Cisco Smart+Connected Communities

Cisco Smart+Connected Communities
Name	Cisco Smart+Connected Communities
Developer	Cisco Systems
Released	2010s
Programming language	Various

Cisco Smart+Connected Communities is a portfolio of Cisco Systems initiatives and technologies designed to integrate networking, communications, and information technologies within urban, campus, and industrial environments. The program aimed to connect infrastructure such as transportation systems, utility networks, and building management systems with information platforms and services from organizations such as IBM, Microsoft Corporation, and AT&T Inc.. It sought to enable data-driven operations involving stakeholders like the World Bank, United Nations, and municipal governments of cities such as Barcelona, San Francisco, and Songdo.

Overview

Cisco's Smart+Connected Communities combined hardware, software, and services to create interoperable deployments linking devices from vendors including Schneider Electric, Siemens, Honeywell International Inc., and Johnson Controls. The initiative targeted environments ranging from smart city projects in New York City and London to campus networks at institutions like Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Components often interfaced with platforms from Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Oracle Corporation for analytics, and leveraged standards bodies such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the Internet Engineering Task Force for networking and protocol alignment.

History and development

Cisco announced early Smart+Connected Community efforts as part of broader strategies developed during the tenure of CEOs John T. Chambers and Chuck Robbins. Early pilots grew from Cisco research labs collaborating with partners like Cisco Research and municipal partners including Songdo International City developers and the City of Barcelona administration. Initiatives intersected with major events and programs such as the World Economic Forum and the United Nations Habitat discussions on urban resilience, and were influenced by policy frameworks from institutions such as the European Commission and the US Department of Transportation.

Architecture and components

Architecturally, deployments combined networking infrastructure—routers and switches from Cisco Systems—with edge devices from vendors like Intel Corporation and ARM Holdings. The stack included sensors produced by companies such as Bosch and Honeywell International Inc., industrial control systems from Siemens and Schneider Electric, and building controls from Johnson Controls. Data transport relied on protocols standardized by the IETF and security frameworks from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Analytics and application layers often used software from VMware, SAP SE, and Esri for geospatial analysis, and incorporated identity and access solutions from Okta, Inc. and RSA Security.

Use cases and deployments

Use cases encompassed smart transportation projects in collaboration with agencies such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Transport for London network; energy management programs with utilities like Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Électricité de France; public safety integrations with agencies such as the FBI and local police departments; and healthcare campus connectivity with partners including Mayo Clinic and Kaiser Permanente. Deployments featured sensor-driven parking solutions similar to pilots in San Francisco, smart lighting initiatives in Los Angeles, and integrated emergency response platforms tied to Federal Emergency Management Agency frameworks.

Partnerships and ecosystem

Cisco cultivated an ecosystem with technology companies including Microsoft Corporation, IBM, Intel Corporation, Amazon.com, Inc., and Google LLC; systems integrators such as Accenture, Capgemini, and Deloitte; telecommunications operators including Verizon Communications, AT&T Inc., NTT Communications, and BT Group; and academic collaborators like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and University College London. Financial partnerships involved institutions such as the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, and development banks like the Asian Development Bank for urban infrastructure financing.

Security and privacy considerations

Security models referenced standards from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Internet Engineering Task Force, and the International Organization for Standardization. Threat models considered actors highlighted in reports by Europol, United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, and private security firms such as Kaspersky Lab and Symantec Corporation. Privacy considerations interacted with regulatory frameworks including the General Data Protection Regulation enforced by the European Commission and data protection authorities across jurisdictions like the Information Commissioner's Office in the United Kingdom and the Federal Trade Commission in the United States.

Criticisms and challenges

Criticism of Smart+Connected Communities echoed concerns raised in analyses by Brookings Institution, RAND Corporation, and civil society groups such as Electronic Frontier Foundation and Access Now about vendor lock-in, interoperability, surveillance risk, and procurement practices. Technical challenges cited in studies from Gartner and Forrester Research included legacy infrastructure integration, scalability, and heterogeneous protocol translation. Financing and governance issues referenced cases examined by the World Bank and regional development banks, while public acceptance debates engaged media outlets including The New York Times, The Guardian, and Financial Times.

Category:Information technology