Cisco Takes Aim At Google
Cisco’s search for new rivals appears to be leading right to Google’s home page. During his closing keynote at the Cisco Partner Summit in Las Vegas, CEO John Chambers predicted Cisco’s biggest four rivals over the long haul will be Google, Microsoft, Alcatel and Huawei Technologies.
Although Cisco has never been known as a software company, Cisco executives believe that the IT market is shifting in their favor. So-called Web 2.0 applications will require unified networks, multiple executives claim, setting the stage for a showdown with Google over the long haul.
Chambers reiterated (politely but firmly) that Cisco has a three-year lead over Microsoft in the Unified Communications space. His presentation also listed former rivals that have imploded over the past few years. (There’s the old Cabletron logo, folks.)
By showing slides that highlighted Cisco’s past, current and potential future rivals, Chambers non-verbally suggested that companies like Nortel aren’t keeping pace … and laggards like 3Com will never get back in the game.
Backed by 2500 IT consultants and technology partners at the event, Chambers insisted that Cisco is the company that’s best positioned to thrive in the world of Web 2.0 applications and global collaboration.
Although Cisco executives expressed healthy concern about competition, many of them also said this is the most bullish Cisco has been in years. Noted Karl Meulema, VP of services marketing and channels at Cisco, “It’s safe to say that John [Chambers] is very, very bullish” about Cisco’s business prospects.
That’s not to suggest that Cicso is saying everyone should run out and buy the company’s stock. Clearly, Meulema wasn’t referring to Cisco’s revenue or profit projections. Instead, he was answering a question about the company’s overall mood compared to previous annual partner conferences.
The bottom line: Expectations within Cisco appear to be quite high and the search for new rivals should lead right to Google’s front door. Or, from Cisco’s perspective, the market is shifting to bring new rivals to Cisco’s front door.
cisco competing with google? i don’t buy it. cisco provides the plumbing but google tracks everything that flows through it.
I can kind of see the Google vs Cisco rivalary espesically since Google is getting more and more into the software side. Come on Cisco has been in the software side for years.
One thing that I thought was weird though was that he mentions the ‘laggards like 3Com’ will never make it. But earlier the threat is from ‘Huawei Technologies’ which is 100% 3Com baby. After 3 or 4 years they can compete again but I don’t think 3Com will allow unless it over their dead company.
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