IT solutions and managed services company, Arkphire, has announced a new initiative in partnership with technology giant Cisco, that will equip Arkphire with the expertise and capabilities to support the next generation of networking technologies. The deal is the first of its kind in Ireland and the UK, and will see Arkphire develop a dedicated Cisco based Software-Defined Networking (SDN) centre of excellence, employing up to 20 engineers, to help organisations evolve their network from a connectivity driven infrastructure to a business-outcomes driven one.
Cisco’s 2020 Global Networking Trends Report states that “IT teams are in the midst of the biggest network transformation ever. Siloed planning and execution are giving way to a systematic approach to delivering and operating network services.”
Edel Creely, Managing Director at Arkphire Services said: “Rapid advances in technology such as automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are radically changing the way networks are deployed and operated. This latest SDN architecture is designed to make networks more flexible, secure and easier to manage, driving greater efficiencies for organisations to deploy new applications and services, enabling automated provisioning and multi-cloud access. In turn, this requires new skillsets for networking professionals.”
This latest collaboration sees a six-figure investment from both Arkphire and Cisco to accelerate the adoption of the latest software-defined networking technology. The investment will facilitate engineering programs, a new lab facility, marketing activity and training, enabling Arkphire to enhance their network services offering. This unique partnership initiative will have a specific focus on Software Defined Access (SDA) and Software Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) across Cisco’s Enterprise Networking Architecture, and support organisations with diverse branch sites and locations. Arkphire will become the leading experts in Cisco DNA and Cisco Viptela technologies achieving the highest Cisco partner status.
Commenting on this latest collaboration with Arkphire, Tom Long, Head of Enterprise, Public Sector and Partnerships at Cisco said: “We are delighted to bring this initiative to Ireland and the UK. A Cisco Gold Partner for over 25 years, Arkphire are perfectly positioned to build the customer networks of the future and to secure and scale network connectivity for what we expect will be the biggest wave of network transformation seen in decades.”
Arkphire will invest in a brand-new, purpose built Software-Defined Networking lab located in their 24x7 Network and Security Operations Centre in Dublin. This lab will facilitate training and education for engineers and will allow Arkphire to provide real world proof of concepts and demonstrations to clients without impacting their day to day operations. The “test” lab will consist of the latest in Cisco routing, switching and wireless technologies including the Cisco DNA Center management platform.
Arkphire will begin work on the lab imminently with completion aimed for January 2021.