Celebrating Cisco’s Solutions Engineers in Honor of National Techies Day

Every day, Cisco's Solution Engineers (SEs) are the unsung heroes behind our groundbreaking technologies and innovative solutions. They bridge the gap between our cutting-edge products and the real-world needs of our partners and customers. From designing complex networks to troubleshooting intricate technical issues, these dedicated professionals are the backbone of our company's success.

In honor of National Techies Day, we're shining a spotlight on some exceptional Cisco SEs who have gone above and beyond in their roles. Join us as they share their inspiring stories, the challenges they've overcome, and the innovative solutions they've brought to life. Discover how their passion, expertise, and dedication have made a lasting impact on our company, our partners, and the world around us.

Abhishek Chambial, Solutions Engineer

What is your experience in building and innovating solutions that impact the entire company?

At Cisco, our solutions connect billions of people worldwide. This vast reach presents unique challenges and opportunities for our partners. As a Solutions Engineer, I collaborate with diverse teams to develop innovative solutions that address their needs. This collaborative process drives personal and professional growth. While challenges arise, they fuel innovation and push us to new heights. My experience at Cisco has been incredibly rewarding, thanks to the support of my team and the opportunity to make a significant impact.

Arpan Sarkar, Solutions Engineer

What's the most rewarding part of being a SE?

The most rewarding part of being a SE is the opportunity to bridge the gap between business needs and technology solutions. It is exciting to work closely with global partners, understand their challenges, and design tailored solutions that drive business growth. Every successful assignment not only solves a problem but also enhances partner and customer relationships, pushing the boundaries of innovation, while delivering tangible value to businesses worldwide.

Dave Liebman, Solutions Engineer

What are the keys to bringing together multiple teams as we bring in new acquisitions or new technology to Cisco?

At an individual level, it starts with building relationships and developing a franchise of collaborators. The challenge during an integration is that we show up with divergent perspectives, unstated assumptions, and constraints both real and imagined. We may be facing uncertainty about our future role and feel threatened.

Handling all that baggage requires active listening, empathy, and curiosity - important in any relationship, and absolutely essential here to help collaborators keep their shared purpose in focus.

Gino Corleto, Technical Solutions Architect

Describe your experiences in leading industry standards bodies such as the WBA.

At the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), a global organization driving seamless Wi-Fi experiences, I represent Cisco, our customers, and partners. My latest activity is in leading the newly established working group about Enterprise Security for Private 5G Networks. The goal is to integrate Private 5G networks into existing enterprise security architectures. My role at WBA involves preparing the future of wireless experiences, solving customer and industry problems, driving innovation, and advancing industry standards to make technology work better together for easier adoption, better security, and improved experiences.

Loc Nguyen, Leader, Solutions Engineer

What are the biggest challenges building industry leading certifications and specializations?

The biggest challenges in building industry-leading certifications and specializations are the rapid pace of technological evolution and the scarcity of subject matter experts. The ever-changing landscape of technology requires certifications to stay current, while the complexity of modern solutions demands deep expertise. Addressing these challenges involves continuous learning and adaptation for certification developers, as well as strategic recruitment and development of SMEs. To meet the growing demand for skilled professionals, certification and specialization teams must invest in ongoing training and education to ensure their programs remain relevant and effective in the face of rapid technological advancements.

Michael Mazzotta, Solutions Engineer

What role do you play in engaging partners when building solutions?

Working in GPO, I engage with partners to understand their needs and identify suitable Cisco solutions. I coordinate co-development efforts with partner teams to create unique joint solutions. I also work with BE, alliance, and sales teams on Go-to-Market and technical enablement strategies. One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is collaborating with technology partners to develop innovative solutions.

Pat Bodin, Global AI Architect

What is the most impactful technology transition you have seen and believe we will see in the future?

The most impactful technology transition I foresee is the convergence of quantum computing, networking, and security with AI. This fusion will revolutionize industries by accelerating AI capabilities, ensuring secure data handling, and enabling innovative user interfaces. Quantum computing will enhance AI's problem-solving, creativity, and efficiency, while quantum networking will facilitate seamless collaboration and real-time AI applications. Quantum security will safeguard sensitive data and protect against future quantum-based threats. Together, these technologies will drive a new era of AI-powered experiences, from personalized recommendations to immersive virtual realities.

Patrick Arguelles, Solutions Engineer

What are your experience and insights in growing your career at Cisco?

At Cisco, I've experienced unparalleled freedom to craft my own engineering journey. Surrounded by a community of expert engineers, I'm able to tap into their knowledge and wisdom. With an abundance of resources and programs-such as the SE Transitions and Leadership Development Program (STLDP)-engineers here are empowered to grow and thrive. No other company offers such a supportive and dynamic environment for career development, where exploration across diverse paths is encouraged and celebrated.

Narender Negi, Solutions Engineer

What are your experience and insights in growing your career at Cisco?

Growing your career at Cisco is an illuminating and rewarding journey. Cisco provides the resources, support, and culture needed to thrive. Cisco's commitment to innovation and employee development has provided me with numerous opportunities to expand my skills. My personal journey through various teams and roles at Cisco has been marked by continuous learning, professional growth, and a strong sense of community. With a culture of innovation, collaboration, diverse career pathways, and a supportive work environment, Cisco offers a dynamic environment to achieve your full potential.

Robert Richardson, Global Solutions Engineer

In what ways do the solutions on which you work deliver partners and customers the desired outcomes?

The solutions we create at Cisco deliver desired outcomes for partners and customers by providing the most comprehensive suite of products and services that support secure and flexible access to data and applications, optimize performance, and enable secure and robust platforms. They simplify and accelerate management through automation and insights, enhance security with zero-trust access, and offer flexible solutions to meet diverse needs. Cisco's lifecycle services approach ensures continuous support and optimization, fostering stronger customer relationships and enabling partners to close larger, more profitable deals while reducing risks. No one else has the breadth of Cisco.

Vijayanand C D, Solutions Engineer

What's the most exciting innovation on which you've worked at Cisco?

"Qualex" was an experimental project which pushed me to develop AI skills back in 2018. I was part of the Qualex team to develop a tool called Qualex - an AI-powered algorithm portfolio that quantifies code quality and supplemented by actionable analytics that details exact remedial steps for software engineers to improve IOS code quality. Though all projects had their own unique challenges and learning opportunities, Qualex influenced my thought process that I have started to see problems in a different perspective.

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