Cisco is getting a lot of flack for billing its announcement yesterday as something that will “change the Internet forever.” I certainly understand this sentiment–will a new high-end core router, albeit with very impressive performance ratings, really change the Internet forever?

The answer is pretty simple: the router alone won’t change the Internet, but the underlying architecture? That’s another story.

Looking a bit below the surface, Cisco wants to build integrated network services that span the entire cloud. Internet data centers will be able to share network services like traffic management, prioritization, and security with service providers and cloud services with provisioning tools rather than complex networking devices. Want to burst processing or gain instant access to more storage? The network (in this scenario, the Cisco network) will help expedite and manage this. The fact that Cisco is arming CRS-3 with a networking positioning system should be a strong hint at where it ultimately wants to go.

Endpoints are also included in the architectural mix. PCs, smart phones, home routers, and even cable TV set tops will have “always-on” access to network services across wired and wireless public and private networks based upon business and security policies. Video and IP telephony instantly gain network priority over gaming or random web surfing. Even in your home, Cisco’s aim is to let you (and your service provider) create network policies for IP traffic, access control, and overall security.

To me, the “change the Internet” message is a one-two punch: embed the foundation technology everywhere and then provide Cisco’s strong enterprise and service provider customers with ample ways to use the services, improve communications and productivity, and make money.

Okay, so if this is a “seed and harvest” strategy, Cisco is still in the “seed” part of the process. Nevertheless, with Cisco UCS, CRS-3, set top boxes, VPN clients, etc., Cisco is planting a lot of seeds in a lot of places.

Cisco still has a lot of work ahead, but the roots are moving into place. I don’t think that the CRS-3 will impact Brocade, Dell, Extreme Networks, Force 10, HP, IBM, or Juniper overnight, but each incremental piece of the overall architecture makes the story more compelling for consumers, enterprises, and service providers. This where the “change the Internet” message becomes more real.

Related posts:

1. My Two Cents On Cisco’s Big Data Center Announcement
2. Cisco’s End-to-End Data Center Fabric Announcement: A Winner
3. Public Sector Opportunity for Cisco, EMC, and VMware
4. Cisco’s “Kitchen Sink” Product Announcements
5. Cisco Financial Results Demonstrate Real Networking Competition — Finally

Tags: Brocade Networks, Cisco Systems, Cloud Computing, Extreme Networks, HP, IBM, Juniper Networks, virtualization, VMware