Cisco Systems is known among the technology elite in Silicon Valley as one of the most successful companies to emerge from the Valley in many years. It has been dubbed computing's next Superpower. Just as Intel and Microsoft soared to lofty heights with the rise of the personal computer, Cisco Systems is flying on the spectacular updraft of the Internet. The company, which makes specialized computers that route information through a network--acting as a sort of data traffic cop--has captured 85 percent of the market for routers used as the backbone of the biggest network of them all, the Internet. As a result, over the last five years, the value of Cisco's total outstanding stock has risen over 2,000 percent--twice the increase of Microsoft Corp. stock in the same period. Beginning as a tale of two college sweethearts at Stanford University who cofounded the company fifteen years ago, the often-told Cisco legend has all the makings of a great novel--love, money, a villain or two, corporate coups, and the sweet taste of victory. But mostly, the Cisco story is a very unusual tale of corporate success. Despite the struggle of passing through several regimes, Cisco managed to hit all the crucial spots of its business. Cisco consistently bested competitors like 3Com and IBM with insight, innovation, customer focus, and one of the biggest corporate buying sprees in history. Making the Cisco Connection deftly traces the networking giant's path to success, from its founding couple, Sandra Lerner and Leonard Bosack, to current CEO John Chambers. It highlights the company's astounding knack for buying other businesses and making them part of a huge conglomerate; its own highly developed use of technology; and its unusually tight-knit culture. Featuring the perspective of top Cisco executives and competitors, this book reveals how Cisco's technology, employees, and even its competition have blended to make Cisco possibly the most important company shaping the future of communications. Next to ruthless competitors Microsoft and Intel, Cisco shines with a kinder, gentler image, emphasizing happy customers and employees. You'll see how Cisco built its impressive culture by cultivating community, boosting morale, whittling down bureaucracy, and saving money to boot. This book also explains how Cisco is positioning itself to enter a new competitive playing field, moving beyond Internet routers in an attempt to build a single, giant, global communications system--based on the Internet--that would make the current telephone system obsolete. Cisco wants to be the company that delivers the infrastructure of this new network, which will combine computer networks with telephones, television, radio, and satellite communications. To do that, it is now challenging global giants such as Lucent Technologies and Fujitsu. Cisco plans to become the backbone of the entire communications industry, making it a corporation of incredible power as the Internet Age blossoms in the new millennium. Provocative and instructive, Making the Cisco Connection traces the unique history of one of the most profitable and enduring technology companies in business today. Acclaim for Making the CISCO Connection "If you want to learn the whole scoop about the first Internet-Age company, and one of the most successful firms of any age, you've come to the right place. Bunnell's treatment of Cisco's rise--and continued rise--is fascinating and full of human detail. It's clear that Cisco is not just a firm with great technology, but also great leaders and managers."--Thomas H. Davenport, Director, Andersen Consulting Institute for Strategic Change; Professor, Boston University School of Management "Cisco has emerged as a twenty-first century leader. David Bunnell captures the ongoing story of the Cisco executive team exploiting IT, structuring a unique organization, and creating a dynamic strategy for this breakaway dot com company."--Richard L. Nolan, William Barclay Harding Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School

This innovative leadership guide, written by a Silicon Valley thought leader and insider, will teach you everything you need to know about revolutionizing your services in an ever-changing global environment.

The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are creating new and unique challenges to corporate security leaders. Internal sanctioned and unsanctioned use of these tools, as well as how threat actors are employing them, requires cyber leaders to think differently. Information technology (IT) risk and information security management remain top of mind for corporate boards and senior business leaders. Continued intensity of cyber terrorism attacks, regulatory and compliance requirements, and customer privacy concerns are driving the need for a business-minded chief information security officer (CISO) to lead organizational efforts to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive data. This book describes the thought process and specific activities a leader should consider as they interview for the IT risk/information security leader role, what they should do within their first 90 days, and how to organize, evangelize, and operate the program once they are into the job. It provides practical, tested strategies for designing your program and guidance to help you be successful long term.

The Best Damn Cisco Internetworking Book Period shows readers everything they need to know about all Cisco internetworking topics. The book provides an understanding of Cisco's current VoIP solutions and the means to put them to work, showing how to configure all of Cisco's core VoIP products—among them Cisco CallManager software, Cisco 7910 series phones, and server-based IP PBXs. It discusses IPv6 Protocols, as well as IP Quality of Service (QoS) and how it applies to Enterprise and Internet Service Provider (ISP) environments. In addition, Cisco wireless technologies are covered in detail. Cisco has placed a high priority on security and here readers will find complete coverage of all the Cisco Security products such as the PIX firewall suite of products, Network Address Translation (NAT), Cisco VPN Concentrator and IPSec, Cisco Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA), Content Services Switch (CSS), and the Cisco Secure Network Intrusion Detection System. This book is sure to become a dog eared reference for all Cisco engineers and administrators. - The one book that covers all major Cisco Internetworking concepts and configurations. - The only book to cross reference Cisco internetworking topics: Voice Over IP, Remote Access, Wireless, AVVID, and QoS. In addition, new technologies are covered in depth: AVVID, SIP, MGCP, and more. - A 1-stop reference for Cisco professionals needing coverage of core Cisco exam topics.

This book picks Cisco as an example to propose a framework of ambidextrous integration of innovation and operation, which is the key to the success of global companies along their evolutions, especially for those technology companies. The authors try to find how the company combines active innovation and efficient operation for its sustainable development. On the basis of comprehensive analysis of the strategic leadership, change management, innovation system, M&As, IT-enabled value chains, collaboration, etc., in Cisco, as well as the interviews with Cisco staff, this book shows that management practices shape the balance of internal-external resources for explorative-exploitative innovations. IT strategies and implementation enable efficient operations when innovations are identified and justified in the leading company. Managerial insights for sustainable competitiveness can be gained from Cisco practices in this book. The companion of the book, Huawei: From Catching up to Lead, telling another growth path of technology company in China by similar framework.

John Chambers and the Cisco Way gets to the heart of a phenomenon that has taken center stage of world business. Through expert analysis and insight acquired through extensive interviews with venture capitalists and Cisco executives, customers, and competitors, author John Waters skillfully explains the management style of CEO John Chambers and his role in Cisco Systems' success in the volatile technology sector. Beyond exploring his key business strategies and management philosophy at Cisco, this book chronicles Chambers' amazing journey from IBM salesman to Cisco CEO. In just a few short years, Chambers has presided over the creation of more than $480 billion in stockholder value, and has expanded his company into nearly every part of the networking industry. John Waters gives readers an inside look at one of the most successful managers in history and places his story within the current business landscape and market environment, offering new insight into Chambers' innovative leadership.