In addition to its role as Official Digital Network Partner of Expo 2020, Cisco will also connect, secure and automate the network at the brand new Dubai Exhibition Centre
For the past four years, Cisco has worked closely with the organizer to help deliver highly immersive digital experiences for Expo 2020 Dubai, the region’s most anticipated event. The two organizations announced today that Cisco’s network infrastructure will also be deployed at the Dubai Exhibition Center – strategically located close to the heart of the Expo 2020 Dubai site.
Delivering a secure, connected event space
Expo 2020 Dubai will host the world for 182 days, encouraging participating nations, sponsors and visitors to create, collaborate and innovate. A key part of the Expo experience will be the Dubai Exhibition Centre, a state-of-the-art venue boasting 45,000 square meters of dedicated space for events, exhibitions, conferences and concerts of all sizes both during and post-Expo 2020.
With Cisco demonstrating clear expertise in deploying, managing and maintaining the network at the Expo 2020 Dubai site, the company has now also been chosen to provide a state-of-the-art network that will be the foundation for the digital infrastructure at the Dubai Exhibition Centre. This network deployment represents the largest of its kind for an event space in the region.
As part of the implementation, Cisco will provide an end-to-end security solution with robust firewalls, network access control (NAC) and web proxy server capabilities. Collectively, these solutions will help gatekeep network access, increase visibility of network usage and reduce network operational risk.
“Our ambition has always been to take the World Expo experience to new heights. Having the right network infrastructure and strategic collaboration in place is key. Over the years, Cisco has proved to be a trusted partner and consultant helping to accelerate our digitization agenda and to provide seamless and secure connectivity for employees, volunteers, participants and visitors alike at Expo 2020 and the Dubai Exhibition Centre,” said Mohammed Alhashmi, Chief Technology Officer at Expo 2020 Dubai.
The technology behind the solution: automating devices, tools and services via Cisco’s Network Services Orchestrator (NSO)
Network Services Orchestrator (NSO) solutions are typically used by large enterprises and service providers. With the Dubai Exhibition Centre expected to experience high network usage, Cisco is implementing its NSO technology in an event space for the first time. With its automation capabilities, NSO frees application and service owners to focus on improving the visitor experience, by delivering services up to 90% faster.
At the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Cisco’s NSO technology will be used to simplify network operations by leveraging automation and providing the ability to work with multiple vendors and technology domains. This, in turn, will help enable the venue to conduct network and service modifications while in live production – continually optimizing the connected experience for visitors. In addition, NSO will help orchestrate all deployed network infrastructures, while an intuitive dashboard enables seamless management of all available network services.
“Our trusted relationship has continued to evolve and strengthen, with Cisco offering the best of our technology and our people to support Expo 2020 Dubai. Through our latest collaboration, Cisco will help the Dubai Exhibition Centre to seamlessly host large-scale events, so that every visitor has an unforgettable, connected experience,” said Shukri Eid, Managing Director, Cisco Gulf Region.
A partnership with rich history and a shared vision for success
Over the last four years, or more than 1,500 days, Cisco’s strategic collaboration has helped Expo 2020 Dubai establish a secure, intelligent foundation for connectivity.
As part of its mission to help Expo 2020 Dubai create the most digitally-connected and immersive event in World Expo history, Cisco has deployed:
250 of the industry’s most experienced project managers and engineers on-site to provide more than 2.5 million person hours of technology implementation and rollout support
20,000 secure endpoints across the site to deliver industry leading connectivity
30 different technology solutions across the Expo 2020 Dubai site