Cisco DNA: Essentials
Simplified management & security protection at a low cost

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the Cisco Digital Network Architecture (Cisco DNA)?

A. Cisco ® Digital Network Architecture (Cisco DNA) is an open, programmable architecture that turns business intent into business results. It provides virtualization, automation, analytics, and cloud, integrated in one architecture. It provides the roadmap to a digital-ready network, which is the foundation of your business’s digital future. With Cisco DNA you can innovate more quickly, reduce costs, and lower risk with services that are easy to consume.

Q. What are some of the components and innovations of Cisco DNA?

A. The Cisco Digital Network Architecture includes:

• Built-in automation to reduce the complexity, cost, time, and effort required to deploy, manage, and maintain networks and services.
• Pervasive analytics to provide insights into network operations, IT infrastructure, and the business.
• Virtualization to run services anywhere, independent of the underlying platform: physical, virtual, on the premises, or in the cloud.
• Open, extensible, and programmable at every layer, integrating Cisco and third-party technology, open APIs, and a developer platform.
• Security innovations to use your network as a powerful security sensor and enforcer.

Q. How do customers consume this architecture?

A. Cisco Digital Network Architecture services will be delivered through Cisco DNA software subscriptions, a simple, straightforward approach to consuming high-value solutions with license portability and purchase flexibility. Customers can start their Cisco Digital Network Architecture journey today on our current portfolio with the confidence of knowing that they can adopt network innovations in the future, when it suits their business needs. That’s the power of software.

Q. Why is Cisco moving more and more network features and functionality to software?

A. Organizations are digitally transforming to improve customer experience, empower workforce innovation, accelerate innovation, and sharpen creative differentiation. To succeed, organizations must become agile, able to respond quickly and flexibly to market changes and customer demands. Software-based, programmable capability enables this degree of agility. Just as Cisco’s customers are themselves becoming more software-centric, they are seeking technology partners to help them. Cisco recognizes this trend and is shifting Cisco’s portfolio toward software, offering our customers simpler ways to purchase, deploy, adopt, and upgrade technology innovations. Cisco’s software-centric innovation fuels our customers’ digital transformations.

Q. What are the details of the Cisco DNA software?

A. Cisco is delivering the new network via Cisco DNA for enterprise networking. You can consume all of these innovations, such as Cisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access), Encrypted Traffic Analytics, and Cisco DNA Analytics and Assurance, with the Cisco DNA software. The Cisco DNA software is available as a subscription in three tiers: Cisco DNA Essentials, Cisco DNA Advantage, and Cisco DNA Premier. These are available for wireless and switching.