Cisco Gets a Second Life

Cisco Systems(CSCO Quote) has joined Dell(DELL Quote) and Sun Microsystems(SUNW Quote) among the ranks of tech giants venturing into the virtual world of Second Life.

Cisco quietly opened two adjoining private islands in the virtual realm this week amid continued server problems in Second Life, the 3-D online world created by San Francisco-based Linden Lab. The tech company decided that it would rather cater to the Second Life community first before generating press about its involvement in the so-called metaverse.

"We purposely didn't do a press release. We did this specifically with users of Second Life," says Christian Renaud, senior manager of business development. "This is a virtual extension of what Cisco is already accomplishing."

Unveiled officially on Tuesday, the two Cisco Systems islands were designed with the Second Life community foremost in mind.

The first, named Cisco Systems, is the more attractive and better designed of the two, featuring an amphitheater for mass tutorials, and Cisco Field, a small virtual replication of the future real-world home for the Oakland Athletics.

"That particular island is specifically based around product information, product launches and streaming video," says Renaud, before jokingly adding, "That's our marketing island."

Renaud maintains that the Cisco Systems island was created out of the necessity of education. "This island is very customer-information orientated. You can click and get data sheets on products. You can see 3-D models of Cisco's routers. It's a very immersive experience."

The launch of Cisco's presence in Second Life coincides with the introduction of the company's Integrated Services Router (ISR) Empowered Branch. Cisco recognizes the benefit of 3-D models in that consumers can immediately be shown different routers and can be educated about which will work best for their needs.

"This is how we touch our customers and how we extend the reach to the broader community," Renaud points out. "This is an example of many opportunities to enhance collaboration and communication."

Cisco's second island, named Cisco Island, is a community-based foray, meant to take advantage of the socialization benefits of Second Life. By that, the company means that it will conduct classes and executive meetings and provide personal technical support.

Cisco Island The router maker's virtual community builder

"This island is based more on support and customer-facing functions," says Renaud. "There will be executive briefings that customers can sit in on. Plus, we'll be able to work on things hands-on. It's like sitting at a conference table."

Cisco Island also features the virtual extension of the Cisco Networking Academy. In the real world, the network features more than 10,000 academies in over 150 countries, with a curriculum taught in nine different languages. While in its 10th year in the real world, the island represents its first step into the virtual realm.

"This is a very successful program meant to train students with the skills to be in networking," Renaud explains. "There is instructor training from around the world that helps teach students at our academies. However, instead of flying to Arizona or across the globe to teach a class, it can be done in one of our two private classrooms in Second Life."