The system is designed to lower latency in AI applications by pairing Nvidia’s accelerated computing and software with Cisco’s high-performance Ethernet networking
In sum – what to know:
Cisco expands Secure AI Factory with Nvidia – New infrastructure adds VAST Data integration to speed up retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines and support agentic AI at enterprise scale.
Lower latency for AI workloads – AI PODs reduce RAG pipeline response times from minutes to seconds, helping agents access data faster and deliver more relevant, real-time business insights.
Focus on security and governance – The system includes role-based access, audit readiness, and observability through Splunk, aiming to safeguard enterprise data while enabling AI adoption.
U.S. networking company Cisco has announced an expansion of its Secure AI Factory with Nvidia, introducing new infrastructure capabilities designed to support enterprise adoption of agentic AI.
In a release, Cisco noted that the new features focus on accelerating retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines, enabling faster and more secure data access for AI agents at scale.
The company said its AI PODs — infrastructure modules that combine compute, storage, and networking — are now available with VAST Data’s InsightEngine. This integration is built on the Nvidia AI Data Platform reference design, allowing organizations to prepare raw data into usable AI datasets, the firm said.
Cisco noted that these PODs are powered by its UCS servers equipped with Nvidia RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPUs, among the first to adopt the Nvidia AI Data Platform reference architecture.
The firm explained that the system is designed to lower latency in AI applications by pairing Nvidia’s accelerated computing and software with Cisco’s high-performance Ethernet networking. The Secure AI Factory framework also integrates with Splunk for observability and Cisco AI Defense for security guardrails, it added.
Jeremy Foster, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco Compute, said: “Agentic AI has the potential to unlock the value of AI for enterprises around the world. Moving beyond chatbots to agents that can help solve true business challenges is revolutionary, but only if enterprises can effectively leverage the right data at the right times. Cisco, Nvidia and VAST are working together to give customers a simple path to unlocking the value of their data. We are designing the architecture for how the enterprise will build the next generation of AI factories.”
Justin Boitano, vice president of Enterprise AI at Nvidia, added: “The next wave of agentic AI will be fueled by enterprise data, enabling agents to tap into business knowledge during inference for precise, up-to-date insights. Bringing together Cisco Secure AI Factory with Nvidia and VAST InsightEngine creates an integrated platform for running powerful AI agents at scale.”
John Mao, vice president of strategic alliances at VAST Data, said: “By integrating the VAST Data InsightEngine into the Cisco Secure AI Factory with Nvidia, we’re giving enterprises the first integrated design for RAG acceleration at scale. This collaboration with Cisco and Nvidia represents a major milestone in the evolution of enterprise AI.”
According to Cisco, the new design addresses enterprise concerns around data access, governance, and performance. By reducing RAG pipeline latency from minutes to seconds, the system aims to provide near-real-time AI responses. It also supports multiple agents and workloads simultaneously, while incorporating role-based access controls and audit readiness to help organizations protect sensitive information as they expand AI use cases, the firm added.
In June, Cisco introduced a range of data center and networking innovations aimed at helping organizations scale their artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.
The company noted that the new capabilities were unveiled following a strong third quarter in which the networking firm exceeded its annual $1 billion AI infrastructure order target from hyperscalers.
