Cisco Revolutionizes Application Instrumentation through Smart Agent for Cisco AppDynamics

Cisco has introduced the Smart Agent for Cisco AppDynamics, revolutionizing application instrumentation. This technology facilitates the management of agent lifecycles, streamlining the process of application instrumentation for comprehensive observability across the entire stack. The Smart Agent employs intelligent automation and management, enabling swift identification and upgrading of outdated agents. This is achieved through a user-friendly centralized agent management interface, allowing customers to efficiently onboard new applications.

As applications evolve to become more distributed and scalable, the increasing number of agents poses a challenge for technologists. Large enterprises, in particular, grapple with the management of hundreds of thousands of agents, leading to delays in upgrading to the latest versions. The Smart Agent addresses this complexity by simplifying the installation and upgrade processes, offering a UI-driven approach for easy agent management. This automation not only saves time but also enhances the efficiency of operations teams, enabling them to focus on optimizing application performance.

The Smart Agent’s push-button upgrade feature ensures that customers can access new capabilities promptly, maintaining compliance and minimizing security risks associated with outdated agents. Moreover, the technology provides valuable insights into application performance and business outcomes with its streamlined process discovery and automated deployment. By automating application instrumentation, the Smart Agent allows for quick data collection and visualization of application topography, reducing the time required from days to minutes. Ronak Desai, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Cisco AppDynamics, emphasized the company’s commitment to leveraging automation and intelligence to alleviate the challenges posed by complex technology environments. The Smart Agent aims to empower IT teams, enabling them to shift their focus from agent management to innovation. Brad Johns, Manager of Solutions Architecture at Sabre, expressed eagerness about utilizing Smart Agent for Cisco AppDynamics, anticipating a simplified process that enhances responsiveness and facilitates the adoption of new agent-based features.