“Learn How to Keep Your Network SAFE”

This TechChat features Bill McGee, Manager, Security Solutions and Calvin Chai, Security Solutions Marketing Manager, both from Cisco. During this TechChat our speakers will discuss how a solutions-based approach to security, based on the SAFE architecture, provides more comprehensive security, better risk management, and tighter visibility and control of your network than traditional, siloed security products.
30 APRIL 2009 at 1200 PDT

SUPPORTING URLs
1: Cisco SAFE: http:// www.cisco.com/go/safe
2: Cisco security solutions: http://www.cisco.com/go/security
3: Cisco validated designs: http://www.cisco.com/go/cvd
4: Cisco SAFE services: http://www.cisco.com/go/services/security
5: View the archive of this TechChat on the Cisco Virtual Environments Blog: http://blogs.cisco.com/virtualworlds/
6: Register now for Cisco Live 2009: http://www.cisco.com/offer/ciscolive09/172410_2

POST EVENT SURVEY
Please complete a post event survey so we can determine how to utilize Second Life TechChats to best meet your business needs!
http://forums.cisco.com/eforum/servlet/viewsflash?cmd=showform&pollid=sms03!2L_Apr30_TechChat

SPEAKER BIOS:

BILL MCGEE
Bill McGee is a Cisco network security subject matter expert and a manager in Cisco’s Security Solutions Marketing team. He is currently responsible for program development and strategy for Cisco’s SAFE, Secure Unified Communications, and Secure Campus programs. In addition, he is a regular speaker on network security issues, trends, and approaches, delivering lectures, seminars, and training at events around the world.

Since 1999, Bill has played an integral role in the development of Cisco’s security solutions, including the Self-Defending Network initiative. His responsibilities during his tenure at Cisco have included PIX Security Appliance Product Manager, developer and manager of Cisco’s initial Security Channels program, including the creation of the VIP program, marketing manager for NAC, and application security specialist for Cisco’s Application Networking Services group.

CALVIN CHAI
Calvin Chai is a senior marketing manager for the security solutions marketing team at Cisco.  Calvin currently leads the integrated security, policy, and identity management marketing team where he is responsible for the definition and execution of the marketing strategy for the integrated security capabilities on the Cisco router and switch platforms.

Calvin has over thirteen years of experience in the networking and security field.  He has spent the last nine years at Cisco functioning in technical and product marketing roles within the network management and security technology groups. During that time, he has helped drive Cisco’s outbound marketing initiatives around firewall, VPN, security management and monitoring, and threat management solutions.

Prior to Cisco, Calvin spent four years as a software engineer and architect for a networking startup company where he was responsible for the development of the firewall feature set and user experience of a SOHO product line. Calvin holds a BS degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley.

On a personal note, I am happy with the evolution of this build. We took the comments we received last year and try to incorporate as many improvement for ease of access that we could, for example we removed the elevator that traveled up and down from the Sphere down to the Video Center and installed a simple teleport up into the sphere. While the elevator was real cool, it did not engage people enough to go up into the sphere. And it was slow. We also improved the entrance into the Video Center to make it more inviting and easier for a new Second Life user to get into the building. There were other tweaks here and there to numerous to mention. All of this is important in building a more effective engagement for Cisco and its community.

I would love to hear others opinion on this build.

All day events will be held here on June 30 and July 1.

Banana also wrote that Dedric Mauriac did an outstanding software development job on the EnergyWise demo.  I know the 3D demo was easy to use and brought to life this very cool concept. Go Cisco!

Cisco Live 09 Update

Cisco EnergyWise Office

Tawni CiscoSystems  just dropped this info to Banana on their TechChat series.  Cisco does a great job with their TechChat series.  If you want to see it, please join them in Second Life.

Cisco EnergyWise - Improve Your Green Practices with Cisco EnergyWise
Date = April 14
Time = 8am SLT
Location = Bandwidth Stage, Cisco Systems Sim 4, Second Life

Meta Magic Studio will be there providing support.

Meta Magic Studio has two private sims in Second Life® versus having land on the Mainland. Los Arboles is what Linden Lab® calls a Full Region which means it is their highest performing sim offering.  We use this sim to demonstrate various builds concepts and some tongue in check salutes to the metaverse. Meta Magic Studio is defined as Openspace Region which in intended just to be a landscape sim with limited scripts and prims.

We have completely revamped Los Arboles for 2009, please stop by any time to visit.

Today, Jan 27, 2009, Cisco® opened its Sustainability Center demonstrating its new EnergyWise Technology and their Networked Sustainability Network in Second Life®. This center is located at Cisco Systems Sim 2 and demonstrates Green technologies and products. The center was developed by Meta Magic Studio.

Virtually all large enterprises are conscious of the image they project, and corporate responsibility is an important part of that image. Green technologies represent an opportunity for corporations that extends beyond brand reputation and can affect overall profitability.

We at Meta Magic Studio are very proud of this development that began with a meeting at Cisco on January 6th. In less than one week, we were able to come up with a “Earth and Technology” concept for the look and feel of the outer building that was “outside of the box” thinking while maintaining consistence with established Cisco branding and the Cisco Virtual Campus look. We built a working concept within one week in order to get approvals from Cisco, then we began the true work of building an interactive pavilion.

Concept

Main Message Kiosk

Inside of the pavilion there is the following

• Main Message Kiosk
• Four interactive kiosks that provide notecards, web urls, and pdf urls
• One “EngeryWise” Business Calculator kiosk featuring a power point presentation with supporting web url
• Two video on demand kiosks featuring a message from Chairman and CEO John Chambers and a technical data sheet video
• Upstairs video vault area
• “Carbon Free” flight animations - for fun!

Outside of the pavilion, extensive work was done in creating a “natural park” feeling with information signage on green trends. This area includes both audio and visual recreations of birds and butterflies which enhance the virtual experience.

All of this effort by Meta Magic Studio was completed within 21 days of getting the job.

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Just a reminder that on Feb 3rd, Cisco will be holding another Tech Chat at 12:00 PST in Second Life at the Bandwidth Stage. Afterwards there is a “birthday” celebration of Cisco’s second year in Second Life. It is a little late, but hey, I am always up for virtual cake — it helps with my virtual diet.

On the 27th of January, Cisco will be opening its Sustainability Center in Second Life.

We have exciting news to share with you about how you can reduce energy costs and Greenhouse Gas (GhG) emissions using your network as a platform for change. We can all reduce travel and daily commutes by collaborating in virtual environments, but there’s so much more we can do in this networked world.

Source: Cisco http://blogs.cisco.com/virtualworlds/comments/green_it_efforts/

Location: Visit the Sustainability Center in world via this SLurl.

In the next few days, we will post some comments on this very exciting development that we are working on for Cisco’s Virtual Campus.

Notes on the next event:

“Scalable, Secure, and Cost-Effective WAN Services with Cisco ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers”

This TechChat features Michael Weir, Manager, Enterprise Technical Marketing in Cisco’s Edge Routing Business Unit (ERBU), and Matthew Eubanks, Product Manager for Cisco ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers in the Edge Routing Business Unit. During this TechChat, Weir and Eubanks will discuss new innovations and solutions on the Cisco ASR 1000 Series routers, designed to address existing and future networking requirements.
3 FEBRUARY 2009 at 1200 PST

SUPPORTING URLs
1: Cisco ASR 1000 Series: http://www.cisco.com/go/asr1000
2: Cisco Unified WAN Services Solution: http://www.cisco.com/go/uws
3: View the archive of this TechChat on the Cisco Virtual Environments Blog: http://blogs.cisco.com/virtualworlds/
4: Access 100s of Cisco Live at Networkers! Technical Sessions Online: http://www.cisco-live.com/virtual.php

SUPPORTING SECOND LIFE LANDMARKS
1: Cisco’s Quantum Shift: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cisco%20Systems%204/49/30/21/

SPEAKER BIOS:
Michael Weir is the Manager, Enterprise Technical Marketing in Cisco’s Edge Routing Business Unit (ERBU). Over the last 5 years he has been developing the ASR 1000 Series Router requirements, and prior to that he was the TME responsible for other Cisco products such as the Cisco 7200, 7304 and 10720 Routers. Michael has been involved with network engineering and operations of some of the largest carrier, research and enterprise networks in Canada. He holds a diploma in computer engineering from Algonquin College in Ottawa and has been a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert for almost 10 years.

Matthew Eubanks is a Product Manager for the ASR 1000 Series Routers in the Edge Routing Business Unit, and works on product development and channel partner enablement, amongst other product management tasks. Prior to joining Cisco, Matthew received his MBA at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and before that ran a software start-up in New York.

Key results are:

• User hours increased by 61% over 2007, highlighting the tremendous growth rate in user engagement that Second Life maintained throughout 2008.
• User hours increased steadily each quarter, culminating in a record-setting 112 million user hours in Q4.
• Peak concurrent users were up 31% over 2007
• Land owned by Residents increased 82% over 2007
• Exchange Volume increased 33% over 2007
• User-to-user transactions in Q4 increased 54% over Q4 of 2007

Banana asked that I drop a quick blog entry on one of the ways that I have been using Second Life for our clients that makes beach clothing. They are getting ready for the 2009 product line photo shoot and wanted to be very precise in the types of photos they need.

Beach Concept - Meta Magic Studio

So when I saw the “Tahiti” concept build done, I took a few hundred photos (yes that many!) of the type of pictures and feelings that the client could choose from.

I asked Banana for some waves and long beaches and he was able to give it to me in less than one hour. Then using windlight and working with draw distance and environmental settings, I was able to do sunset and sunrise pictures very quickly.

As you can see from these samples, the “mood” and setting is easily demonstrated. And very cost effective. It would takes us days to story board out all of the different shots, now we can do it in less than one day! A huge savings in time and money for the client and best of all, a fast way to get input.

Beach Concept - Meta Magic Studio

We are now looking at combining real life models and Second Life scenes — stay tuned!

Beach Concept - Meta Magic Studio

Beach Concept - Meta Magic Studio