Latest on Cisco: News, Features, Opinions and More  Encryption vendor files patent lawsuit against tech giants
TecSec, an encryption vendor based in McLean, Va., has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against several large tech vendors, including IBM, Sun Microsystems, Cisco Systems, eBay, Oracle and Adobe Systems. Cisco picks up where Starent left off
Cisco on Tuesday will show just how serious it is about mobile data with the introduction of its first product derived from its Starent acquisition, the ASR 5000. Wall Street Beat: Markets fall despite strong tech earnings
Stock markets globally continued to fall this week over a range of concerns, from fears of debt default in Greece to concerns over unemployment in the U.S. and the strength of the global economic recovery. Colorado looks to SaaS to cut e-mail costs
A Colorado state agency that oversees e-government efforts is soliciting bids from software-as-a-service vendors that could provide hosted e-mail and other applications to state agencies and local governments. Apple allure may help it win iPad name in Europe
Apple's power in business may help it win the right to use the iPad name in Europe from the company that owns the trademark there, chip maker STMicroelectronics. Cisco adding iPhone app for voice-over-Wi-Fi
Cisco Systems Inc. plans to add voice-over-Wi-Fi capabilities to its existing iPhone app by April, part of a continuing effort to expand its unified communications technology into the mobile space. Update: Cisco's Chambers sees economy on the mend
Cisco Systems' results for its fiscal quarter ended last month indicate the world economy is entering a second phase of recovery, Chairman and CEO John Chambers said Wednesday. Cisco's Chambers sees economy on the mend
Cisco Systems' results for its fiscal quarter ended last month indicate the world economy is entering a second phase of recovery, Chairman and CEO John Chambers said Wednesday. PepsiCo to deploy telepresence from Cisco and BT globally
PepsiCo will deploy Cisco Telepresence systems in its major offices worldwide, joining a growing list of multinational companies relying on high-end videoconferencing to curb travel costs and boost worker collaboration. Cisco offers olive branch to videoconference rivals
Cisco Systems has gotten the ball rolling toward interoperability among all high-end videoconferencing platform by licensing the Telepresence Interoperability Protocol (TIP) to other vendors, but the ability to plug any two systems together may be a long way off, according to vendors and analysts. Apple smashes Mac, iPhone sales records again
Apple reported record Mac and iPhone sales today, marking the second consecutive quarter the company has reset the bar for both product lines. New TechNet CEO: Expanding access to tech is priority
Netgear targets SMB market with new security tool
ProSecure STM600 offers broad antispam, antimalware and content filtering
alware and content filtering Cisco shifts focus to China from Japan in Asia reshuffle
Cisco Systems on Monday announced details of a major revamp of its Asia operations that puts a new emphasis on China and drops Japan to second place. Cisco's McCool sees growing data-center role
While Cisco Systems branches out into consumer electronics, video, mobile data and other areas, one of its biggest areas of focus today is enterprise data centers. The dominant LAN provider thinks the transformation of data centers through virtualization calls for new kinds of connections and a broader role for network technology and intelligence. John McCool oversees this push as senior vice president and general manager of Cisco's Data Center, Switching and Services group. IDG News Service talked with McCool recently about the company's own role and its partnerships with other vendors in this arena. Apple patches 12 Mac bugs in Flash, SSL
Apple on Tuesday patched 12 vulnerabilities in Leopard and Snow Leopard, including seven in Adobe Flash Player and one in the protocol used to secure Internet traffic. Cisco releases services-oriented SAN network line card
Cisco announced a new SOA network that uses a line card in its MDS line of switches and directors to provide up to four storage-related applications, including data encryption, data migration and Fibre Channel over IP (FCIP) data transport. Cisco acquired nearly 50 start-ups in a decade
IT vendors dominated the list of most active companies in the M&A market. Cisco CEO on video technology: 'It's an art'
With a smile and a few handshakes for reporters, Cisco CEO John Chambers launched into a 45 minute presentation at the CES show on Wednesday describing the future of video over networks. Cisco's Chambers demonstrates home TelePresence
Cisco Systems Chairman and CEO John Chambers demonstrated on Wednesday how the company's TelePresence videoconferencing technology could be developed into a consumer product, showing off the long-awaited system at a press conference ahead of the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Cisco will be hard pressed to match 2009
2009 started with a bang and ended with a bash for Cisco. The company entered the data center blade server market in the beginning of the year and ended it with two acquisitions worth a combined $6.3 billion. Image gallery: 10 top iPhone apps for IT pros
Who says the iPhone is only a consumer gadget? These 10 apps for IT pros prove that Apple's smartphone can also be a useful tech tool. 10 top iPhone apps for IT pros
Who says the iPhone is only a consumer gadget? These 10 apps for IT pros prove that Apple's smartphone can also be a useful tech tool. Dell embeds Fibre Channel over Ethernet in server line
Dell on Thursday announced it is shipping single-chip Fibre Channel over Ethernet network interface cards in a large range of PowerEdge servers. The move could bolster adoption of the nascent networking protocol. BT, Cisco to build global hosted unified communications service
British Telecommunications and Cisco Systems announced a global hosted IP unified communications service that includes building new data centers in Chicago and Manhattan to supplement operations in London. Microsoft, Cisco, IBM and others form cloud computing group
A group of companies is starting up an Enterprise Cloud Buyers Council in hopes of removing barriers to enterprise use of hosted cloud computing. Cisco's new structure key to success, Chambers says
Cisco Systems' whirlwind of activity over the past few months wouldn't have been possible without the company's spread-out management structure, in which about 650 people are involved in cross-functional 'councils' and 'boards' that search out potentially profitable new markets, Chairman and CEO John Chambers told a financial analyst conference. Social network and banking scams are on the rise, says Cisco
What do phishing, instant messaging malware, DDoS attacks and 419 scams have in common? According to Cisco Systems, they're all has-been cybercrimes that were supplanted by slicker, more menacing forms of cybercrime over the past year. McAfee appliance watches for network threats
McAfee Tuesday unveiled a security appliance designed to monitor internal corporate traffic flows for worms, viruses and botnet activity in order to block outbreaks traced to corporate computers. Google Public DNS, Cisco gets Tandberg
Google is getting into the DNS resolution business with a new service out in an experimental version, while Microsoft also is experimenting with a maps service (take that Google). In other news this week, questions continue to be bandied about regarding Oracle's planned acquisition of Sun Microsystems, which is still stalled by European regulators. Cisco wins Tandberg with 91.1% stake
After a hard-fought battle, Cisco has won control of videoconferencing leader Tandberg by securing ownership of 91.1% of the company's shares. Cisco extends deadline for Tandberg deal
Cisco Systems has given shareholders of Norwegian videoconferencing vendor Tandberg two more days to accept its $3.4 billion buyout offer. Avaya's Nortel buy might not power it over Cisco
Even after it buys Nortel, Avaya won't dominate Cisco in the battle for business-communications customers, according to a new study. Cisco ups offer for videoconferencing firm Tandberg to $3.4B
Cisco has raised its bid for Norwegian video conferencing vendor Tandberg to 19 billion Norwegian Kroner (US$3.4 billion), up from $3.0 billion, but says it will raise its price no further. AMD and Intel patch things up, HP buys 3Com
We had a blockbuster deal this week, with Hewlett-Packard saying it plans to buy 3Com, and a blockbuster settlement, with Advanced Micro Devices and Intel ending a long-running legal dispute. By midnight tonight, Google, the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers are supposed to file a revised book-search settlement proposal, which could add to our top stories list for the week. For now, though, what follows are our top IT headlines of the moment. 5 things missing in VMware's new virtual desktop app, View 4
With VMware Inc.'s release of View 4, the company is making some big promises on performance and price. Here are five areas to consider before taking the plunge. Update: HP agrees to buy 3Com for $2.7B
Hewlett-Packard has agreed to buy networking pioneer 3Com Corp., gaining access to the networking pioneer's new converged data center infrastructure. Cisco showcases big bets on collaboration
Unveiling 61 new products and features for enterprise employees to communicate with each other and partners, Cisco Systems executives emphasized the importance of collaboration at an event in San Francisco on Monday. Review: Cisco's Unified Computing System wows
When it comes to technology, truly revolutionary products are few and far between. That said, Cisco's Unified Computing System fits the bill. How Cisco UCS reinvents the datacenter
If you could design a blade server system entirely from scratch, it might look a whole lot like Cisco's Unified Computing System Cisco warns UC users of limited support for Windows 7
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is warning customers of its unified communications products that support for Windows 7 won’t be forthcoming until the product’s 8.0 release scheduled for the first quarter of 2010. About a dozen more UC products will not support Windows 7 until version 8.5, in the third quarter of 2010 and at that time, only the 32-bit version of Windows 7 will be supported. http://www.networkworld.com/community/taxonomy/term/7678 Update: Cisco doubles down on collaboration with 61 new products
Cisco Systems Inc. massively expanded its portfolio of collaboration technologies today, announcing 61 products, including a corporate-grade hosted e-mail system and a social networking application. Cisco undervalues Tandberg, investment firms say
Two investment consulting companies laid out objections to Cisco Systems' $3 billion offer for Norwegian videoconferencing vendor Tandberg, saying in an open letter to Cisco and a press interview that the bid undervalues Tandberg. Cisco results top estimates
Cisco Systems on Wednesday posted first-quarter results that far exceeded Wall Street's expectations, though revenue and profits were down from a year earlier. Cisco, EMC, VMware get joint cloud-computing venture rolling in Asia
Acadia joint cloud venture hopes to soon sign first Asian customers for their cloud-computing partnership. Big IT is back, say HP, IBM, Oracle, EMC, Cisco
A certain truth about the big IT vendors is they want to sell as much as possible to any one customer and now, with virtualization, cloud computing and very tight IT budgets, they believe they have an opening. Analysis: Cisco, EMC, VMware partnership is a long shot
While the Cisco, EMC and VMware alliance may be new, the private cloud services they're offering are not. Neither the partnership nor the service will make a big splash in IT organizations, according to industry experts. Cisco, EMC unveil data center joint venture
Cisco and EMC this week unveiled their anticipated collaboration, which will provide integrated products and services for customers building private cloud computing infrastructures. Digital Gear: Webcam, handheld video camera go HD
Store shelves will host cool gadgets that could be good buys as the holiday season rolls in. Some new cameras, including the Flip MinoHD from Cisco Systems and LifeCam Cinema from Microsoft, are lightweight devices that can shoot high-definition video. Another portable device, TwitterPeek, is a unique mobile messaging device exclusively for Twitter fans. For Apple's iPhone, Shure has released new earphones that can control video and music. Cisco to buy ScanSafe for $183 million
Cisco announced plans to buy privately held ScanSafe, a maker of software-as-a-service (SaaS) Web security services for enterprises and small-to-midsize businesses, for $183 million. The Curse of Cloud Security
Seventh Annual Global Information Security Survey: Companies are clamoring for services in the cloud. But the biggest problem from a security perspective is that few understand what they're dealing with. (Second of a four-part series) Wireless helps hone data center efficiencies
Enterprise efforts to consolidate data centers and install virtualization software are taking a big bite out of the number of power-hungry application and storage servers required to support enterprise data. But after taking this critical first step, what else can you do to boost efficiency? FCC takes first step toward net neutrality rules
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has taken the first step toward creating formal net neutrality rules, despite a huge lobbying effort from opposing groups in recent days. Tech firms push for R&D tax credit, saying it means jobs
If a research and development tax credit is allowed to expire at the end of the year, 120,000 U.S. jobs could be put at risk, according to a group of companies supporting an extension. AT&T accused of 'astroturfing' on net neutrality
An AT&T executive asked employees to post opposition to net neutrality rules being considered by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission on an FCC Web site using their personal e-mail addresses, prompting accusations of unfair advocacy by an opposing group. IBM adding 10G Ethernet switch to data center product line
IBM is adding 10 gigabit Ethernet switches from longtime data center partner Voltaire to its roster of resold products. Cisco unveils new generation of branch routers
Cisco this week unveiled a new generation of its Integrated Services Router, a branch office platform optimized for video and virtualized services. Web company CEOs call for net neutrality rules
Twenty-four top executives at e-commerce, social-networking and other Web companies have asked the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to move forward with its plan to create formal net neutrality rules, despite opposition voiced by several U.S. lawmakers, minority groups and telecom-related companies. Sidekick data loss, Cisco buying spree
There was a little bit of everything this week -- Sidekick users got a nasty surprise, Cisco made another acquisition, Oracle had its big user conference while questions lingered regarding the effect its plan to buy Sun will have, Biz Stone insisted he doesn't want to sell Twitter, and the world prepared for the launch of Windows 7 next week even as administrators grumbled their way through a monster patch Tuesday. Companies, lawmakers tell FCC to dump Net neutrality
As the FCC moves toward developing formal Net neutrality rules, some U.S. lawmakers and telecom-related companies have told the agency that new regulations will cause more trouble than they're worth. Reporter's Notebook: Oracle OpenWorld 2009
Highlights and lowlights from this year's show: Cloud talk eclipsed by real-life rain, too many #oow09 tweets, not enough specifics about Fusion or Java plans, and an action-packed visit by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. CIO.com's Thomas Wailgum shares his favorite tidbits from the Ellison extravaganza. Stockholders may block Cisco's purchase of Tandberg
Cisco's bid for videoconferencing vendor Tandberg could be in trouble: Stockholders representing 24 percent of the shares in Tandberg do not intend to accept Cisco's US$3.0 billion offer, a Swedish stockbroker said on Thursday. Collaboration tools worth the investment, survey says
A recent global survey of more than 3,600 business and IT managers found that their companies got back benefits perceived as equal to four times their investment, on average, in unified communication and collaboration technologies. Starent buy continues Cisco's direction toward collaboration and video
Cisco Systems multibillion-dollar purchases of videoconferencing leader Tandberg and Starent Networks make the networking gear company seem like a Hollywood movie mogul from the 1930s, with the boss's fingers reaching into distribution and even content. Cisco to acquire Starent for $2.9 billion
Aiming to expand its mobile Internet offerings, Cisco Systems will acquire Starent Networks for US$2.9 billion, the companies announced. The Buzz at Oracle OpenWorld 2009
Impressions from Oracle's annual get-together: Ellison disses IBM; Where are Fusion Apps?; Charles and Safra on Red Stack integration. Telepresence interoperability tests bode well for Cisco
Interoperability issues, one of the downsides of Cisco telepresence, could fade in the background with the company’s purchase of Tandberg based on public interoperability tests this week. Report: Brocade puts itself up for sale
Storage switch maker Brocade is reportedly placing itself up for sale, according to a published report, which speculates that Hewlett-Packard and Oracle may be the most logical suitors. Update: Cisco to buy videoconferencing vendor Tandberg for $3B
Cisco Systems has signed an agreement to buy videoconferencing vendor Tandberg for about US$3.0 billion, it said on Thursday. IT Outsourcing: Many Mergers Ahead
Xerox's bid for IT and business process service provider Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) comes on the heels of Dell's announcement that it will purchase Perot Systems. Outsourcing industry analysts predict even more consolidation in the IT services market as other tech equipment makers and telecom network providers eye IT outsourcing vendors' recurring revenue streams. Demo: Why B2B start-ups shine
Business-to-business start-ups shined at the DemoFall 09 trade show by targeting obscure niches and solving problems. Rule change could make Apple revenue appear larger
A new accounting rule, supported by Apple and others, could mislead the investing public. If you didn't know better, financial results showing huge revenue spikes would seem quite impressive. Cisco patches a dozen router bugs
Cisco Systems has released its twice-yearly set of security patches for its router firmware, fixing 12 security flaws in the products. Cisco taps Microsoft exec to head collaboration
Cisco is tapping a high ranking Microsoft executive to be the new head of its collaboration software group. WiMax in 2010: Too little, too late?
Slowly but surely, WiMax is making high-speed Wi-Fi-style networking available over square miles instead of square yards -- but will we be using it before it's replaced by yet another wireless technology? Need for speed: A tale of two college Wi-Fi networks and 802.11n
If IT managers at two U.S. universities are any measure, 802.11n Wi-Fi networking has a bright future on college campuses. Finding the Stars With Bright Ideas
Managers at Procter & Gamble and Cisco say that their widespread use of collaboration tools has helped them tap expertise that has long been hidden among staff members at all levels and in locations worldwide. Cisco's Chambers gets $2M payout despite bad year
Cisco Systems gave Chairman and CEO John Chambers a "discretionary incentive payment" of more than $2 million for the company's 2009 fiscal year, despite the fact that net income fell nearly 24% from the previous year on sales that were down almost 9%. Report: Cisco, EMC creating new joint venture arm
Cisco and EMC plan to launch a joint venture services company that would focus on installing and maintaining networking and storage equipment from the two companies, according to a report. Firms use collaboration tools to tap the ultimate IP -- worker ideas
Managers at Proctor & Gamble and Cisco Systems say that their widespread use of collaboration tools has help them better tap expertise among staff members at all levels that has long been hidden. Cisco readying collaboration software platform
Cisco Systems is developing a collaboration software platform that will allow enterprises to combine social networking, presence, content and transactional applications in a single interface. Cisco downplays WLAN vulnerability
Cisco Systems downplayed a vulnerability in some of its wireless access points, reporting that there is no risk of data loss or interception. Cisco wireless LAN vulnerability could open 'back door'
Some wireless access points from Cisco Systems have a vulnerability that could allow a hacker to redirect traffic outside the enterprise or potentially gain access to an entire corporate network, a security company said. Judge vacates three of four charges against SF network admin Terry Childs
A San Francisco Superior Court judge has dismissed three of the four felony charges brought against Terry Childs, a former network administrator who was arrested last year for allegedly sabotaging a crucial city network. Cutbacks Could Be Causing IT Outages
An apparent increase in outages at Internet-based service providers is raising questions about whether recession-induced cutbacks are killing reliability and/or increased use of the services is clogging the Internet. With recent outages, big data service providers take hits
A variety of Internet-based service providers have seen outages in recent months, raising questions about whether recession-induced cutbacks are killing reliability. Or is the increasing use of external cloud providers, coupled with near-instantaneous Twitter reports of outages, just making what's normal seem worse? Unified Communications Without Tears
Four IT managers describe how they avoided some (though not all) of the pitfalls of unified communications deployments. Cisco posts Q4 decline but sees promise
Cisco Systems' revenue fell 18 percent in its fiscal fourth quarter ended July 25, hitting $8.5 billion, while its net income dropped to $1.1 billion, or 19 cents per share. With new ads, Google aims offensive at Microsoft Office
In the latest salvo in Google's ongoing battle with Microsoft, Google announced today that it's taking this fight to the streets with a month-long ad campaign for its online suite of enterprise office applications. Cisco’s storage team looks to boost IBM mainframe performance, security
Cisco is trying to enhance storage performance on the IBM mainframe as well as third-party SAN products with new features added to its MDS 9000 storage networking product line.The goal is to enhance security and accelerate data traffic over distances as great as 20,000 kilometers – halfway around the world, Cisco says. Oracle buys data-integration specialist
Oracle on Thursday said it is buying GoldenGate Software, a San Francisco maker of data integration tools, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition is expected to close later this year. Three Ways to Reduce Your Communications Costs
In San Francisco, where I live, the miserable month of Fogust is nigh. Every August, the fog and wind perpetually blow through town, raising goosebumps on the exposed limbs of unsuspecting (if not astonished) tourists. Elsewhere, most of the U.S.--particularly the East Coast--is trapped in the bell jar of stagnant, humid dog days. In short: Wherever you live, August is the ideal month to get out of Dodge. And if you've got your Internet access strategy figured out, you and your virtual office can stay out of town for an extended absence, while still keeping up with business. A year after Terry Childs case, privileged user problem grows
One year after former network administrator Terry Childs made national headlines for locking up access to a crucial San Francisco city network, the issue of how to protect corporate systems against the very people who manage and administer them remains as thorny as ever. The NSA wiretapping story nobody wanted
They sometimes call national security the third rail of politics. Touch it and, politically, you're dead. Cisco reportedly lays off hundreds in San Jose
Cisco reportedly laid off up to 700 employees Thursday from its San Jose headquarters. Obama administration defends Bush wiretapping
Lawyers from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Electronic Frontier Foundation squared off in a San Francisco courtroom Wednesday over a warrantless wiretapping program instituted by the Bush administration. Cisco, UnitedHealth team up to build a national network for virtual doctor visits
Cisco and health insurer UnitedHealth Group are piloting a network that connects patients and health care providers through videoconferencing technology, which would allow patients to be diagnosed through the use of biomedical imaging technology from remote locations. Teo launches unified communications system to integrate with Microsoft Exchange
Teo will launch a new unified communications system that integrates with Microsoft Exchange late this year, the company announced today at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans. Google's Unified Tools Pose a Threat to Cisco
Cisco, Microsoft and other networking vendors face a potential strong challenge from Google as it starts offering its Google Voice technology and Google Wave hosted collaboration and communications tools to limited audiences. San Francisco misses the NextBus
I live in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood. If you've visited San Francisco you may know it as the Italian district, where Joe DiMaggio learned to play baseball and where beat writers like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg forged their countercultural vision of the American dream. If you live here, though, you also know that it's the worst place in the city to try to find a parking spot.
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