Andover, Massachusetts-based managed services provider Navisite has deployed Cisco’s Application-Centric Infrastructure (ACI) as a core data center technology platform to increase its network performance, visibility, security, and provisioning timeframe.

Cisco’s ACI is its software-defined networking (SDN) fabric that takes an application-centric view to understand how applications are functioning within a network. From the service provider’s perspective, ACI helps it virtualize these capabilities and allows Navisite to define and manage policies as well as orchestrate and provision its customers’ services more easily.

With ACI, Navisite will also be able to offer new services tailored to its clients such as inserting a specific firewall or load balancer within Navisite’s private cloud. Navisite customers will also be able to view and manage the capacity and performance within their environment.

“We can manage their [customers’] network from the data center in a comprehensive view to see exactly what’s happening in their network,” said Sumeet Sabharwal, group vice president and general manager at Navisite. “[ACI] allows for much more control and a stronger layer of security in the network where we can identify which applications are talking to other applications.”

With ACI, Navisite has seen reduced latency, an increase in throughput, and the ability to provision customer networks with a single click, Sabharwal explained. ACI also has built-in security at its core instead of relying on big firewalls.

Navisite works with enterprises to run their IT infrastructures and applications on efficient data centers, Sabharwal said. Navisite offers its customers cloud infrastructure and cloud-based services from companies like VMware, Oracle, Microsoft Azure, and now Cisco.

“Our value is having the ability to bring all of those together in a seamless offer with orchestrated security through a single pane of glass,” said Sabharwal.

Navisite is building on an existing partnership with Cisco. It already uses Cisco’s core networking stack across its entire network and is also looking into complimenting ACI with Cisco’s analytics product Tetration, Sabharwal said.

Founded in 1997, Navisite works with enterprises in software, hospitality, finance, and insurance and has more than 850 employees globally.