"Connecting Data Centers 1,000 km Apart"... Cisco Presents AI Networking Strategy

"With the rise of agentic AI that requires communication between agents, networks are scaling up. We will innovate our infrastructure to enable AI to operate as intended, through higher performance, simplified operations, and security built into the infrastructure."

On the 8th, at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Choi Jihee, President of Cisco Korea, is delivering the welcoming speech at the 'Cisco Connect 2026 Korea Media Roundtable.' Photo by Lee Eunseo.

Bill Gartner, Senior Vice President of Cisco Optics, presented two main aspects of Cisco's technology strategy at the 'Cisco Connect 2026 Korea Media Roundtable' held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on April 8. The first is 'Scale Out' for expanding within the data center, and the second is 'Scale Across,' which facilitates connections between data centers regardless of physical distance.

At the core of the Scale Out strategy is Cisco's recently unveiled next-generation networking chip, the 'Silicon One G300.' Gartner explained, "It provides 102.4 terabits per second (Tbps) and is designed to support training, inference, and real-time agentic workloads in gigawatt (GW)-class AI clusters." He added, "It reduces optical module power consumption by 50% and overall switch power by 30%, enabling ultra-high-speed connections within AI data centers."

The Scale Across strategy utilizes the 'Silicon One P200' chip, which delivers 51.2 terabit-class performance. Gartner stated, "It ensures smooth signal transmission over long distances, making it possible to connect data centers 1,000 kilometers apart." He also explained, "In the second half of 2026, we plan to launch the N9364 switch and a 28.8T-class modular line card."

In fact, Cisco reported robust growth for six consecutive quarters in its fiscal 2026 second quarter earnings release, with AI-related orders from hyperscaler customers reaching USD 2.1 billion (approximately KRW 3.17 trillion). During the same quarter, cumulative shipments of Silicon One chips reached the 1 million mark.

Bijoy Pandey, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cisco Outshift, introduced a paradigm shift occurring in infrastructure technology. He explained that the industry is moving from deterministic computing, which yields the same output for the same input, to probabilistic computing based on probability. At the center of this transition are agentic computing and quantum computing.

Pandey stated, "The 'Cognitive Internet,' where AI agents can work based on accumulated shared knowledge, consists of protocols—languages between agents—and a fabric that maintains collective memory." He explained, "To realize this, we are leading the open-source project 'AGNTCY (Agency).'" Agency is a project that provides open infrastructure for collaboration between AI agents, with participation from over 80 companies and organizations, including Cisco, Google Cloud, and Dell Technologies.

In quantum computing, Cisco operates a quantum research lab and is building a full stack that includes hardware, protocols, and applications. Recently, the company succeeded in a high-speed quantum entanglement exchange experiment using commercial optical fiber in New York, demonstrating its implementation in real infrastructure. Cisco also addressed quantum security threats. Pandey emphasized, "Q-Day—the day when security systems become vulnerable due to quantum computers—is projected for 2029," and stressed, "To prepare for this, we must adopt quantum-resistant cryptography."

Choi Jihee, President of Cisco Korea, stated, "Cisco is evolving from a company that has led the networking industry for the past 40 years to an 'end-to-end AI platform' company, spanning everything from AI infrastructure to security and data visibility." She added, "We are committed to providing our customers with a rock-solid foundation of network and security, so they can complete a successful AX (AI Transformation) journey."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.