IT company Arkphire is to create a dedicated Cisco-based Software-Defined Networking centre of excellence, employing up to 20 engineers.

Arkphire provides both IT procurement and services in more than 90 countries, and has partnered with tech giant Cisco to add the new SDN to its Network and Security Operations Centre in Dublin. 

The company says the lab will enable Arkphire to provide real world proof of concepts and demonstrations to clients without affecting their day to day operations.

The ‘test’ lab will consist of the latest in Cisco routing, switching and wireless technologies, including the Cisco DNA Centre management platform.  

The new centre will open in January 2021 and investment by Arkphire and Cisco will facilitate engineering programmes, a new lab facility, marketing activity and training

In Association with

Arkphire managing director Edel Creely said: “This latest SDN architecture is designed to make networks more flexible, secure and easier to manage, driving greater efficiencies for organisations to deploy new applications and services, enabling automated provisioning and multi-cloud access.  In turn, this requires new skillsets for networking professionals.”

Cisco head of enterprise Tom Long added: “A Cisco gold partner for more than 25 years, Arkphire is perfectly positioned to build the customer networks of the future and to secure and scale network connectivity, for what we expect will be the biggest wave of network transformation seen in decades.”

Arkphire employs c.250 people and generates revenue exceeding €150m.

Photo: Edel Creely and Tom Long. (Pic: Shane O'Neill/Coalesce)