By Network World
Publication Date: 2026-06-12 20:02:00
From dashboard sprawl to Cloud Control
The most visible proof point of the new Cisco is Cloud Control, the unified management plane that now spans networking, security, compute, observability, collaboration, and an expanding ecosystem of third-party tools. Cisco is careful to note that this is not just another single pane of glass but an active execution environment with policy and identity embedded in the control path, designed from the ground up for humans and AI agents to operate infrastructure together.
Patel’s demo underscores how far Cisco has come from its historical dashboard sprawl. When operators land in Cloud Control, they see a familiar, ChatGPT‑style interface with three modes: Assistant, Canvas, and Actions. Assistant lets operators converse with the platform in natural language. Canvas provides a multiplayer workspace where humans and agents can investigate and resolve issues together. Actions become the mission control for supervising what agents…
