" 'Once again Cisco is setting the pace in the industry with the introduction of the Catalyst 4006 Supervisor Engine III,' stated Joel Conover, senior analyst at Current Analysis. 'The new engine raises the bar for enterprise wiring closet switching performance and functionality, and provides phenomenal investment protection for Cisco customers. The performance and control found in the new Catalyst switching engine redefines the expectations for intelligent network services in the wiring closet.' "
Is this what happens when you become an analyst?
One of our contributors, Don MacVittie, said: "Wow, Cisco must not be paying enough. The product doesn't optimize bandwidth or provide holistic management of your network resources."
Meanwhile, I met with Acterna at a recent trade show, where excited folks told me about a technology that does packet inspection in a sophisticated hardware device. I don't mean to oversimplify or downplay the product, because it sounds pretty cool and its applications are diverse, but the spokesperson said the company referred to the technology as a visibility engine. Uh, whatever.
And so I return to one of my favorite topics in hopes of ridding the world of these awful phrases once and for all.
One acronym I run into every time I talk to Cisco, and that other companies have started to use as well, is DNA. Behavior, philosophy, release schedules, innovation, anything a company does is part of its DNA. I suppose recording revenue in the most convenient quarter is part of one company's DNA, while releasing technology months after making an announcement is part of another's. But if it's truly DNA, it's genetic and it's inherited, so there really isn't anything these companies can do to control it. Imagine blaming poor earnings statements or bad customer service on DNA.
When companies look for new sources of revenue, are they really just trying to make more money, or are they extending the brand? Sometimes, when the market is saturated, competition is fierce, the economy is tight and extending the brand becomes a crucial survival strategy, companies don't just work harder and smarter, they experience a sense of urgency.
This situation is never easy and often comes with upheaval: layoffs, new leadership, a merger of some sort, and discontinued projects and technology, followed by massive write-offs, restructuring, internal audits, new corporate policies and fresh marketing campaigns. These are not merely times to ponder. These are inflection points. I'm not sure what this means, but it sounds very serious and probably requires lengthy executive retreats to the beach.
Upon returning, feeling fresh from massages, having dry-cleaned all the cigar-smoke smell and single-malt scotch stains out of their clothes, the executives must get back to work and create something new. This new thing, this new direction, will not, however, merely set them apart, as if adding some new supervisor blade. It will be breakaway technology. What's more, this new thing won't merely make customers see all-new sources of opportunity for productivity and efficiency in their businesses, nor will the media view this as a breakthrough or simply inventive and unique. No, this will cause people to think in brand-new ways, because it will be disruptive technology.
The worst part is that I've probably used all these phrases myself. I am, as they say, guilty of buying in, drinking the Kool-Aid, eating my own dog food (as if I might eat someone else's). For that, I ask your forgiveness. It's just part of my DNA.
Send your comments on this column to Fritz Nelson at fnelson@nwc.com.
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