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4 minute read
Summary
On this episode of Decision Point, the Collab Collective's Craig Durr talks with Espen Loberg, VP of Product Management at Cisco, about how Cisco’s Room Bar BYOD is shaping scalable, intelligent video deployments in hybrid work environments. They explore the challenges of expanding video conferencing across varied meeting spaces and how a sustainable, AI-powered device meets enterprise demands.
Their discussion covers:
- BYOD's Enterprise Relevance: Why bring-your-own-device strategies are more relevant than ever in modern meeting spaces
- Intelligent Hardware Design: How Cisco’s Room Bar BYOD balances cost, sustainability, and smart features
- Unified Device Management: The value of insights and control through Cisco’s Control Hub
- Ecosystem Integration: How Room Bar BYOD fits into a broader Webex strategy, including Workspace Designer
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Transcript
Craig Durr: Hello everyone. This is Craig Durr, Chief Analyst and founder of the Collab Collective, and I want to welcome you to Decision Point. This is technology insights for IT leaders. This series is dedicated to exploring solutions and technologies that are shaping the modern workplace. We avoid death by PowerPoint—this is an opportunity to ask questions directly to the people behind the products you’re considering for your workplace deployments. I’m excited to have Espen Loberg, VP of Product Management from Cisco, and today we’re talking about the Room Bar BYOD.
Espen, how are you doing?
Espen Loberg: I'm doing great, Craig. Great to catch up again, and I can't wait to tell you more about the Room Bar BYOD.
Craig Durr: This is an international call—it’s evening for you in Oslo, so I appreciate your time. I’ve still got my cup of coffee, so bear with me.
Espen Loberg: Always a pleasure, Craig.
Craig Durr: Not only are you VP of Product Management, but also site lead for the Oslo Customer Experience and Development Center, right? Give us some background on that.
Espen Loberg: We’re about 500 people in Oslo, the global HQ for Cisco’s collaboration devices development. We’ve been building state-of-the-art video conferencing devices for over 30 years. We’re seeing tremendous market momentum and delivering at a high pace.
Craig Durr: We’ve had a coffee before at what I called the Collaboration Café, but today I’ve got hard-hitting questions. The Room Bar BYOD isn’t just a device—it fits into a broader Webex portfolio, includes management via Control Hub, and ties into the Workspace Designer. Ready to jump in?
Espen Loberg: Yeah, looking forward to it.
Craig Durr: Let’s start with the basics. Does BYOD still matter?
Espen Loberg: Absolutely. We just announced this device and have been shipping it for about a quarter. BYOD remains highly relevant. All customers live in multi-meeting environments, and BYOD is the common denominator everyone knows how to use. Room Bar BYOD is our first dedicated BYOD device in a while, but it carries platform capabilities from across our portfolio. It’s not a destination—it’s part of a broader ecosystem.
Craig Durr: It enables smaller rooms, helps companies experiment with video, and allows upgrades later. It fills workplace gaps. Am I right?
Espen Loberg: Exactly. With hybrid work, most meetings include remote participants. Companies struggle to scale video to smaller spaces. Room Bar BYOD helps expand quickly, affordably, and evolves over time based on need.
Craig Durr: This was announced at ISE and the Webex EMEA event. Been shipping since February?
Espen Loberg: Yes, shipping since February.
Craig Durr: Tell us about the device.
Espen Loberg: Here’s the dark version—we also have a light one. It’s likely the most sustainable Room Bar, made from high levels of post-consumer recycled plastics. It uses an Nvidia processor, giving it AI capabilities. It supports video, audio, Miracast sharing, stereo speakers, noise-canceling microphones, and works via a single USB-C connection.
Craig Durr: So it's not a dumb USB device. It runs RoomOS and is AI-enabled for audio and video?
Espen Loberg: Correct. It benefits from platform-wide updates. When we improve algorithms, this device gets the upgrades. It's cloud-connected, with monthly software updates—very future-proof.
Craig Durr: And it’s manageable via Control Hub?
Espen Loberg: Absolutely. We serve end users and service owners. Control Hub makes devices easy to manage and provides rich metrics—helping admins understand space usage and next steps.
Craig Durr: USB-C plug and play?
Espen Loberg: Yes. I’m using it now—plugged into my Mac, recognized immediately. It handles camera, microphone, and speakers. No configuration needed.
Craig Durr: And there's an upgrade path from BYOD to native?
Espen Loberg: Yes. Purchase and connect the Room Navigator control panel, and the software reconfigures the Room Bar into a fully native Cisco video conferencing endpoint.
Craig Durr: That’s powerful. Control Hub supports decision-making for upgrades?
Espen Loberg: Exactly. All devices show up in the same panel. You get proactive alerts—like display issues—and insights into room usage. You can deploy globally, track utilization, and upgrade high-use rooms.
Craig Durr: Does it support AI-driven diagnostics?
Espen Loberg: Yes. We recently launched Room Diagnostics for acoustic assessments. Admins can remotely test and make improvements. You can also add external mics—like our pro mics—to boost experience.
Craig Durr: Consistent experience through AI-driven insights—even in BYOD rooms. That’s strong.
Espen Loberg: Exactly. And it’s always evolving. More capabilities will come.
Craig Durr: Zooming out—how does Room Bar BYOD fit in the broader Cisco video devices portfolio?
Espen Loberg: We support any meeting platform—USB-C, native interop, and Microsoft Teams Rooms certification. The portfolio spans from huddle spaces to boardrooms. BYOD is the entry point.
Craig Durr: You also offer a cloud video interop service?
Espen Loberg: Yes, and we’ve got strong partnerships across platforms, including Zoom and Google.
Craig Durr: Let’s talk Workspace Designer. What is it?
Espen Loberg: Workspace Designer is a visualization tool. It helps decision-makers and partners design the right rooms. It prevents design mistakes and includes warnings and configuration tips. You can see layouts, coverage, microphone needs, and UI previews in different platform modes.
Craig Durr: And it’s free?
Espen Loberg: Yes, and shareable. Anyone can start building and collaborating.
Craig Durr: I love it. Wrap us up with your key takeaways.
Espen Loberg: It’s cost-efficient, intelligent, and scalable. It provides high-quality audio/video, management insights, and a clear upgrade path. It improves the end-user and admin experience alike.
Craig Durr: And where can people see the device?
Espen Loberg: Cisco Live US and InfoComm in June. Also available now online or via your Cisco reseller.
Craig Durr: Espen, thanks for joining us. This has been Decision Point. Stay tuned for more.
Espen Loberg: Thank you, Craig. Always a pleasure.
Craig Durr: Take care, everyone.
