Definition: Cisco

(Cisco Systems, Inc., San Jose, CA) A leading manufacturer of networking equipment, including routers, bridges, frame switches and ATM switches, dial-up access servers and network management software. Cisco was founded in 1984 by Leonard Bosack and Sandra Lerner, a married couple both employed by Stanford University. Initially targeting universities, Cisco sold its first router in 1986.

Cisco is the leading router vendor and its operating systems and routing protocols have become de facto standards. In the 1990s, Cisco's growth was due to the acquisition of more than 70 companies. In early 2000, it briefly surpassed Microsoft's market cap as the most valued corporation in the world.