In the past, wireless networks have been built as overlays to the wired network. The result: two logical networks to manage, with disparate features and services, and with increased complexity. Users bringing multiple devices onto the network have compounded the challenge and it's more difficult for IT to implement common access policies, flow with "bring your own device" trends, and secure the network without compromising the end-user experience.

"Customers want a simple, highly secure network with reduced [total cost of ownership] that allows them to address new access requirements such as BYOD and new innovative line-of-business applications," said Rob Soderbery, senior vice president of Cisco's Enterprise Networking Group. "Cisco Unified Access allows customers to achieve these goals by moving away from individual vertical stacks of technology and disparate components toward a single architecture for an intelligent network."

Sustainable Network Infrastructure

Here's how it works: The Cisco Unified Access network architecture converges processing of wired and wireless traffic into a single data plane, based on the new Cisco Unified Access data plane application-specific integrated circuit. This new ASIC terminates wired and wireless traffic, promises high performance and scale , and enables consistent services to be applied to both wired and wireless, simplifying life for network administrators. The UADP ASIC features a programmable data plane, enabling deployment of software-defined networking services.

Cisco announced two new Cisco Unified Access networking products featuring the UADP ASIC: the Catalyst 3850 Unified Access Switch with built-in wireless LAN controller functionality and the 5760 Unified Access WLAN Controller appliance featuring Cisco IOS-based software and 60-Gbps performance. Cisco announced new versions of the Cisco Unified Access policy and management solutions: Identity Services Engine 1.2 and Prime Infrastructure 2.0. (continued...)

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