woolwine and Jack Klecha for an in-depth conversation about why network infrastructure has become the biggest target in today's threat landscape, and how Cisco's IT and security teams partnered to implement a layered, integrated approach that fuses security directly into the network fabric — from campus and branch to data center and cloud.

Key topics covered:

-The network as the ultimate prize: Why attackers have shifted their focus from endpoints to the network, and why the network must now serve as our most critical line of defense.

-Our layered, integrated approach: Moving beyond "bolting on" tools to a unified fabric that integrates security from the campus and branch to the data center and cloud.

-Treating security as a team sport: How Cisco IT and Security align on shared visibility, planning, and goals to strengthen operations and resilience.

-Best practices: Strategies for building a resilient, secure infrastructure and achieving measurable security outcomes.

In this episode of Cisco Champion Radio, we dive deep into the evolving landscape of Cisco’s stack automation. As network complexity continues to grow, the need for simplified workflows and streamlined infrastructure management has never been more critical. We explore how Cisco is rising to the challenge by moving beyond individual component offerings to deliver complete, curated AI solutions.

Key Highlights from This Episode:

The Shift to Simplicity: Discover how Cisco’s stack automation is transforming network management, enabling users to deploy curated solutions without the need for extensive coding expertise.

Empowering Personas: Whether you are a "Consumer" looking to implement pre-built solutions or a "Producer" crafting custom blueprints, the platform provides a flexible, consistent framework for all your automation needs.

The Power of Collaboration: Learn about the synergy between Cisco and Quality, and how this partnership enhances the stack automation ecosystem, making resource provisioning more efficient than ever.

Openness and Extensibility: We discuss how Cisco’s strategy has evolved to embrace openness, including seamless integration with third-party products to expand functionality.

A New Approach to AI: Get a preview of the upcoming October release, which shifts the focus toward providing complete AI solutions, simplifying the purchasing experience for our customers.

Governance and Workflows: We break down the technical distinction between stateless workflows and stateful management, providing insights on how to maintain effective infrastructure governance.

Join our panel of experts as we discuss how these advancements are not just changing the way we scale networks today, but how they are paving the way for the future of AI-driven

Learn more about Stack Automation: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/data-center/stack-automation-quali/index.html

Create an account and start a trial: https://stackautomation.cisco.com/login

Cisco guests

Carlos Campos Torres, Senior Director, Product Management. – AI, Compute, and Ecosystem Software, Cisco

Pablo Urcid, Product Manager – AI, Compute, & Ecosystem Automation, Cisco

David Ben Shabat, VP R&D, Quali

Cisco Champion hosts

Liam Keegan, VP of Technology, RX3 Communications, Inc.

Dan Wade, Practice Lead, Network & Infrastructure Automation

Marco Krauss, IT Senior Consultant Network Automation, Computacenter

Moderator

Danielle Carter, Cisco, CCR Program/ Customer Voices

In this episode of Cisco Champion Radio, we dive deep into the evolving landscape of network management with our guest, Balaji Venkatraman.

As IT environments become increasingly distributed, the challenge of maintaining visibility and control across disparate systems has never been greater. In this conversation, we explore the concept of Cloud Control—Cisco’s strategic vision for the convergence of the management plane across our entire portfolio.

What you can expect to learn:

The Vision for Convergence: How Cisco is moving toward a unified management plane to simplify operations and reduce complexity.

Breaking Down Silos: Why bringing disparate management tools together is critical for the modern enterprise.

Strategic Impact: How this shift empowers network administrators to manage their infrastructure with greater agility and consistency.

The Future of Cisco Solutions: Insights into how Cloud Control will shape the way you interact with your Cisco environment moving forward.

Whether you are managing campus, data center, or cloud-native infrastructure, this episode provides a clear look at how Cisco is streamlining the "how" behind your network management.

Listen now to get the latest on the future of Cisco’s management strategy.

Cisco Champions

Maikel van der Roest, Sr. Network Specialist

David Penaloza, Assoc. Director, Novartis

Nathan Litz, Technical Solutions Architect, World Wide Technology

Cisco guest

Balaji Venkatraman, VP of Products, Cisco

Description: In this episode of Cisco Champion Radio, we explore the evolution of edge computing and how Cisco is helping organizations bridge the gap between distributed locations and centralized control.

We sit down to discuss the Cisco Unified Edge platform, a modular solution launched in November 2022 that is redefining how industries manage their infrastructure. Designed to meet the demands of modern enterprise environments, Unified Edge integrates compute, networking, and storage into a single, streamlined chassis, making it easier than ever to deploy and scale workloads—including AI and IoT applications.

Key topics covered in this episode include:

Modular Efficiency: How the platform’s modular design allows for easy upgrades, maintenance, and flexible remote management across diverse industries.

Intersight Integration: A look at how Unified Edge operates exclusively in Intersight-managed mode to provide seamless provisioning and configuration.

Simplified Fleet Management: How Cisco leverages intent-based automation to simplify policy creation and deployment across multiple edge sites.

Validated Blueprints: Insights into how Cisco Validated Designs serve as a roadmap for managing complex clusters and workloads at scale.

Whether you are managing a small distributed network or a large-scale industrial deployment, this episode provides a comprehensive look at how Unified Edge simplifies infrastructure and empowers your team to focus on innovation.

Cisco guest

Ronnie Chan, Leader, Product Management, Edge AI Platform

Cisco Champion Hosts

Liam Keegan, VP of Technology, RX3 Communications, Inc.

Rickey Keith, Vertical Systems Engineer, WWT  

Elliot Dierksen, Distinguished Engineer, Greyson Technologies, Inc.

Moderator

Danielle Carter, Cisco, CCR Program/ Customer Voices

Listen now to learn how you can transform your edge strategy.

Join Cisco CTO of Wireless Matt Macpherson to explore the future of Wi-Fi, AI, and enterprise networking.

Live from the bustling floor of Cisco Live, we sit down with Matt Macpherson, Cisco’s CTO of Wireless, to explore the rapidly evolving landscape of connectivity. In this episode, our Cisco Champions dive deep into the latest advancements in wireless technology, tracing the evolution of Wi-Fi from its foundational roots to the cutting-edge capabilities of today’s networks.

Throughout the discussion, Matt shares exclusive insights into Cisco’s recent product and technology announcements, detailing how the company is driving innovation to meet the demands of a hyper-connected world. From the impact of new standards to the strategic role Cisco plays in shaping the future of enterprise and industrial wireless, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve in networking.

Key Topics Covered:

The Evolution of Wi-Fi: A retrospective on how wireless standards have transformed the modern workplace.

Cisco Live Highlights: An inside look at the most significant announcements made during the event.

The Future of Wireless: How Cisco is leveraging AI, automation, and security to redefine wireless performance.

Cisco’s Strategic Vision: Insights from the CTO on the challenges and opportunities in the wireless market.

Tune in to hear how the experts are navigating the next generation of wireless connectivity and learn how Cisco is building a more resilient, intelligent network infrastructure.

Insider guests:

Dan Jones, Solutions Engineering Director, Hamina Wireless

Maikel van der Roest, Sr. Network Specialist

Sebastian Kozankiewicz , Network and Voice Architect, NORMA Group

Tony Dous, Network Security Section Head, Wadi Degla Holding

Explore Cisco Wireless Solutions : https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/products/networking/wireless/index.html

Discover how Cisco is transforming industries with cutting-edge technology and business-driven innovation.

How are Mercy Ships and Milton Keynes Hospital using data collection to transform accessing health? In this episode of Tech Unscripted, we explore the future of Tech for Healthcare and its role in improving global patient outcomes. Join us as we sit down with Grady Nichols from Mercy Ships and Ollie Chandler from Milton Keynes University Hospital to discuss how cutting-edge technology is bridging the gap in underserved regions and optimizing clinical decision-making.

Moderator

Luke Paddington, Creative Director, Cisco

Participants:   

Mercy Ships – Grady Nichols, Senior Director of IT Operations

Milton Keynes Hospital  - Ollie Chandler, Director of Technical Services

In today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape, vulnerabilities are inevitable—but being unprepared doesn’t have to be. In this episode of Cisco Champion Radio, we dive into how organizations can better identify, prioritize, and mitigate vulnerabilities before they become real threats.

This conversation explores practical strategies for strengthening security posture, improving visibility across environments, and staying ahead of emerging risks. From proactive vulnerability management to building a culture of resilience, this episode offers real-world insights for IT professionals and leaders navigating modern security challenges.

Whether you're fine-tuning your current approach or just getting started, tune in to learn how smarter, more strategic security practices can help your organization stay one step ahead.

Cisco hosts

Zoe Rose, CSIRT Security Operations, Development Manager, Canon EMEA

Girard Kavelines, Network Security Engineer, Aqueduct Technologies

Mark Sibering, Expert Director, Devoteam

Micheline Murphy, Senior Consulting Systems Engineer, WWT

Moderator

Danielle Carter, Cisco Insider Program, Cisco

Unlock AI for Retail and Predictive data analytics success with Samsoe Samsoe and Cisco Meraki.

In this episode of Tech Unscripted, Bryan Jones (SVP, Cisco) sits down with Simeon Solarsky, Head of IT and Operations at Samsoe Samsoe, to explore how to bridge the gap between online presence and brick-and-mortar stores. We dive deep into how leveraging Predictive data analytics and modern infrastructure like Wi-Fi 7 can turn IT from a cost center into a powerful engine for growth.

Moderator:   

Bryan Jones – SVP Cisco

Participants:   

Simeon Solarsky – Head of IT and Operations at Samsoe Samsoe

Cisco is redefining the future of collaboration—and this episode of Cisco Champion Radio dives straight into the innovation.

Join us as Cisco Champions and collaboration experts unpack the latest advancements across the Cisco collaboration portfolio, including one of the largest product launches in the company’s history. From next-gen devices like the Room Kit Pro G2 to powerful updates in RoomOS, Cisco is raising the bar for seamless, flexible meeting experiences.

We explore how AI is transforming the way teams connect, with intelligent features like dynamic camera switching, enhanced audio quality, and even AI-powered note-taking designed to support frontline workers. Plus, hear how Cisco continues to meet customers where they are—supporting both cloud and on-premise environments while maintaining consistent security through MDAP and RoomOS layers.

Whether you're dialing in remotely or collaborating in a high-impact meeting space, this episode highlights how Cisco is building a truly unified workplace—where technology fades into the background and connection takes center stage.

Tune in to discover how smarter, more intuitive collaboration is shaping the modern work experience.

Cisco guest

Rich Bayes, Sr. Director of Product Marketing

Cisco Champion hosts

Sijbren Beukenkamp, Director/Owner, 3Corners

Amr Nasher, Founder and CEO, Twaasol

Ahmed Attieh, Chief Technology Officer, FRINK Advanced services GmbH

Elena Pudge, Collaboration Practice Lead, Conscia UK

Moderator

Danielle Carter, Cisco Insider Program, Cisco