Cisco Systems was founded in 1984 by Leonard Bosack and Sandy Lerner, a married couple who were computer scientists at Stanford University. They developed a multi-protocol router that could connect disparate computer networks — a technology that became fundamental to building the internet.
Cisco’s routers and switches became the backbone of the internet and enterprise networking. At the peak of the dot-com bubble in 2000, Cisco briefly became the most valuable company in the world with a market cap over $500 billion. While it never recaptured that peak, Cisco remains the dominant vendor in enterprise networking.
The company’s product portfolio covers routing, switching, wireless networking, firewalls (Cisco Secure), collaboration tools (Webex), and observability. In 2023, Cisco completed its largest-ever acquisition: Splunk, the data analytics and security platform, for $28 billion. This deal significantly expanded Cisco’s software and security capabilities.
Cisco serves over 100,000 enterprise customers and its certifications (CCNA, CCNP, CCIE) are among the most recognized in IT. These certifications have trained millions of network engineers and created a deep talent ecosystem.
Annual revenue is around $57 billion, though the company has been managing a transition from hardware-centric sales to recurring software and subscription revenue. Cisco+ and other subscription offerings are part of this shift.
Headquartered in San Jose, California, Cisco employs approximately 85,000 people. CEO Chuck Robbins has led the company since 2015. Cisco is known for its acquisition-driven growth strategy — it has purchased over 200 companies during its history.
