Caspar Herzberg - Smart Cities, Digital Nations: Building Smart Cities in Emerging Countries and Beyond

Copyright 2017 by Caspar Herzberg

Foreword copyright 2017 by John Chambers

Book and jacket design: Iain R. Morris

Managing editor: Jan Hughes

Copy editor: Michelle Dotter

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author.

ISBN: 978-1-944903-15-2

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The author thanks Matthew J. Perry for his help and advice on converting many years of contracts, negotiations, and travel into a narrative form.

F OR THE HUMAN RACE TO SUCCEED, our cities must succeed. The urbanization of our planet is well documented, as people are increasingly drawn from rural areas to cities seeking better opportunities and quality of life. By 2050, about two-thirds of the worlds population will live in or near urban centers.1 If we dont get our cities right, were in big trouble.

But theres good news. Urban centers are incredible test beds for the Internet of Everything, the increasing connections between all of us, and digitization. Some of our most promising innovation is being fueled by cities working to create a better future for their citizens.

Were early in the journey, but there is a lot of progress being made. With the Internet of Everything, I believe the cities of the world have all the tools they need to become self-sustaining, more efficient, healthier, and safer for all their citizens. This takes foresight, courage, and the right partners to capture these opportunities and truly transform. As beacons for young and aspiring talent, cities must function effectively to help the best ideas and practices rise to the top and define each nations place in the global economy.

Digitization is essential for cities to reap the benefits of the Internet of Everything, which requires hardware, data storage, complex and interlocked networks and platforms. If you live in a city, you may already be well aware of how cameras, sensors, and data networks have changed the way you live, work, and travel. Smart appliances, thermostats, or security systems may have already made your home more responsive to your preferences and needs. This is just the beginning.

Sensors can alert systems managers when there is a service disruption, a leak in a water main, or when traffic problems occur. Networked devices embedded in the electric grid, gas lines, streetlights, security cameras, and more now capture and share information that can be analyzed and used to create a greater citywide intelligence and memory.

Imagine a world where citizens dont have to drive laps around a city to find a parking space and instead can monitor the available spots in their neighborhood with a mobile app. Or streetlights that only come on when a person is in the vicinity, saving electricity and costs while also keeping our cities safe. What if there were ways in which citizens could connect with communities around the world via video telepresence equipment, and students could be tutored on Spanish from a teacher based in Spain.

This is not the future. This is today. Young cities that have implemented digital capabilities in their master plans serve as the laboratories from which we can glean the challenges and possibilities presented by our technological advances. Cities with centuries of infrastructure are discovering ways to reinvent entire districts through digital transformation.

Networked digital solutions are helping cities conserve resources, generate new sources of municipal revenue, ease traffic, and enable citizens to work from anywhere they choose. Any of these improvements have a measurable impact on quality of life. But digital transformation is a tide that lifts many boats. It provides the capacity to take efficiency, speed, and safety to new levels.

And yet, the future of digital cities is still an open question. India, for example, is anticipating the construction of 100 new cities in the next few decades. Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and other developing nations with young populations are in need of new, vibrant economic centers where the next generation can receive training and find job opportunities. Meanwhile, the established nations around the world must reinvigorate their legacy cities so they are not left behind in a digital global economy.

How can cities and nations afford these improvements? Which should be implemented first? How will these networks and sensors deliver revenue, as well as speed and convenience?

These are just some of the questions answered in Smart Cities, Digital Nations. This is a comprehensive view of how urban centers are changing and must change, written by someone who has been involved from the beginning in Ciscos efforts to positively transform the worlds cities. It recounts several important engagements with municipalities around the world over the past fifteen years as we worked to reinvent our definition of what a city is and can be. So read on, and learn howthrough the power of the network and digital transformationthe cities of the future will be centers of health and prosperity for many generations to come.

John Chambers served as CEO of Cisco from January 1995 to July 2015, and remains with the company as executive chairman of the board.

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1 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2014). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2014 Revision, Highlights (ST/ESA/SER.A/352): https://esa.un.org/unpd/wup/Publications/Files/WUP2014-Highlights.pdf. Estimates vary, even among reputable sources, but as of this writing, it is accepted that more than half the people in the world live in urban areas.

E VERYONE HAS AN IDEA OF WHAT A CITY IS. For some of us, its a place of constant activity, concentrated work energy, and tremendous innovation. Others see a playground filled with tempting and expensive opportunities for consumption and exploration. Detractors hear the noise, resent the crowds, and complain about congestion, unsanitary conditions, and overcrowded residential areas. Urban planners see great potential for both progress and problems. Corporations analyze the opportunities for growth and a favorable business climate. Most everyone senses the future already exists, in some budding form, within cities, but whether one sees a paradise, a dystopia, or something in between depends greatly on economic status, geographical location, and personal experience.