Learn how Infrastructure-as-a-Service company simplified its data center using Cisco’s Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) approach.

Adopting Cisco’s ACI, NetApp experienced:
• Improvements in the density of throughput and cost per port
• Increased productivity of the infrastructure
• Integrated visibility and intelligence
• Agility enablement of the entire application infrastructure

Download this Case Study to learn more.

Is the inevitable backlash against generative artificial intelligence at hand? Some early signals suggest the possibility, but you’d never know it from all the fundings and new products streaming out this week, as SiliconANGLE documented in a raft of stories this week.

We also covered the better-than-expected quarterly earnings from Cisco Systems Inc., which gave investors hope that a tech spending lull might be easing. Meantime, though, some cybersecurity companies are struggling as generative AI could be siphoning off information technology investments. Crypto isn’t dead yet despite the ongoing wintry conditions. And Intel Corp. dropped its bid for Tower Semiconductor after China’s regulators essentially nixed it — another in a string of bad news for the struggling chipmaking giant — even as Arm Ltd.’s IPO moves ahead.

For an insightful and entertaining take on this and other news in enterprise and emerging tech, check out this week’s theCUBE Pod, John Furrier’s and Dave Vellante’s weekly podcast. And this weekend, look for Vellante’s Breaking Analysis, his weekly deep dive on an enterprise tech trend.

I’ll kick things off this week with a look at the current state of the cybersecurity industry through the lens of one of its top leaders, Palo Alto Networks Inc., which announced earnings today.

As cybersecurity hits a slower patch, Palo Alto Networks charts plan to stay ahead

Palo Alto held a highly unusual presentation on its earnings and a review of its strategy today — unusual in that Friday announcements are usually reserved for bad news. Not so today, since in Palo Alto’s case, the news was plenty good. (As Chief Executive Nikesh Arora apologetically explained on the call, which was kicked off with a remix of Rebecca Black’s 2011 earworm “Friday,” he wanted to leave time to talk one-on-one with analysts over the weekend before a planned company sales meeting that starts Sunday, on top of a board meeting this week.)

Anyway, the company reported its fiscal fourth-quarter profit before certain costs such as stock compensation jumped 90% from a year ago, to $482.5 million, or $1.44 a share. Net profit hit $227.7 million, or 64 cents a share. Revenue rose 26%, to $2 billion.

The outlook was positive as well. For its fiscal first quarter, the company expects adjusted earnings of $1.15 to $1.17 a share, up 40% at the midpoint, on a 16% to 18% rise in revenue, to as much as $1.85 billion. For the full year, the revenue forecast is a tick higher, between 18% and 19%, with adjusted earnings up 19% to 22%.

Nikesh Arora

Investors liked the results. Palo Alto’s shares were rising more than 8% in after-hours trading. Shares were already up 80% on the year through the start of August.

“The report is better than feared,” Ivana Delevska, founder and chief investment officer of investment adviser Spear Invest, told me. “Guidance is light, but given the timing of the report many investors were expecting something much worse like an accounting restatement, or management change.”

Arora touted the “changing environment” that drove more customers toward “platformization,” meaning customers that buy multiple product lines. To that end, Arora said the company was surprised by the strength of its extended security intelligence and automation management, or XSIAM, product, with bookings of more than $200 million in its first year.

XSIAM, in its Cortex line, combines endpoint detection and response or EDR, security orchestration automation and response or SOAR, attack surface management or ASM, and security information and event management or SIEM technologies into a single solution. Many other companies offer these separately, which can be a pain point for customers that often must juggle many different cybersecurity products from different companies.

Despite the positive results, it’s no easy sledding these days, given high interest rates that are tamping down spending. “There is more scrutiny” on deals, Arora said. “There are some that get stretched or get canceled.”

During a 90-minute presentation, Arora dug into the evolution of what he says is a $213 billion cybersecurity market. There are new segments such as SASE, cloud security and internet of things security that contribute $29 billion, transforming segments such as endpoint and XDR as well as SIEM and network security at a collective $72 billion, steady segments such as identity, app security, data and email security at a total of $31 billion, and $81 billion in services.

“We were told customers don’t want platforms, they wanted best-of-breed solutions,” Arora noted. Instead, he said, Palo Alto is aiming to do both, through what the company calls a “build and buy” strategy, to become the largest pure-play cybersecurity provider. Cisco and Microsoft are larger, but of course cyber is just part of their businesses.

The upshot of all this is that Palo Alto looks to continue as a consolidator in this industry, along with a few others such as CrowdStrike Holdings Inc., Check Point Software Inc. and Cisco Systems Inc. The industry does seem to be splitting between larger companies continuing to grow and roll up smaller companies and others struggling to maintain traction either because of aging technology or because IT departments are diverting more spending toward AI. Just in the past week or so, Rapid7 and Secureworks laid off workers. And Arora noted that there are 3,000 cyber startups out there — clearly unsustainable.

“We believe M&A will pick up significantly in the second half and 2024 and companies like Palo Alto that have the capital availability are in a solid position to benefit,” Delevska said. “We see ‘shift left’ as a major theme for M&A, that is, cybersecurity embedded earlier in the software development cycle.”

She also thinks there will be only a limited number of industry consolidators, in particular Palo Alto and CrowdStrike. “M&A has been hit-and-miss in cybersecurity and therefore track record is key,” she said.

Going forward, Arora sees a need for, and shift to, more real-time and autonomous security. “We will see a standard platform for security,” he vowed. “That’s the only way we’re going to get to the future we need for real-time and AI-based security.”

More cyber news below.

Around the AI universe

A well-known AI skeptic raises doubts about generative AI that are worth memorizing even if the essential critique is, as often with Gary Marcus, points to inflated expectations more than a complete lack of utility: What if Generative AI turned out to be a Dud? Also, Benedict Evans is unimpressed so far, though it’s a bit mystifying he can’t find any good use for it. Plus, gen AI has landed right at the top of Gartner’s Hype Cycle and you know what that means.

Axios talks to larger companies struggling to implement generative AI.

Some observers even think the AI startup Gold Rush is ending: A.I. startups are losing their bloom for seed investors, argues one VC

But that seems slightly early, many startups keep on coming: Former Google researchers launch startup to build nature-inspired neural networks and Elemental Cognition, led by IBM Watson’s former head, raises $60M

It’s getting competitive on the gen AI infrastructure front: Continuing AI investment is why the GPU battle, for one, keeps intensifying — and the software matters as much as the hardware, which is why Modular could raise so much money: AI software startup Modular seeks bumper Series A round to challenge Nvidia. Of course, the big guys such as Amazon are already well into this chips-and-software race: How Amazon is racing to catch Microsoft and Google in generative A.I. with custom AWS chips. Meantime, per the New York Times, the GPU shortage rages on.

And then there’s the endlessly fundraising Databricks: Databricks looking to raise ‘hundreds of millions’ in fresh funding to fuel generative AI push But Furrier notes in theCUBE Pod podcast that it’s not out of need for cash but striking while the AI iron is hot.

For better or — in the case of the Iowa school board that wants to ban books they can’t be bothered to read — for worse, harnessing chatbots for content moderation: OpenAI finds GPT-4 can Improve online platforms’ content moderation efforts

Even the big large language model creators are looking to provide industry-specific AI models: Anthropic raises $100M from SK Telecom to build AI for telecommunications Do they become AI superclouds? And in the same vein: Arthur launches open-source tool to help companies make data-driven decisions about LLMs

About the worry over those LLM data leaks — someone’s working on that: DynamoFL raises $15.1M to tackle language model data leaks

“Hey Google, what should I do?” Google DeepMind reportedly developing at least 21 new generative AI features Not scary at all, nope.

And the hardware suppliers see an opportunity to bundle things to make AI development easier, though it’s not clear how big a market there is for this kind of thing outside the big cloud providers: Nutanix offers quick-start approach to AI development

OpenAI makes its first acquisition: OpenAI acquires digital products company Global Illumination for undisclosed price

Amazon finds some low-hanging gen AI fruit: Amazon adds AI-powered review summaries to its e-commerce marketplace

More cyber ups and downs

Cybersecurity companies still cutting costs perhaps as AI steals some budget: Cybersecurity provider Secureworks to let go 15% of its workforce, on the heels of Rapid7 layoffs last week.

Strom looks at the latest CPU attacks and concludes they will be tough to fix quickly: Mitigating the latest processor attacks will be a chore on many levels

Same deal with phishing: New reports show phishing is on the rise — and getting more sophisticated

And another security issue in IoT (maybe take the stairs next time): New widespread IoT compromise could affect millions of logic controllers

Finally, here’s detailed advice on how to avoid security fatigue: How to prevent multifactor authentication fatigue attacks

Tech economy pulse

Cisco earnings beat estimates and its stock rises a bit after-hours. At first a seemingly weak forecast from the industry bellwether raised doubts about tech infrastructure spending, but subsequent company comments and analysis indicate a good quarter and equally good outlook after all: In a positive sign for tech spending, Cisco’s stock rises on strong earnings and prospects for AI

More China economic war fallout: Intel scraps its $5.4B acquisition of Tower Semiconductor Vellante and Furrier think Intel’s in deep trouble, as they describe on theCUBE Pod. Tower wasn’t a game-changer in itself, but it’s hard to see how CEO Pat Gelsinger can revive Intel’s fortunes anytime soon.

Arm’s IPO to get rolling next month: SoftBank reportedly buys back 25% Arm stake from its Vision Fund unit

Crypto ain’t dead yet: Despite crypto downturn, BitGo raises $100M at $1.75B valuation and ZetaChain raises $27M. Plus Coinbase secures approval to offer crypto futures to US customers. And Crypto hardware wallet maker Ledger teams up with PayPal

Random bits

That was quick: SUSE to be taken private by its majority shareholder

Eliminating the decryption tax for querying encrypted data: MongoDB unveils data encryption tech for developers to boosting data privacy and compliance

Supercomputers in the cloud: Harvard researchers clone supercomputer on Google Cloud

Sassine Ghazi to become CEO of chip design software firm Synopsys

What’s coming

Big changes in Europe for big tech: Doing business in Europe? Time to focus on its new Digital Services Act – now

VMware Explore runs Aug. 21-24, and SiliconANGLE and theCUBE will be covering it in Las Vegas.

Earnings from Zoom, Nvidia, Snowflake, NetApp, Splunk, Autodesk and Workday

Then the following week, Aug. 29-31, is Google Cloud Next, also to be covered onsite at Moscone Center in San Francisco by SiliconANGLE and theCUBE.

Image: Bing Image Creator; photo: SiliconANGLE

Fuzhou, China - August 8, 2023 —

In today’s digitally driven world, communications professionals play a vital role in connecting businesses and people around the world. With the increasing demand for network professionals, obtaining the CCNP 350-401 certification has become an important subject for IT professionals looking to advance their careers. Recognizing the importance of this certification, SPOTO, a leading provider of online certification training, is proud to present CCNP 350-401 training.

Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) 350-401, also known as Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR), is a highly sought-after certification that validates the expertise and skills of professionals in the industry. Print solution. Designed for IT professionals who are familiar with the fundamentals of communication, the CCNP 350-401 certification covers many specific subjects essential to everyday communication.

Mr. James Wong, spokesperson for SPOTO, said: “At SPOTO, we understand the challenges IT professionals face in the difficult journey of business communication. Their work and success in a rapidly changing technology.”

The SPOTO CCNP 350-401 training course provides comprehensive course material covering basic concepts and best practices in network marketing. Course content is regularly updated to meet the latest business trends and Cisco standards to ensure candidates gain knowledge and skills. The course is delivered through a user-friendly online platform, so students can study on their own at their preferred location.

One of the key features of SPOTO CCNP 350-401 certification training is the team of experts. All instructors are network professionals with experience in building, developing and managing collaborative networks. The unique combination of skills and knowledge in this world allows candidates to gain insight into solving the world’s communication problems.

In addition, SPOTO’s CCNP 350-401 training includes hands-on lab work and practical situations to reinforce the theoretical concepts learned. The platform offers virtual labs that allow candidates to experiment with various communication technologies, thereby building their confidence in using solutions in business.

The training program also includes regular assessments and practice tests that allow candidates to measure their progress and identify areas that require further attention. SPOTO’s practice tests carefully simulate the real CCNP 350-401 certification exam, familiarizing candidates with the test pattern and ensuring they are well prepared to meet the challenges ahead.

To accommodate different learning styles and interests, SPOTO offers a flexible study program that can be tailored to the needs of each individual. Whether one is a self-learner or prefers professional guidance, the SPOTO CCNP 350-401 certification program has a solution for everyone.

SPOTO is very proud of its success so far, many candidates have achieved the CCNP 350-401 certification during the training. Many of the successful people share their experiences and show the success of the SPOTO training and the great impact it has on their career growth.

Finally, the CCNP 350-401 certification is an important stepping stone for collaboration professionals who want to do their work in the digital age. With SPOTO’s comprehensive and effective training, candidates can confidently prepare for the CCNP 350-401 test and position themselves as a valuable asset in a competitive market.

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Website: https://cciedump.spoto.net/

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• Becoming certified as a wireless professional is an effective way to land a high-paying job.
• As the wireless industry grows, it’s crucial to select the certifications that will enhance your career as a wireless professional.
• CCNA, CCNP Enterprise, CompTIA Network+, CWNA and CWSP are among the most valuable certifications, but many more are available.
• This article is for IT professionals seeking to advance their careers in the wireless networking arena.

The wireless networking space has exploded in latest years and wireless technologies have become a connectivity game-changer. The advent of fourth-generation (4G) wireless wide-area networking technologies and the emergence of LTE (Long Term Evolution) and 5G technology further underscore wireless networking’s critical role in business today. 

The demand for professionals with wireless networking knowledge and expertise is at an all-time high. As wireless professionals map their career paths, adding respected wireless networking certifications to their resumes can show hiring managers they have the cutting-edge, in-demand career skills to take their organizations to the next level. 

We’ll highlight the best wireless networking certifications IT professionals can obtain to demonstrate their skills to current and prospective employers. 

Hybrid working practices in UAE companies have improved several areas of employee performance, according to the findings of the new Cisco Hybrid Work Report.

The survey polled 1,050 employees throughout the UAE and discovered that almost 90 percent of those questioned want to work either in a hybrid or fully remote model in the future. These findings are fully in line with global sentiment with just over 91 percent of international respondents agreeing to the same question.

The findings are from the Cisco Hybrid Work Report, an extensive study which has examined the impact of digitization and hybrid work on performance with a focus on productivity, quality of work, new skills and growth. It is part of a wide-ranging survey that focused on the role of the hybrid workplace on wellbeing and readiness across a variety of company and individual factors such as company culture; technology; and cybersecurity as well as financial; physical; mental well-being and more.

Reem Asaad, Vice President, Cisco Middle East and Africa, said: “The traditional model that required employees to follow a strict timetable set out by employers has now changed. In today’s UAE workplace, employees are defining hybrid work and that has resulted in benefits for both employer and employees. As the findings of the Cisco Hybrid Work Report clearly show, employees are far more comfortable as a hybrid workforce and companies should take note and adapt accordingly – both from a technology and cultural readiness perspective. After all, they will be the ones to benefit through higher staff performance.”

Those questioned for the study said hybrid and remote working practices had a positive impact on the quality of their work and productivity. In all, 67 percent of those polled said the quality of their work has improved due to the hybrid workplace model. Almost two-thirds of respondents said their productivity levels had risen. The greater flexibility offered by hybrid working is enabling employees to get better at their jobs too. 68 percent replied that they saw greater self-improvement in job knowledge and skills. Meanwhile, an impressive 86 percent said they have been able to learn, grow and succeed in their roles.

Despite the initial challenges for businesses and employees in the UAE and across the world when organizations had to rapidly switch to remote working at the outbreak of the pandemic, several digital workspace and collaboration solutions are now in place. It is therefore unsurprising that almost 79 percent of the employees questioned said their role can now be performed just as successfully remotely as in the office.

The Hybrid work concept centers the work experience on the needs of the individual employees, giving them a choice to work from home, at the office, or elsewhere. Companies that empower their workers by giving them not only the choice, but also the right technologies to stay securely connected and be able to collaborate, can help to foster inclusiveness, engagement, and a sense of well-being among staff. Cisco’s philosophy is that work is “what up do” not “where you go”.

As a result, it has implemented many practices aimed at supporting the company’s own employees to work remotely. This provides Cisco with extensive experience in deploying its extensive range of networking, security and collaboration solutions and workplace strategies to help other organizations to fully realize the potential of remote and hybrid working.

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