The implementation of Intelligent Information Networks (IIN), as recently punted by Cisco, is not a near- or medium-term prospect, but one that will take some time to implement, says Dimension Data.
"Such a strategy will not have a huge impact in the short-term, but we are pleasantly surprised that Cisco has gone so far in developing what is in essence a very complex technology," says Ettienne Reinecke, DiData`s group global chief technology officer.
Reinecke was commenting on US network equipment supplier Cisco`s announcement that it has moved into the next phase of its IIN strategy by unveiling application-oriented networking (AON).
AON technology integrates awareness of application-to-application messaging into the network fabric, enabling the network to speak the language of common business applications.
DiData is one of Cisco`s top three global installers of its equipment. Last year, the South African-founded company was awarded Cisco`s global gold partnership award for the business it has brought in.
Reinecke says DiData has been aware of Cisco`s intention to make the AON announcement for the past three months, and it mirrors a similar concept mooted by DiData three years ago.
"We have had full discussions with Cisco for some time and we are fully engaged," he says.
Reinecke says the strategy Cisco is embarking on is very complex, and DiData and its clients have to understand the value proposition. This means there are two models of engagement, namely partnerships with those who understand the platforms and, secondly, those who understand the application integration and middleware.
He says the move to integrating middleware into the network is a three- to five-year journey, and there will be no radical change in the next 12 months, apart from beta testing.
He says AON will assist in the execution of an overall services-oriented architecture that will bring benefits to clients, but any enterprise architecture project is a journey.
Reinecke says blades (cards that execute the functionality of AON that are inserted into the switches) will include discrete elements, meaning networking is becoming increasingly complex, despite the trend towards commoditisation.
Reinecke dismisses the notion that manufacturers such as Cisco have to get closer to their clients to the peril of system integrators such as DiData. He believes manufacturers need system integrators to provide a breadth of skills and scale to fast track the adoption of new technologies.
"Possibly in their home markets they may feel it is necessary, but not on a global scale. With a concept such as IIN there are six to seven technology layers that have to be integrated to get these networks to work," he says.
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