About Cisco
Cisco Systems, Inc. is the worldwide leader in
networking for the Internet. Today, networks are an
essential part of business, education, government
and home communications, and Cisco Internet Protocol-based
(IP) networking solutions are the foundation of these
networks. Cisco hardware, software, and service offerings
are used to create Internet solutions that allow individuals,
companies, and countries to increase productivity,
improve customer satisfaction and strengthen competitive
advantage. The Cisco name has become synonymous with
the Internet, as well as with the productivity improvements
that Internet business solutions provide. At Cisco,
our vision is to change the way people work, live,
play and learn.
Cisco was founded in 1984 by a small group of computer
scientists from Stanford University. Since the company's
inception, Cisco engineers have been leaders in the
development of Internet Protocol (IP)-based networking
technologies. This tradition of IP innovation continues
with industry-leading products in the core areas of
routing and switching, as well as advanced technologies.
Today, with more than 34,000 employees worldwide,
Cisco remains committed to creating networks that
are smarter, thanks to built-in intelligent network
services; faster, in their ability to perform at ever-increasing
speeds; and more durable, with a generational approach
to an evolutionary infrastructure. In the Middle East,
Cisco has two management hubs in Cairo and Dubai,
covering the North Africa, Egypt and Levant and GCC
regions respectively. It has further offices in Bahrain,
Jordan, Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lebanon,
Morocco and Pakistan.
Cisco is committed to delivering differentiated value
to customers and partners through its unique product
and service offerings, while closely mapping products
and services to its customers' needs and priorities-such
as productivity, cost savings, return on investment,
and standard of living improvements.
In addition to hardware and software products, Cisco
provides a broad range of service offerings to its
clients, including award-winning technical support
and advanced services. Cisco sells its products and
services-directly through its own sales force and
indirectly through a network of channel partners-to
large enterprises, small and medium-sized businesses,
service providers, and consumers. Cisco focuses on
three broad areas to guide its business growth: core
technologies, routing and switching; the service provider
market; and Advanced Technology markets.
Cisco has long been recognized as a pioneer in using
the Internet for its own business practices, offering
consulting services to help other organizations around
the world through its Internet Business Solutions
Group. In the 2003 fiscal year, Cisco saved US$2.1
billion by relying on the Internet to provide customer
support, offer employee services, sell products, provide
training, and manage finances and manufacturing processes.
Each year, Cisco introduces new applications, enhances
existing applications, and increases adoption of these
applications across the company, which results in
an incremental return on investment year-after-year.
Cisco was founded on a culture based on the principles
of open communication, empowerment, trust, integrity,
and giving back to the community, and these same values
thrive at Cisco today.
The company focuses on three areas of corporate philanthropy:
providing basic human needs, access to education,
and responsible citizenship. This past year, Cisco
supported important community efforts such as the
American Red Cross and the Second Harvest Food Bank,
as well as global initiatives, including co-sponsorship
of the Jordan Education Initiative. Cisco employees
also continued to be active in the community through
the Cisco Foundation, Civic Councils and the Cisco
Leadership Fellows Program.
To help foster access to education and professional
opportunities around the world, the company has founded
the Cisco Networking Academy Program, dedicated to
providing students with the education and resources
they need to design, build, and maintain computer
networks. By combining education and the Internet,
Cisco Networking Academies help students around the
world acquire the necessary skills for IT-related
jobs and for higher education in engineering, computer
science, and related fields-and ultimately, aid in
the development of their countries and their local
economies. Now in its sixth year, the program has
more than 10,000 academies in 152 countries.
Learn more about Cisco Systems, Inc. at http://www.cisco.com
