Cisco today unveiled two extensions to its Digital Network Architecture (DNA) focused on virtualization and security.

The first is a new hardware platform and virtual network functions (VNFs) to boost its Enterprise NFV platform at branch offices. The hardware is its Enterprise Network Compute System (ENCS 5400 Series). ENCS 5400, in combination with VNFs, allows customers to virtualize services, including routing, security, and WAN optimization at their branch offices. These services can then be managed remotely.

In addition, Cisco is helping enterprises connect their network perimeter to both private and public clouds via its new Cisco Secure Agile Exchange. Via the exchange, enterprises can extend their branch functions to colocation centers, helping to scale their own private data centers. And by having branch offices virtualized, it also makes it easier to connect them with public clouds.

Although Cisco offers SD-WAN, Kiran Ghodgaonkar, Cisco senior marking manager, says customers not only want connectivity options for their branch offices, but they want additional services on top. “We’re looking at virtualization across all points of the network,” says Ghodgaonkar. “The value of DNA is its ability to deploy network services across any of the platforms.”

Cisco also added new security features to its DNA platform.

Its Identity Services Engine (ISE) 2.2 offers deeper visibility to detect anomalies as well as visibility into applications on endpoints. It also offers the ability to define policy to escalate responses to prolific threats.

Also for security, Cisco is providing software-defined segmentation via TrustSec 6.1 across the entire network via new capabilities on routers and wireless access points. The segmentation helps isolate attacks. According to Cisco, this dynamic segmentation makes security policy changes 98 percent faster than traditional methods, with an 80 percent reduction in operational efforts. TrustSec integrates with Cisco ACI to extend the security segmentation to the data center.

Finally, Cisco also announced new DNA Advisory Services to help customers map their own unique digital-network journeys.