Cisco's Next Big Challenge

Other than some missteps in consumer technology, Cisco has consistently surpassed expectations at nearly every turn, or as Cisco CEO John Chambers likes to say, "market transitions." As Chambers put it during a recent interview with CRN editor-at-large Chad Berndtson, Cisco has not only been a predictable enterprise IT partner, it has been a successfully predictable partner.

He's right, of course, and that makes it incredibly tough to bet against more success for Cisco, despite what could be the company's biggest challenge yet: the move to software-defined networks, especially when coupled with cheaper, merchant-based silicon technology solutions.

CRN's Berndtson, who sat down for a full-length interview with Chambers, also got the CEO to give us some video time for our most recent episode of Valley View, our monthly live Web TV show. You can watch the interview in the video embedded below. Chambers bragged about beating the likes of Juniper, HP and Arista, and about how it is getting a bead on Huawei. He talked about EMC, whom he deems Cisco's "best partner," but also the challenge raised by VMWare's acquisition of Nicira (one of those software-defined network companies).

Chambers also said that the Internet of Things trend will be Cisco's next big opportunity.

Tune into our November 28 Valley View, which begins at 11 a.m. PT.

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