E-Business
Cisco Launches Data Center, Cloud Solution Built Around Applications Needs
Application-centric infrastructure is set to help businesses in Nigeria unlock new routes to innovation and profit, Cisco announced on Thursday.
“A new paradigm shift driven by cloud, mobility and big data is redefining IT, with the web-based economy shifting to an app-based economy,” said Mr. Dare Ogunlade, general manager Cisco, Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra-Leone.
“Today’s data center and cloud application and infrastructure requirements call for a new approach. We need solutions that are simple and that cut across different technological and organizational silos without compromising on scale, responsiveness, security and end-to-end visibility. We need solutions that deliver network automation and programmability, and we need models that are designed from the ground up to be explicitly application-centric. Bolted-on approaches are becoming a thing of the past, and the failure of companies to adapt will likely see them fall behind the competition in terms of profit and innovation.”
Directly responding to market demands, Cisco’s recently announced Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) offering is set to have a particularly significant impact on data centers through ramping up the efficiency, flexibility and speed increasingly demanded by the region’s profit-conscious business-leaders.
Complemented by associated professional services and an open partner ecosystem, Cisco is now able to deliver the first data center and cloud solution built around the needs of applications. The system offers full visibility, and integrated management of both physical and virtual networked IT resources.
Cisco’s bold launch comes as technology-focused market intelligence firm IDC predicts that service providers worldwide will continue to drive IT spend and will account for a quarter of the entire datacenter space by 2016.
The complex pressures facing datacenters was vividly highlighted in Cisco’s recent Global Cloud Index, which reported that annual global data center IP traffic, will reach 6.6 zettabytes by the end of 2016. By 2016, global data center IP traffic will reach 554 exabytes per month (up from 146 in 2011), at a compound annual growth rate of 31%.
By 2016, nearly two-thirds of all data center workloads will be processed in the cloud, with annual global cloud IP traffic rising to 4.3 zettabytes.
This amounts to around 355 exabytes per month (up from 57 in 2011). Overall, cloud IP traffic will have grown at a CAGR of 44% from 2011 to 2016.
ACI will help businesses in the region adapt to such trends by combining innovations in software, hardware, systems and application specific integrated circuits (ASICS) with a dynamic, application-aware network policy model structured around open application programming interfaces (APIs).
The system can reduce application deployment from months to minutes by unifying physical and virtual networks and offering unprecedented security, compliance and real-time visibility at system, tenant, and application levels.
Furthermore, Cisco data center switching innovations allow the network to rapidly respond to application development teams while delivering up to 75 percent total cost of ownership savings compared to merchant, silicon-based switches and software-only network virtualization solutions.
“IT leaders want innovations that enable application automation for rapid deployment of infrastructure and dynamic adjustment to real-time events, integrated visibility with telemetry for performance monitoring and resilient recovery from failure. They also demand optimized performance across diverse applications needs with simplicity and control,” added Dare.
ACI stands apart from current approaches, which are often operationally siloed, and with no common or policy operational model between application, network, security and cloud teams.
Cisco’s innovation also addresses other pressing issues such as static and inflexible security models, as well as the operational headache of multiple management points, proprietary licensing models, software version control issues, and consistency across multiple hypervisor environments.
Cisco’s ACI comprises the Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), enhanced versions of the NX-OS operating system and the new Nexus 9000 portfolio.
The latter is the cornerstone of the ACI solution, and includes state-of-the-art system innovations such as the industry’s first backplane-free modular switch to provide investment protection, efficient power and cooling, and a simpler design that is twice as effective at improving meantime between failures.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) of Nigeria has launched a new digital identity verification tool called the NIN Authentication (NINAuth) application.
The initiative, which forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aims to strengthen the country’s national digital identity management framework.
The launch builds upon Nigeria’s comprehensive unified digital identity system that has been transforming access to financial services and government programs.
The NINAuth application introduces several key features focused on data security and privacy.
The platform requires explicit user consent before sharing identity information for Know Your Customer (KYC) processes, giving individuals greater control over their personal data.
The system provides seamless access to various government services, including SIM card registration, immigration applications, passport processing, tax filings, and financial transactions.
The development follows significant investment in Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure, including a $45.5 million support from the World Bank as part of the Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) project.
As the official service for integration with NIMC’s backend infrastructure, NINAuth enables secure verification processes across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
The application is available for download on both the Google Play Store and Apple iOS App Store for users of the National Identification Number (NIN).
The rollout represents a significant milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to digitize government services and strengthen identity verification processes.
“NINAuth is a cutting-edge suite of services including web, API, and mobile verification designed to enhance data security, protect privacy, and simplify access to government services,” said Dr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC.
“The platform introduces a robust layer of protection, empowering individuals with greater control over their personal information.”
The implementation supports the objectives of the recently established Nigeria Digital Identification for Development Project Ecosystem Steering Committee, which oversees the country’s digital identity initiatives.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the launch of the NINAuth app and directed its use for verification and authentication across all MDAs.
The application provides a secure single sign-on solution for accessing government services and social protection programs while maintaining strict data privacy controls.
The centralized approach to digital identity management represents a significant step forward in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey and its commitment to modernizing government services.
Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has set in motion a machinery to checkmate the booming copyright piracy market in the country.
Copyright piracy is said to cost Nigeria an annual loss estimated at billions of naira.
Despite the absence of a coordinated or official statistics to gauge the quantum of loss, John Asein, director general, NCC, said as far back as 2019, Nigeria lost N918 trillion ($3 billion) annually to digital piracy.
The financial damages severely impact local businesses and innovation efforts.
The commission, in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), has started a project to develop strategies and tools to address the menace.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on the WIPO project to address online copyright piracy in Nigeria, Asein said digital technologies have unlocked tremendous opportunities for the creative and innovation sectors.
The NCC boss said technology also poses serious challenges, including online piracy, which he said is growing rapidly.
He said: “Pirate sites continue to emerge rapidly, with statistics indicating a 6.7 per cent increase in user visits. A significant percentage of these users are students aged between 18 and 24, with social media and messaging platforms becoming major gateways for accessing pirated content.”
He added: “No industry is immune. The most affected sectors include television (43.6 per cent), publishing (27.5 per cent), film (12.9 per cent), music (7.0 per cent), and software (6.2 per cent).
“Far beyond mere statistics, the victims are no longer only foreign right owners. Many Nigerians in these sectors have also been bruised and their creative enterprises ruined.”
Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has signed an international mail partnership with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for improved delivery access to over 200 countries without middlemen.
Tolani Odeyemi, postmaster-general and chief executive officer of NIPOST, described the deal as a “major milestone” for the country’s logistics and postal sector.
In a statement on X on Monday, Odeyemi explained that the new agreement marks NIPOST’s first direct international airline partnership for several years.
“For a long time, NIPOST operated without any direct partnerships with international airlines, relying heavily on multiple third-party handlers,” the Postmaster-General stated. This often resulted in delays, higher costs, and uncertainty around the delivery of packages.”
She explained that under the new arrangement, KLM will directly handle all outbound international mail from Nigeria, eliminating the need for intermediaries.
“This translates to faster and more reliable delivery, reduced risk of loss or damage, lower handling charges, and access to over 200 countries through KLM’s global network,” the Postmaster-General stressed.
According to Odeyemi, NIPOST’s breakthrough came after it began settling long-standing debts owed to international carriers, a step she said was key to “rebuilding global trust” in Nigeria’s postal system.
She revealed that talks were also ongoing with Ethiopian Airlines to bolster regional and continental logistics, particularly on African and Eastern routes.
“Our goal is clear and unwavering: to connect Nigeria regionally and globally, efficiently, securely, and affordably,” Odeyemi asserted.
The NIPOST CEO described the development as a significant win for Nigerian businesses and small and medium-scale enterprises that rely on international shipping, stating, “You now benefit from quicker, more affordable international shipping, greater peace of mind with improved reliability, and new potential to reach and grow in global markets.”
Odeyemi commended the teams behind the scenes and pledged continued improvements in service delivery, adding that the deal signals a turning point for the agency.
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