# Cisco

> Cisco Systems is the worldwide leader in networking hardware and enterprise IT infrastructure, best known for the routers and switches that move most of the world's internet traffic. Founded in 1984 by two Stanford staffers who wanted their departments' computers to talk to each other, Cisco grew into a $56 billion company selling networking gear, cybersecurity, collaboration software (WebEx), and observability tools (Splunk). Today it positions itself as the infrastructure backbone for the AI era, connecting and securing the data centers, campuses, and networks that power modern computing.

- **Founded:** 1984
- **Headquarters:** San Jose, California, United States
- **Founders:** Leonard Bosack (Co-founder), Sandy Lerner (Co-founder)
- **Team size:** ~86,200 employees (July 2025)
- **Products:** Networking (Catalyst switches, routers), Cisco Security (Duo, Secure Firewall, Hypershield), Splunk, Webex, Meraki
- **Notable:** Pioneered the multi-protocol router, a foundational technology of the modern internet, Briefly the world's most valuable company by market cap during the 2000 dot-com peak, Completed its ~$28 billion acquisition of Splunk in March 2024, its largest ever

## Products & services

- **Networking (Catalyst switches, routers)** — Enterprise and service-provider switches, routers, and wireless that form the backbone of campus, data center, and internet networks.
- **Cisco Security (Duo, Secure Firewall, Hypershield)** — Zero-trust access, firewalls, and AI-driven security for networks, applications, and cloud workloads.
- **Splunk** — Security information and event management (SIEM) and observability platform for analyzing machine data, acquired for ~$28B.
- **Webex** — Cloud collaboration suite for video meetings, calling, messaging, and contact center.
- **Meraki** — Cloud-managed IT - wireless, switching, security cameras, and IoT, run from a single dashboard.
- **ThousandEyes** — Internet and cloud network intelligence for monitoring digital experience across networks Cisco doesn't own.
- **Cisco AI Infrastructure (Silicon One, AI PODs)** — Networking silicon and reference architectures for building and connecting AI data centers.

## Achievements

- Pioneered the multi-protocol router, a foundational technology of the modern internet
- Briefly the world's most valuable company by market cap during the 2000 dot-com peak
- Completed its ~$28 billion acquisition of Splunk in March 2024, its largest ever
- Built the CCNA/CCNP certification programs that trained a generation of network engineers
- Fiscal 2025 revenue of $56.7 billion with subscriptions exceeding half of total revenue
- Acquired more than 200 companies over its history

## Latest updates

- **2026-06** — Announced intent to acquire WideField Security to accelerate Splunk's Agentic SOC capabilities.
- **2026-05** — Acquired Astrix Security, focused on securing non-human identities and AI agents.
- **2025-08** — Reported fiscal 2025 revenue of $56.7 billion, up 5% year-over-year, with total software revenue up 21%.
- **2024-03** — Completed the ~$28 billion acquisition of Splunk, expanding into security analytics and observability.

## Links

- Website: https://www.cisco.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cisco
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/Cisco
- GitHub: https://github.com/cisco
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cisco
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cisco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cisco

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/cisco
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-05