The DevNet Story: How a Startup-Minded Team Ignited a Network

The Cisco DevNet story began with one part innovative thinking, one part rallying-the-troops, two parts collaboration, and a whole lot of community enthusiasm. Built from-the-bootstraps by a gritty team of startup-minded Cisconians, DevNet’s origin is a story of creatively giving an existing product or solution new purpose. We’ve come a long way with you, our network, at the center of it all.

Let's dive into the DevNet journey together.

Before there was DevNet... Industry First reference to APIs documented APIs have been in existence for a long while. In fact, reference to APIs predate the internet, as Google’s n-gram tool lists usage of the phrase ‘application program interface’ as early as 1961. Fast-forward to the 2000s, and organizations like Amazon were leaning on API's ability to allow developers to integrate advertisements into their own applications and sites. Learning Lab Think like a developer with Coding and APIs basics Learn https://developer.cisco.com/learning/tracks/Coding-APIs-v0/ Cisco Cisco starts supporting engineers to build on Cisco platforms like VoIP Cisco began developer initiatives in 2000 with the Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Devices (AVVID). At this time, most developers were focused on creating customizations for the Cisco VoIP phone systems. Later, this effort folded into the Cisco Developer Network (CDN). While not as heavily focused on software development as it is today, the mission of supporting engineers to build on Cisco platforms with developer-focused practices was much the same as it is today. The precursor to Cisco DevNet was the Cisco Developer Network (CDN) which included a site that provided integration and API documentation to Cisco platforms that allowed for such an interaction. Matt Denapoli Head of Developer Strategy and Product Management, Cisco https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/matt.jpg Cisco REST APIs allow network engineers to automate tasks On the IT side, Network Engineers found their own use case for APIs around 2010. Specifically in the form of REST APIs, or REpresentational State Transfer. REST APIs allowed Network Engineers to build solutions on top of Cisco platforms, automating updates to networks and decreasing downtime. For the first time, Networking Engineers were able to push iterative updates out across the entire network rather than manually updating code for each server. Cisco was revolutionary in adding APIs in front of a product that didn’t have APIs before like Catalyst and Nexus switches. What came from this were things like Nexus Dashboard and DNA Center. Educating about the ability to automate existing products is where Cisco DevNet came in. Shannon McFarland Vice President of DevNet, Cisco https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/shannon.jpg 2013 Industry DevOps enters the story through The Phoenix Project The Phoenix Project, authored by Gene Kim, was released in January 2013, underlining the importance of the DevOps practice within IT and establishing developers as part of security and IT operations. Years later, Gene would join the DevNet team on stage to discuss the importance of DevOps. I think what was so revolutionary about DevOps is that it's a way for developers and operations — and for that matter, QA and InfoSec — to work together towards common goals, as opposed to our functional silos, and achieve things that could not have been achieved before. Gene Kim Author, The Phoenix Project and The Unicorn Project https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/Gene_Kim.jpg Video Watch Gene Kim talk DevOps with Cisco DevNet in 2023 Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwEPDwT1Hxk https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/Gene_Kim_CLUS23.webp Cisco Enter, DevNet: Launch of developer.cisco.com and the first Cisco DevNet Sandbox Cisco launched developer.cisco.com in December 2013 as an effort to begin to educate Network Engineers. This effort was a huge, positive change to CDN, as CDN had integration/API documentation only in PDF format. Developer.cisco.com migrated the viable portions of CDN that supported what was needed for Cisco DevNet while converting as much documentation as possible to html. As part of this effort, DevNet launched the first Sandbox. Historically, lab environments could cost a customer hundreds of thousands of dollars as well as months to years to build. The Sandbox offered access to Cisco lab environment infrastructure free of cost, which also dramatically reduced the time it took to launch. As a result, the Sandboxes established Cisco’s credibility and commitment to API development and integration with our platforms. Matt Denapoli Head of Developer Strategy and Product Management, Cisco https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/matt.jpg Sandbox Dive into DevNet Sandboxes to experiment in a lab environment Launch https://developer.cisco.com/site/sandbox/ 2014 Industry Shift Left enters the chat Between 2013 and 2015, the idea of Shift Left Testing, or bringing testing earlier in the development lifecycle, gained popularity. This idea laid the groundwork for Shift Left Security, a Cisco DevNet focus in 2022. Topic Hub Learn how Shift Left is now used as a security framework Visit https://developer.cisco.com/shift-left/ Cisco Cisco DevNet Learning Labs are launched The creation of Learning Labs and collaboration with Networking Academy expanded educational resources for developers to learn about APIs, coding, and Cisco technologies. Today, Cisco DevNet hosts dozens of learning labs across the Cisco portfolio. The goal of Learning Labs was to provide an on-demand experience for engineers who were looking to upskill and find a starting point to build solutions. Learning Labs gave them practical experience with the technologies in question. Mel Delgado DevNet Developer Advocate, Cisco https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/mel.jpeg Learning Lab Learn something new! Explore DevNet's Learning Labs Learn https://developer.cisco.com/learning/ Cisco The first Cisco DevNet Zone shines at Cisco Live The first Cisco DevNet Zone buzzed with activity at Cisco Live! Cisco CEO John Chambers showed up, the vibe was electric, and the mission was set: to make jobs, solutions, and organizations better by helping people build code and use APIs. The event exceeded expectations, and planning was immediately started for the following year. I remember the Uber ride on the way home from the first DevNet Zone. I was overwhelmed at the response and excitement around DevNet. Back then, we pitched the idea to Cisco Leadership as if we were a startup pitching to venture capitalists. We implemented a lean startup methodology and used the momentum from this first event to iterate and improve each year. Par Merat Vice President of Learning and Certifications, Cisco https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/par.jpeg https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/DevNet_Zone_2014.jpg Event Don't miss the next DevNet Zone at Cisco Live! Go https://developer.cisco.com/ciscolive 2015 Cisco The Cisco DevNet team doubles down on the Cisco DevNet Zone Troops were rallied to pull off the second Cisco DevNet Zone at Cisco Live, now with more sessions and demos. The Cisco DevNet Zone was kind of like ‘Field of Dreams,’ – our leader told us that if you build it, they will come. That’s exactly what happened. By the second year, we had grown exponentially, and our offerings grew to include demos and a theater. Words that come to mind of the first and second Cisco DevNet Zones are jam-packed, overflowing, and slammed. We built it, and they came. Christa Barker-Meyers DevNet Project Manager, Cisco https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/Christa.jpeg https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/CLUS_2015.jpg Cisco Cisco DevNet Express sets off around the world The year 2015 also saw the launch of the Cisco DevNet Express, an ‘in-the-box’ program that allowed Sales System Engineers to deliver Cisco DevNet’s programmability content and labs directly to customers. Cisco DevNet Express, or ‘Test Drive’ as it is now known, was a way for us to bring Cisco DevNet to our audiences’ neighborhoods. Rather than waiting for a Cisco Live event, we took the DevNet Zone on the road and capitalized on the ability to be in-person with our developer audience. That hands-on experience is so crucial for learning. It now creates a multiplier effect, connecting developers we teach with their peers and enabling them to knowledge-share. I know a number of people who have gotten jobs from the connections they made at Cisco DevNet Express. This community-building aspect is one of the reasons I’m so excited to see where Test Drive is going in the near future Shannon McFarland Vice President of DevNet, Cisco https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/shannon.jpg Learning Lab Prepare for a DevNet Express or Test Drive event Learn https://developer.cisco.com/learning/tracks/devfun-devnet-express/ 2016 Cisco Internal and external excitement builds around Cisco DevNet Zone In 2016, our current leader, Shannon McFarland, then principal engineer, was caught raving about the mission behind Cisco DevNet. Years later, his excitement around the impact DevNet brings to developers has only grown stronger. Seven years on, I am still excited about my sentiment in 2016. We’ve built a community, and now our charter is to once again go out and find people who are being asked to engage with things like AIOps, sustainability, collaboration and security. We’re looking to enable them to solve for everything from cost efficiency to security concerns to their carbon footprint. This 10-year anniversary comes at this crucial time of transition where these new variables are entering the equation, and Cisco DevNet is doubling down on education and hands-on tools that will help our community prepare. Shannon McFarland Vice President of DevNet, Cisco https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/shannon.jpg Video Watch as Shannon shares DevNet excitement! Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8wS0NxelAI 2017 Industry The Year of DevOps Right on cue, in the middle of Cisco DevNet’s rise, Forrester Research named 2017 the ‘year of DevOps.’ Cisco DevNet Create Sparks developer conversations in San Francisco Amidst the hype for DevOps in 2017, DevNet launches its standalone event, DevNet Create. The event was focused on DevOps, software development, and tech innovation, promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing. Event Learn more about the ideas generated at DevNet Create Go https://developer.cisco.com/devnetcreate/2021 Video Watch on-demand videos from DevNet Create 2021 Watch https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLenh213llmcYeM4vWCEmv8kZZVHJOPrqJ https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/DevNet_Create_2.JPG Cisco The Sandbox team wins the Pioneer Award The Cisco DevNet Sandbox team was awarded the ‘Product Solution’ category of the Cisco Pioneer Award, a prestigious recognition for engineering innovation. The team was recognized for enabling developers to learn about, build, and test applications on top of Cisco technology in a secure, easy-to-learn way. The DevNet team winning the 2017 Cisco Pioneer award for the DevNet sandboxes was a major achievement. This win showed both the ingenuity that is a core part of the team as well as Cisco's embrace of the developer community. The sandboxes continue to be a major draw to the DevNet portal to this day. Paul Zimmerman Manager of DevNet Developer Advocacy, Cisco https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/paul.jpeg Blog Read the write-up on DevNet's Pioneer Award achievement Read https://weare.cisco.com/c/r/weare/amazing-stories/amazing-things/making-innovation-easy.html https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/pioneer_award.jpg 2018 Industry The industry buzzes around the Internet of Things The Internet of Things, bring your own device, and remote work had been part of the conversation since the early 2000s, but buzz for these topics really picked up by 2018. These ideas set the stage of a new reality for DevSecOps teams – one where Zero Trust Framework was center. In 2018, NIST comes out with the standards for Zero Trust in 2018, updated in 2020. Topic Hub Protect your organization with Zero Trust Visit https://developer.cisco.com/site/zero-trust/ Site Understand NIST Zero Trust Standards Go https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/sp/800-207/final Cisco Cisco DevNet receives industry accolades Cisco DevNet wins ‘Best Overall Developer Portal’ Award. DevNet was recognized for its wide array of offerings including DevNet Express events and educational opportunities, large community, Code Exchange, and its engaging start page. Blog Learn more about DevNet's achievement Read https://blogs.cisco.com/developer/dev-portal-award https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/developer_portal.jpg Cisco Cisco DevNet reaches 500,000 members and launches Code Exchange With a half million members joined within five years of launch, DevNet gained critical mass quickly, creating something affectionately known as the 'DevNet Effect' among members. To augment DevNet's impact among networkers and application developers, DevNet released CodeExchange, which provides members access to share software and quickly build next-generation applications and workflow integrations. These days, sample code, adaptors, tools, and SDKs are available on GitHub and written by Cisco and the DevNet community. Code Exchange spans Cisco’s entire portfolio and is organized according to Cisco platform and product areas. Blog Read the 500K+ community announcement Read https://blogs.cisco.com/news/cisco-devnet-hits-500000-members-gaining-critical-mass-for-the-devnet-effect Sample Code Share, collaborate, and build code See repo https://developer.cisco.com/codeexchange/ https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/DevNet_2018.png 2019 Cisco Launch of Cisco DevNet Certification Program Cisco DevNet developed a certification track for programmability, validating developers' skills and expertise in Cisco technologies and APIs. The partnership between DevNet and Learning and Certifications has and will continue to be fundamental to the success of our joint learning community. When individuals join our community, they know they will get the support and mentorship they need to obtain certifications — through the DevNet and Learning and Certifications partnership — that will help them grow in their careers. Par Merat Vice President of Learning and Certifications, Cisco https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/par.jpeg Learning Lab Acquire a new certification on the DevNet Certification Track Learn https://developer.cisco.com/certification/ 2020 Cisco Snack Time for the DevNet Community The introduction of the Cisco DevNet Snack Minute provided Cisco DevNet with a new way of delivering bite-sized technical content that engaged and educated the community. Video Take a break and watch the DevNet Snack Minute videos Watch https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2k86RlAekM-Qdu_In2-8B1YT6c66MnY0 The Snack Minute videos emerged as a bite-sized solution to the hunger for knowledge within the DevNet community. Recognizing the community's need for easily digestible, yet rich content on relevant topics, these videos became a perfect 'snack' for the curious minds. The positive response we received only echoed our belief that learning can be fun, engaging, and more importantly, adaptable to everyone's schedule. Amanda Hammar Senior Social Marketing Manager, Cisco https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/amanda.png https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/Snack_Minute.png 2021 Cisco DevNet doubles down on inclusivity and accessibility DevNet social channels are a critical path to connect with the network. As part of an effort to connect with everyone, DevNet social channels added accessibility captions to content. This was not just about adhering to technical standards, but it was about making our content truly inclusive. The positive response we received was a testament to our belief - when content is made accessible, it resonates with a wider audience. Inclusion and accessibility are integral to building a diverse and dynamic community that truly represents the global audience we serve. Amanda Hammar Senior Social Marketing Manager, Cisco https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/amanda.png Cisco Learning Labs get a makeover The Cisco DevNet Learning Lab experience was updated and integrated into the browser. This gave Cisco DevNet users access to industry-wide Learning Lab topics, better preparing for adoption and awareness of new Cisco products. Throughout the past 10 years, we’ve added layers onto foundational topics. In 2021, we began consolidating the learning experience into the browser. This gives us an opportunity to focus the learning experience and expand the lessons we can teach. We’re looking towards higher levels in the stack with learning experiences with things like container services, Kubernetes, and application deployments. Mel Delgado DevNet Developer Advocate, Cisco https://pubhub.devnetcloud.com/media/devnet-10-years-timeline/site/images/mel.jpeg 2023 Industry Multi- and hybrid-cloud infrastructure add complexity More components, more endpoints, more complexity. Today’s systems are challenging to monitor and manage, and traditional monitoring solutions often reinforce a siloed approach to tracking application health and security. Developers needed a modern approach to make sense of this complexity and understand the entire IT system. Developers needed Observability. Cisco DevNet introduces a solution to multi-cloud complexity for developers Once again delivering on developer needs, Cisco released the Full-Stack Observability platform, and Cisco DevNet doubled-down on resources for Developers looking to learn about observability, including eBooks, sites, and infographics. Topic Hub Get started on your observability journey Visit https://developer.cisco.com/site/full-stack-observability/ Article Unravel endpoint complexity Read https://developer.cisco.com/site/full-stack-observability/unraveling-endpoint-complexity/ 2024 and Beyond Cisco Continuing the legacy of Learn, Code, Build As always, Cisco DevNet’s mission is to support adoption of new technologies to reduce complexity, improve security, and improve processes and solutions. However, we’re in a time of transition and transformation for Cisco DevNet. Ten years later, our industry has changed. Job titles have changed, and specific roles to perform tasks that didn’t even exist when we started Cisco DevNet. Students are coming out of university having studied our accomplishments and have ideas for how we can keep improving our systems. If there’s one thing for certain, getting it ‘right’ now will be ‘wrong’ in 10 years, but that’s the state of DevOps and IT — we’ll keep iterating and building on our systems, pushing the limit, and sharing our knowledge with you.

We can’t wait to see what the next 10 years hold. Cisco DevNet was built and runs on a network of technologists, a community, filled with people like you that keep us going. Please join us as we celebrate our 10-year anniversary as we combine equal parts nostalgia and innovation. Because, after all, it’s this network, your ideas, and breakthroughs that will drive Cisco DevNet into our second decade. Event Find out what is in store for 2024 and beyond Register https://developer.cisco.com/10-years-of-devnet/

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The DevNet Story: 10 Years of Enabling Users to Learn, Code, and Build