Cisco Webinar: How Georgia‑Pacific Expanded Network to the IoT Edge with Intent‑Based Networking

IoT promises transformative business benefits, yet it also brings heightened complexity, scalability demands, and security risks. How can an enterprise guarantee reliable connectivity at outdoor sites that experience extreme temperature swings? How can it oversee thousands of networking devices across a sprawling manufacturing footprint and multiple remote locations? And how can it safeguard a connected ecosystem as the number of endpoints grows rapidly?

The solution lies in secure, scalable, and dependable connectivity across the entire stack, delivered by the industry’s first integrated network architecture that extends intent‑based networking (IBN) to the IoT edge. In our latest IoT webinar, we demonstrated how IBN streamlines network operations, providing unparalleled visibility and control from indoor carpeted areas to rugged outdoor environments.

The webinar featured Georgia‑Pacific, one of the world’s largest paper‑product manufacturers. Tyler George, IT/OT Architect at Georgia‑Pacific, discussed the company’s core challenges and how Cisco’s IoT portfolio is accelerating operational efficiency and unlocking value faster.

With more than 135 manufacturing sites worldwide, Georgia‑Pacific historically struggled with the cost and complexity of managing its enterprise network. They required a unified solution that could satisfy diverse factory requirements while remaining manageable for both IT and operations teams.

Additionally, the company needed to extend connectivity to outdoor locations subjected to harsh conditions—high temperatures, humidity, and other environmental stresses. Previously, links to these sites were unreliable and unmanaged, offering no performance visibility. They demanded a robust, compact network solution capable of replacing aging equipment in confined spaces.

Georgia‑Pacific deployed enterprise‑wide security and connectivity for IP video cameras, employee badge readers, and other IoT devices that require extra PoE ports. Cisco IoT’s modular approach lets them blend wired connectivity with PoE+ wireless, optimizing network load and cost across a variety of use cases.

Watch the webinar replay to hear firsthand how Georgia‑Pacific is benefiting from field trials of Cisco’s next‑generation networking platforms, the Catalyst IE3x00 industrial switches.

Join the replay to hear from Georgia‑Pacific and Cisco IoT experts Sanat Kamal Bahl, Director of Product Marketing, and Albert Mitchell, Senior Technical Marketing Engineer. Discover how to unify security and network management across office and outdoor spaces with Cisco’s new rugged IoT platforms.