Surf backbone of the net

With annual revenues of $34 billion, Cisco is a Silicon Valley icon. The firm has revolutionized Internet networking technology with foresight, grit and intuition.

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: Millennia ago, ancient Indian sages envisioned a one- world universe. A world united by goodwill, purpose and universal human values. Ironically, an extremely modern tool, Internet technology, has over the past decade actually achieved this ideal of a world unified – and connected – by the web. A simple tool, the router, plays an important role in the Internet universe, allowing different computer systems to “speak” with one another and transfer information instantly over long distances. This is California-based Cisco Systems’ key strength. It was the first to conceive of the router, long before the Internet became a worldwide phenomenon. Cisco is presently focused on M&As and innovative product design to consolidate its position as the Internet’s networking architect. “We are going to move aggressively into consumer markets – but it will be an architectural play,” remarks Cisco Systems Chief Executive Officer, John Chambers.

Issue Sep-Oct 2007

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