At Cisco Live 2024, the importance of network visibility for enhancing digital resilience was a central theme. With Cisco ThousandEyes, companies like WWE and Room & Board can quickly identify and solve network problems, ensuring uninterrupted service and a superior customer experience. This article delves into the insights shared at the event, illustrating how network observability technology can transform IT operations and support business continuity.

The Role of Network Observability in Modern IT

Network observability has become a crucial component for IT teams aiming to maintain high levels of service availability and performance. Cisco ThousandEyes provides comprehensive visibility into network performance, allowing organizations to detect and resolve issues before they impact end users. This capability is particularly important in industries where digital experiences are critical to customer satisfaction and business success.

Ralph Riley, director of broadcast IT systems for WWE, highlighted how network observability technology has minimized disruptions during live broadcasts, ensuring millions of fans can enjoy matches without interruption. “We’ve been using Cisco technology for decades, and to see the evolution of the technology from where we were in our TV studio a few decades ago to where we are now has simply been amazing,” Riley said.

The ability to quickly identify, isolate, and troubleshoot network problems has been a game-changer for WWE. By leveraging Cisco ThousandEyes, WWE can proactively manage its network, reducing downtime and enhancing the viewing experience for its audience.

Enhancing Digital Resilience with Network Visibility

Digital resilience is the ability of an organization to maintain its operations and services in the face of disruptions, whether due to cyber threats, hardware failures, or other challenges. At Cisco Live, speakers emphasized how network observability tools like ThousandEyes play a pivotal role in achieving this resilience.

Room & Board, a furniture retailer, faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic when it had to shift from in-person customer interactions to a digital format. Mark Rodrigue, senior network engineer, discussed how the company leveraged cloud-based applications and network observability to recreate the in-person experience online.

“We pride ourselves on the experience we provide our customers,” Rodrigue said. “We had to focus on how to take the in-person experience and build it in a digital format. A lot of that had to do with relying on cloud-based applications. And from an IT perspective, we wanted to figure out how to remove the friction in that experience so that our design associates could continue to focus on what they’re best at, which is working with customers.”

The Impact of ThousandEyes on IT Operations

The flexibility of the technology platforms that Room & Board had invested in, combined with the additional features provided by Cisco, enabled the company to maintain high service levels during the transition. For example, the integration of security and monitoring functionality via ThousandEyes allowed the IT team to track and proactively troubleshoot network issues.

An example of this proactive troubleshooting involved an internal order-entry system that was running slow and occasionally being nonresponsive. Rodrigue’s team used ThousandEyes to monitor the system and identified spikes in connection time over a 14-day period. This led them to discover that the virtual server configured for the application was not set up correctly.

Although this initial fix did not completely resolve the issue, it set the team on the right investigative path. Each step of their troubleshooting process was guided by the telemetry provided by ThousandEyes, ultimately leading to the resolution of the problem.

The Benefits of Network Observability

Network observability offers numerous benefits for IT teams, including improved troubleshooting capabilities, enhanced visibility into network performance, and the ability to proactively address issues before they impact users. Rodrigue shared his surprising realization about the value of these capabilities: “I like troubleshooting. It’s fun to be a detective.”

The Importance of Digital Resilience in Customer Experience

Digital resilience is not just about maintaining operations; it’s also about ensuring a seamless and enjoyable customer experience. For WWE, this means minimizing disruptions during live broadcasts. For Room & Board, it means providing a digital experience that mirrors the high-quality service customers expect in physical stores.

By leveraging Cisco ThousandEyes, organizations can gain the insights needed to build and maintain resilient digital experiences. This involves continuous monitoring of network performance, quick identification and resolution of issues, and ongoing optimization of IT infrastructure.

The advancements in network observability tools like Cisco ThousandEyes are setting the stage for future trends in IT operations. As businesses continue to digitalize and rely more on cloud-based applications, the need for comprehensive network visibility will only grow.

One emerging trend is the integration of AI and machine learning into network observability tools. These technologies can enhance the ability to predict and prevent network issues, further improving digital resilience. By analyzing patterns and identifying anomalies, AI-driven observability can provide even deeper insights and faster resolutions.

Conclusion

The insights shared at Cisco Live 2024 underscore the critical role of network visibility in supporting digital resilience. With tools like Cisco ThousandEyes, organizations can ensure their networks remain robust and reliable, providing the foundation for exceptional customer experiences. As digital transformation continues to accelerate, the importance of network observability will only increase, making it a key focus for IT leaders looking to enhance their operational capabilities and business outcomes. In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, maintaining high levels of network performance and reliability is essential for business success. By adopting advanced network observability tools, companies like WWE and Room & Board are leading the way in ensuring digital resilience. As more organizations follow suit, the ability to quickly identify, troubleshoot, and resolve network issues will become a standard practice, driving better customer experiences and more resilient IT infrastructures.