Cisco C-Scape Highlights Web 2.0
Cisco has a new mantra - video, video, video. Attendees at this year’s C-Scape analyst conference heard session after session discuss Cisco’s role in collaboration and Web 2.0, as well as its video and telepresence capabilities. During his keynote presentation, John Chambers mentioned that video is “the killer app of Web 2.0.” Cisco asserted several times that the company is well positioned to lead in this area, and I would not bet against them in this regard.
Cisco did more than give lip service to the recurring themes of video, collaboration, unified communications and Web 2.0 - the company demonstrated in various instances how Cisco as a company uses these technologies to help it better communicate internally as well as with customers, partners, and suppliers. The company really eats its own dog food, or as I prefer to say, drinks its own champagne. For example, when I spoke with Marthin DeBeer and asked if he was traveling a lot, he responded that no, actually, he’s not - he’s been using Cisco’s telepresence capabilities to meet with customers and potential customers, which has greatly reduced his travel schedule. The next day he expanded on this and told the audience that he will be losing his airline platinum status and that his travel dropped by over 60%. Instead of having to take of his shoes at the airline security check, he now spends about four hours a day in telepresence sessions.