INE Onsite
Catch us at one of the many networking and cybersecurity events happening globally. Stop by the booth and say hello, or catch up with us afterward through the Top Ten Takeaways!
Black Hat MEA
Dec 2nd to Dec 4th, 2025
More Info Coming Soon!
Black Hat Middle East & Africa brings the global cybersecurity community to Riyadh for three days of knowledge, connections and insight and INE will be there. Make sure to connect with an INE advisor at this event. More info coming soon!
Top Takeaways
Couldn’t make the event? That’s ok, we captured all of the ‘need to knows’ for you!
INE Releases Top Five Takeaways from Cisco Live 2025
IT training provider reports on industry conversations and trending topics from San Diego conferenceAI reigned supreme at Cisco Live 2025, as organizations collectively acknowledged that the rise of AI is requiring significant changes to data center operations. INE, a leading global provider of networking training and certification prep, is releasing its analysis of the top themes to emerge as key takeaways from the conference. Cisco Live, held June 8-12 in San Diego, drew more than 22,000 IT professionals to discuss, debate, and innovate the growing overlap between AI, network security, and enterprise infrastructure.“The conference highlighted a critical inflection point for the industry. Organizations are no longer asking whether they should adopt AI, but rather how quickly they can do so while maintaining security and performance standards,” said Rohit Pardasani, INE Networking Instructor and 5X CCIE. “This shift has created an intense focus on network security training and workforce development that really dominated the conference.”Top Five Themes from Cisco Live 20251. "Agentic AI" Becomes the New Industry BuzzwordThe shift from traditional AI assistance to autonomous AI agents that can complete entire workflows without human intervention was a consistent talk track throughout the five-day conference. The consensus among IT leaders was clear: the industry is moving beyond chatbots and simple automation toward AI that can think and act independently. Cisco's President and Chief Product Officer Jeetu Patel declared this "the agentic era of AI" during keynotes. Agentic AI dominated keynotes, breakout sessions, and hallway conversations as attendees are grappling with what the seismic shift means for their organizations."From a technical standpoint, what we're seeing is a convergence that I haven't witnessed since the early days of IP networking,” added Pardasani. “Cisco's introduction of AgenticOps and the Deep Network Model represents more than just another management platform; it is fundamentally changing how we think about network intelligence. The fact that they're embedding LLMs directly into network operations means we're moving from reactive troubleshooting to predictive infrastructure management."The skills gap in this area is already apparent, with many professionals seeking training in specialized areas like Automated AI Solutions on Cisco Infrastructure and Understanding AI and LLMs as a Network Engineer to develop the foundational knowledge needed to work alongside AI agents.2. Security-First Architecture Takes Center StageGone are the days of bolting security onto existing infrastructure as an afterthought. An overwhelming theme throughout the conference was that security must be embedded at every layer from day one. Cisco pointed to embedded security features within its networking infrastructure through enhanced Hybrid Mesh Firewall capabilities and Universal Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). Recent breaches were highlighted as examples of how zero-trust architectures are no longer optional but essential for organizations serious about AI adoption. "The security integration is very significant,” said Pardasani. “When you look at Hybrid Mesh Firewall and Universal ZTNA being baked into the network fabric itself, rather than bolted on afterward, it signals a major architectural shift. We're talking about microsegmentation at wire speed with AI-driven policy enforcement. For network engineers, this means understanding not just routing and switching, but also how AI models interact with network telemetry streams."This growing emphasis on integrated security has led to increased demand for comprehensive network security training that covers infrastructure security fundamentals. Many professionals are also looking for hands-on experience in both Red Team and Blue Team tactics to understand security from multiple perspectives and meet the growing demand.3. The Great Network Performance ChallengeWith AI workloads generating unprecedented bandwidth demands, conference discussions consistently returned to one critical question: "Is your network ready?" Technical sessions revealed that many organizations are hitting performance walls, with Cisco aiming to help enterprises bolster security and resilience as they power up compute-intensive AI workloads. This sparked intense interest in next-generation hardware solutions, including new 8000-series routers and optimization strategies that can handle the explosive growth in data center traffic.“The performance requirements for AI workloads are forcing us to rethink everything we know about network design,” said Pardasani. “Traditional oversubscription ratios don't apply when you're dealing with GPU clusters that need consistent, low-latency connectivity for model training. The new 8000-series routers with Silicon One aren't just faster - they're designed for the deterministic performance patterns that AI requires. Engineers who understand both traditional networking and these new AI-centric design patterns will be invaluable."The complexity of managing these high-performance environments is driving professionals toward training in Network Programmability and Automation, and even more specialized courses in Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI). These types of training help professionals to master automation frameworks and software-defined networking technologies that can dynamically adapt to AI workload demands.4. Management Complexity Reaches a Breaking PointMany IT professionals at the conference expressed frustration with managing dozens of separate dashboards and tools. A recurring theme was simplification, and attendees were hungry for unified platforms that could provide a single view across their entire infrastructure. This demand led Cisco to unveil its Cisco Cloud Control to “drive all its networking, security, and observability tools" from one place. Conversations in the expo hall frequently centered on reducing operational overhead and streamlining workflows.To address these challenges, many network professionals are turning to practical courses in Network Programmability & Automation and Practical Python Cisco Network Automation to develop the scripting skills and automation tools needed to integrate multiple management platforms and reduce operational overhead through Infrastructure as Code (IaC) approaches.5. Skills Gap Anxiety Drives Certification UrgencyPerhaps the most urgent theme was the growing concern about workforce readiness. Conference attendees openly discussed their struggles to find talent with AI infrastructure skills. The emerging message was clear: traditional networking knowledge alone is no longer sufficient in the AI era, with organizations seeking expert-level professionals who can design and implement complex enterprise solutions.This skills shortage is driving increased interest in comprehensive certification programs that keep pace with vendor roadmap updates, particularly expert-level training including CCIE certification preparation across multiple tracks (Enterprise Infrastructure, Security, Data Center, Collaboration, and Service Provider). About INE INE is the premier provider of online networking and cybersecurity training, cybersecurity certifications, and Cisco training and certification prep. Harnessing a powerful hands-on lab platform, cutting-edge technology, a global video distribution network, and world-class instructors, INE is the top training choice for Fortune 500 companies worldwide for networking training in business and for IT professionals looking to advance their careers. INE’s suite of learning paths and preparation for professional IT security certifications offers an incomparable depth of expertise across networking, cybersecurity, and cloud, and is committed to delivering advanced technical training while also lowering the barriers worldwide for those looking to enter and excel in an IT career.
INE Security Alert: Top 5 Takeaways from RSAC 2025
Comprehensive Training Platform Delivers Solutions for AI Security, Cloud Management, and Incident Response ReadinessFresh from a high-impact presence at RSAC 2025, where INE Security welcomed thousands of visitors to its interactive booth at San Francisco’s Moscone Center, the global cybersecurity training and certification provider is addressing some of the top cybersecurity priorities emerging from the industry-leading event. As an exhibitor that engaged with both frontline practitioners and top-level decision makers, INE Security gained firsthand insights into organizations' most pressing security challenges: the convergence of AI-driven threats, multi-cloud vulnerabilities, and increasingly sophisticated attack vectors. Four days of packed session tracks and face-to-face discussions with industry leaders pointed to a clear reality: a large majority of ransomware victims lack effective response plans, and even more security professionals have doubts about their organization’s readiness for zero-day attacks. INE Security is addressing how a comprehensive training platform directly addresses the five most critical security imperatives that dominated this year's conference conversations.Top 5 Cybersecurity Imperatives from RSAC 20251. AI Risk Management Becomes Business-CriticalAI security solutions dominated RSAC this year, signaling that as organizations adopt advanced response technologies, comprehensive training must keep pace. 72% of leaders report an increase in organizational cyber risks, with ransomware remaining a top concern, according to the World Economic Forum. Organizations deploying AI tools and Large Language Models discover their systems vulnerable to sophisticated exploits that can manipulate AI behaviors, leading to data breaches and system compromises. This shift demands immediate security expertise to protect AI implementations.2. LLM Vulnerabilities Expose Enterprise DataLarge Language Models (LLMs) emerged as a flashpoint at RSAC, sparking debates on the risks and merits. Despite the variety of strong opinions, what is clear is that LLMs are here to stay. They represent a new frontier for cyber threats, with critical vulnerabilities emerging from AI training data, model manipulation, and prompt injection attacks. The cybersecurity community at RSAC 2025 identified this as one of the year's most pressing concerns, with a large majority highlighting the advance of adversarial capabilities (such as phishing, malware development, and deep fakes) as their greatest concern regarding generative AI impact on cybersecurity. Organizations must understand and defend against these AI-specific attack vectors to protect their digital assets, creating new specialized job titles such as AI Security Analyst.3. Multi-Cloud Environment Security Becomes Complex Across domains, cloud remains top of mind for industry executives. As businesses adopt multiple cloud platforms, security analysts face new challenges in maintaining consistent security postures across diverse environments. Research presented at RSAC 2025's cloud security sessions by the Cloud Security Alliance found that although misconfigurations appear in a majority of real-world breaches, over 50% of organizations rate them as a low-to-moderate risk. This gap highlights a growing disconnect between perceived and actual risk in cloud deployments. Researchers emphasized that IAM hygiene is essential, as are regular audits of the security systems in place. 4. Zero Trust Architecture Needs Proper Implementation While zero trust principles are widely recognized as essential, implementing them effectively across modern IT environments proves challenging. The RSAC 2025 conference theme "Many Voices. One Community" emphasized the need for unified approaches to security, including zero trust implementation. According to Zscaler's ThreatLabz 2025 VPN Risk Report discussed at the conference, 81% of organizations plan to implement zero trust strategies within the next 12 months. Organizations struggle with identity management, access controls, and continuous verification across cloud services, remote workers, and interconnected systems, making it critical for companies to develop talent via cybersecurity certification programs.5. Crisis Response Requires Comprehensive Preparedness When cyber attacks succeed, organizations must maintain critical operations while containing threats. RSAC 2025 sessions on rapid incident response highlighted critical gaps in preparedness, while the Microsoft Digital Defense Report found 76% of organizations which suffered ransomware attacks in 2024 lacked an effective response plan. The role of cybersecurity analyst has evolved to include crisis response capabilities, making effective training in incident management a critical skill. Real world scenario training, such as INE Security’s Skill Dive lab platform, helps build important muscle memory that becomes crucial during a crisis. Addressing the Challenges"After engaging with hundreds of cybersecurity leaders at our booth and participating in thought-provoking discussions throughout RSAC 2025, these five priorities clearly represent fundamental shifts in how organizations must approach cybersecurity," said Dara Warn, CEO of INE Security. "The conversations we had with practitioners and executives alike confirmed that traditional security approaches cannot adequately address AI vulnerabilities, multi-cloud complexities, or the sophisticated response requirements of modern cyber attacks."INE Security provides practical solutions for each critical area:AI Security Fundamentals: Training on securing AI systems, understanding LLM vulnerabilities, and implementing AI-specific security controlsAdvanced Cloud Security: Hands-on experience managing multiple-cloud environments, implementing proper configurations, and maintaining security across distributed platformsZero Trust Implementation: Practical guidance on designing and deploying zero trust architecture with proper access controls and verification systemsCrisis Management Training: Realistic incident response scenarios that prepare teams to maintain operations while containing security breachesContinuous Skill Development: Access to 700+ courses and 50+ learning paths, and preparation for credentials from CompTIA Security+ to advanced professional certificates that help secure environments from modern threats"The energy and insights we gathered at RSAC 2025 reinforced our conviction that the complexity of modern cybersecurity demands organizations invest in comprehensive cybersecurity training," added Warn. "Our comprehensive training and cybersecurity certification platform ensures teams develop the expertise needed to address these challenges effectively."About INE SecurityINE Security is the premier provider of online networking and cybersecurity training and certification. Harnessing a powerful hands-on lab platform, cutting-edge technology, a global video distribution network, and world-class instructors, INE Security is the top training choice for Fortune 500 companies worldwide for cybersecurity training in business and for IT professionals looking to advance their careers. INE Security’s suite of learning paths offers an incomparable depth of expertise across cybersecurity. The company is committed to delivering advanced technical training while also lowering the barriers worldwide for those looking to enter and excel in an IT career.
