The Top 6 Reasons Utility Companies Modernize their Networks with Cisco

1. Cisco is a trusted leader in industrial networking.

Cisco’s leadership in industrial networking, as well as its easy-to-use management tools, can streamline your operations, increase grid reliability and security, and optimize your deployments. We work with thousands of utilities in over 190 countries and have been named number one in market share for industrial managed switches. Cisco supports the top industrial automation and control system protocols specific to utility applications, such as Distributed Network Protocol (DNP3-IP), DNP3-Serial, and the IEC 61850 suite of protocols. In addition, our solutions enable
NERC-CIP compliance.

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2. Cisco helps OT and IT work better together.

Cisco understands both IT and OT and how to help them work better together. Our solutions incorporate best practices from both enterprise and industrial networking and integrations between the network components and tool sets. We take the best of both worlds to solve real-world challenges in grid modernization.

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3. Utility grid security requires segmentation, visibility, and automation.

Utility operations have recently become a rich target for cyberattacks, given both their national visibility and the expanded attack surface across their increasingly connected assets. Connected assets also carry the risk of physical damage, utility downtime, and breaches of customer data and intellectual property. Cisco® industrial security can help utilities segment the operations environment as well as detect suspicious traffic flows and behavior, perform security policy audits and detect violations, and identify compromised devices. Across this security posture, automation is fundamental to facilitate the scale required in an OT environment. Further, utilities can reduce risks across all OT and IT traffic by creating visibility into how, when, where, and why users and devices connect to the network.

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4. Cisco is best positioned to meet the unique challenges utilities face.

For over 20 years, we have enabled the monitoring and control of energy networks to improve their reliability, efficiency, and safety. Our solutions offer a flexible architecture that enables IP network services and offers security, quality of service, resilience, and automation. Our utilities solutions are designed to help you throughout your grid deployments, and include Distribution Automation, Substation Automation, Distributed Energy Resources (DER), voltage (volt/VAR) optimization, SCADA device connectivity, IIoT Sensors, System Monitoring, and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI).

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5. Cisco partners with utilities to solve problems holistically.

Cisco Support Services (CX) offers utility customers a premier consulting and technical support ecosystem that can help you more quickly realize the value of your technology investments. Whether you want to better anticipate industry changes, implement your technology, or secure your utility grid and reduce your risk, we partner with utility customers to architect and test Cisco Validated Designs and new solutions so you can get the most of your investment.

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6. Cisco works with a large ecosystem of industrial partners.

By working with Cisco, utilities also gain access to an ecosystem of industrial partners. Cisco works closely with software providers, systems integrators, and industry technology vendors and consultants to deliver complete solutions and business outcomes for utility providers. By offering utility-focused solutions such as substation networking, distribution automation, edge computing, and industrial security, our partners can help utilities connect operational control and monitoring assets to improve the reliability and efficiency of the utility grid.

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To succeed at grid modernization utilities need a trusted network modernization partner like Cisco. Our utility OT network solutions are proven to deliver security, safety, reliability, and productivity across generation, transmission, and distribution systems. Contact your local Cisco team to see how we can help you succeed.