Cisco Systems Inc. has completed the design for a smart IT network at Knowledge Economic City (KEC). It was handed over at a meeting held recently attended by Eng. Tahir Bawazir, CEO of KEC and Thierry Martens, vice president, Cisco Advanced Services, among others. Cisco claims that the IT network design for KEC is one of the most advanced in the world and a similar approach can be customized and applied to the other “smart cities” currently being developed in the region. Bawazir said “the project will attract global information and communications technology (ICT) firms who wish to establish operations and research-and-development facilities in the Kingdom. It would also create over 20,000 jobs within the city.” Martens said “Cisco`s innovative Connected Real Estate (CRE) services-led approach enables customers to enhance the value of real estate, create new revenue opportunities and drive cost savings in addition to offering a world class lifestyle to the end users. Cisco perceives KEC as a showcase for a world-class smart city in the region which transforms the way real estate is built, managed and experienced. Together with KEC, Cisco Advisory Services has laid the foundation to build the next- generation smart services that help realize KEC's smart city vision.” Caspar Herzberg, director of Cisco Advisory Services, added “some of the strategically-selected smart city services included virtual presence, smart information exchange within the KEC, as well as create an integrated business driven security & facilities operations center. Cisco as an ICT leader in the world, has introduced the network as the fourth utility and a basic requirement in developing smart city infrastructure.”
