Explore Cisco's latest data center networking innovations in this comprehensive 32-minute conference presentation covering the new N9300 Smart Switch and HyperShield security platform. Discover how Cisco's Nexus Smart Switches revolutionize data center architecture with their 24-port 100-gig and 48-port 25-gig configurations, both featuring 800 Gbps of integrated services throughput powered by Data Processing Units (DPUs). Learn how these switches consolidate traditional networking and security devices into a single unit, with Silicon One NPU handling network processing tasks like routing, switching, VXLAN, and multicast, while DPUs provide dedicated firewall services through HyperShield security. Understand the architectural benefits of complete management isolation, where NetOps teams control the network processor and SecOps teams directly manage HyperShield software through separate dashboards for enhanced security and operational clarity. Examine key data center use cases including cloud edge deployment, zone-based segmentation, and data center interconnect, with particular focus on top-of-rack implementations. See how a single Smart Switch can replace multiple traditional switches and firewalls, streamlining infrastructure and reducing complexity through detailed before-and-after consolidation scenarios. Master the provisioning process involving DPU activation and connectivity establishment to the HyperShield public cloud controller. Learn how traffic can be selectively redirected to DPUs for firewalling based on VRF or VLAN policies, ensuring only necessary traffic undergoes deep packet inspection. Explore high availability features with state synchronization between Smart Switches for Layer 2 and Layer 3 protocols, plus integration with Cisco Live Protect for rapid vulnerability remediation via EBPF policies. Dive deep into HyperShield's distributed advanced firewall approach, which places enforcement points directly inside the kernel via EBPF technology and throughout the network via Smart Switches. Understand the intent-driven policy model that allows security policies to be written once and enforced across both kernel-level agents and network guardrails. Examine key HyperShield use cases including zone segmentation, autonomous application segmentation, and distributed exploit protection. Discover how HyperShield moves beyond traditional IDS/IPS signature matching by fingerprinting known good behaviors and detecting multi-step anomalies through dynamic, graph-based anomaly detection. Learn about the innovative "Digital Twin" capability that enables safe testing of firmware and policy updates with confidence scoring before deployment. Understand how this consolidated, high-throughput Layer 4 security solution complements existing perimeter firewalls while integrating with third-party firewall policies for comprehensive security management.