Tech Mahindra, Cisco collaborate to improve digital network offering

Mumbai-based IT services company Tech Mahindra (TechM) has leveraged its long-standing partnership with global networking company Cisco to deploy Cisco Digital Network Architecture (DNA) at its Hyderabad campus. With this, TechM’s Hyderabad campus has become one of the largest software-defined campus networks with over 14,000 live users in India.

This deployment will help drive outcomes around automation, analytics and security in Tech Mahindra’s offshore development centre (ODC) which serves 106 customers globally.

“We work with enterprises and do realise that networks play a very important role, but unfortunately those networks have become legacy. The requirements of the networks today are to be much more intuitive, more data driven and enable a merger between business and technology,” said CP Gurnani, MD and CEO, Tech Mahindra. 

He added that the company’s partnership with Cisco cuts across product categories with co-innovation being the key theme.

Tech Mahindra and Cisco have also opened a Centre of Excellence in Bangalore to focus on Manufacturing 4.0, especially as the convergence of IT and OT (operational technology) accelerates.

Tech Mahindra and Cisco have a 360-degree engagement for close to two decades and have collaborated on go-to-market strategies in areas that include smart cities, manufacturing, retail, banking, and other areas. “The partnership will now focus on development of legacy networks as a joint go-to market strategy, 5G for enterprises and an increasing footprint in cyber-security,” said Gurnani.

Almost half of Tech Mahindra’s reported $408-million new deal total contract value in the March quarter came in through its communication vertical while the segment itself accounted for almost 40 per cent of the revenue share. The management expects this vertical to grow the fastest in FY20 and is accordingly increasing their footprint and partnerships in telecom and networking-related projects across the globe.

According to analysts’ forecast, Tech Mahindra’s telecom revenue will grow by 8-10 per cent in FY20-21. This is also driving the company’s digital revenue share, which grew from 27 per cent in Q4 FY18 to 34.1 per cent.