Cisco announced Unified Access as the strategy designed to unify wired, wireless, and VPN networks in the same highly secure network infrastructure based on a single policy and a single management solution for all corporate networks. Thus, Cisco tries to respond to the problem of managing wired and wireless networks as different environments and to the correct application of security and access policies in BYOD environments.
Cisco announced two new Cisco Unified Access network solutions: Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch, which integrates wireless network controller functionality, and Cisco 5760 Unified Access WLAN Controller, based on CiscoIOS software and with a performance of 60 Gbps. In addition, it introduced new versions of Cisco Unified Access policy management and management solutions, such as the Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) 1.2 and Cisco Prime Infrastructure 2.0.
The new Cisco Catalyst 3850 provides a unique physical infrastructure for wired and wireless networks, offers integrated LAN controller functionality for wired and wireless networks, providing complete network visibility for trouble shooting problems, as well as a granular service throughout the entire network infrastructure. This common and consistent intelligence is based on the use of the IOS operating system and the ASIC Unified Access Data Plane.
The Cisco 5760 Wireless LAN Controller uses the UADP ASIC to provide 60 Gbps throughput with hierarchical quality of service capabilities for centralized deployment. It also share same similarities with the Cisco Catalyst 3650.
In addition, Cisco ISE makes it easy for network administrators to create a single simplified policy for more than one device type and access methods. The new Cisco ISE 1.2 version adds the integration of the mobile management with solutions such as SAP, Mobile Iron Zenprise and Airwatch
Cisco Prime Infrastructure 2.0 finally provides a 360-degree experience through applications, services, and end users to simplify operations on the network.
