At Cisco Live Melbourne, the buzz was undeniable—AI, security, and digital resilience are reshaping the future of enterprise technology. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Carl Solder, Cisco ANZ CTO, to discuss his views on the industry’s evolution, Cisco’s latest innovations, and what’s next for IT leaders navigating this fast-moving landscape.
Carl has had a front-row seat to the evolution of enterprise networking, having been part of Cisco’s engineering leadership for nearly three decades. From the Catalyst 6500 days to today’s AI-driven infrastructure, his perspective underscores a fundamental truth: while technology continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, simplicity remains the ultimate goal.
“Change is the constant,” Carl said, reflecting on how the industry has transitioned from standalone networking products to integrated, security-first solutions. What was once a world of switches and routers has now become a landscape where networking, security, and observability are seamlessly intertwined.
Below are some of the key outtakes from my insight-filled discussion with Carl during Cisco Live.
Cisco’s latest innovations focus on three key areas:
– AI-Ready Data Centers – As organisations ramp up AI adoption, they require robust infrastructure that can support compute-intensive workloads. Cisco’s investments in high-speed networking, advanced silicon, and partnerships with AI chipmakers like NVIDIA and AMD are setting the stage for scalable AI-driven enterprises.
– Future-Proof Workspaces – The return-to-office trend has forced businesses to rethink their physical environments. Cisco’s latest collaboration tools—including AI-enhanced room configurations and workplace sensors—are helping organisations create more adaptive, productive, and sustainable workspaces.
– Digital Resilience & Security – Cisco’s new security paradigm revolves around the Cisco Security Cloud and innovations like Hypershield, a new application protection framework. With cyber threats evolving at lightning speed, integrating AI-powered security intelligence into networking infrastructure has never been more critical.
The AI & Cloud Rebalancing Act: Why Workloads Are Moving Back On-Prem
One of the most compelling insights from our discussion was the shift in cloud strategy among enterprises. While cloud adoption continues to grow, many organisations are re-evaluating where their workloads should reside.
“Eighty percent of organisations IDC surveyed said they’d be repatriating some or most of their workloads and data back on-prem,” Carl explained. The reasons? Cost, compliance, security, and latency concerns are driving enterprises to adopt a more balanced hybrid model.
AI is a prime example—training large models in the cloud is expensive, leading many organisations to consider on-prem AI workloads for efficiency and control. Smaller, domain-specific AI models are also emerging, allowing enterprises to deploy AI solutions at the edge rather than relying solely on hyperscalers.
The Power of Observability: Accelerating Incident Response with AI and Automation
With IT environments becoming more complex, observability has emerged as a top priority for enterprises. Cisco’s acquisition of Splunk underscores the growing importance of data-driven insights in security and network performance monitoring.
As Carl put it, “The more data you have, the more you see. The more you see, the more you can action.” By integrating ThousandEyes, XDR, and AI-powered automation, Cisco is enhancing its ability to pinpoint issues in real time—reducing downtime and improving operational efficiency.
One standout example Carl shared was an incident where a Cisco engineer, using ThousandEyes, was able to instantly diagnose an ISP-related outage for a customer. The ability to visualise the entire network path—from user to application—represents a paradigm shift in troubleshooting and network resilience.
The Evolving Role of the CTO: Driving Innovation & Business Strategy
As the pace of innovation accelerates, the role of the CTO has become more critical than ever. Carl believes that CTOs are now integral to shaping business strategy, not just overseeing IT operations.
“Every business is now a technology business,” he said. “Understanding how emerging technologies can create differentiation is crucial for staying ahead.”
He also highlighted the importance of fostering innovation within teams. Encouraging engineers—regardless of experience level—to challenge the status quo and bring fresh ideas to the table has been a key driver of Cisco’s success.
Final Thoughts: A Call to Action for IT Leaders
For those who couldn’t attend Cisco Live in person, Carl recommended exploring Cisco’s on-demand content and engaging with Cisco’s technical teams to better understand how these innovations can drive business outcomes.
As the enterprise technology landscape continues to evolve, IT leaders must remain agile, embrace AI-driven solutions, and prioritise security and observability. The shift toward integrated platforms and hybrid AI is already underway, and those who can effectively navigate this transition will be best positioned for success.
To hear our full conversation, check out our special two-part episode of Securely Connected Everything
Securely Connected Everything S5-1: The Future, Reimagined: A Look Ahead with Carl Solder [Part 1]
Securely Connected Everything S5-2: The Future, Reimagined: A Look Ahead with Carl Solder [Part 2]
