Due to the incredible growth of the internet over the past couple of decades

Due to the incredible growth of the internet over the past couple of decades, millions of offices around the world are now equipped with computer network systems, many developed by Cisco Systems Inc, based in San Jose, California.

Just like the internet, the company抯 growth has been nothing short of phenomenal and now anyone looking for a career in the industry must consider networking courses leading to Cisco certification. Their qualifications are highly sought after by companies looking for professionals with the expertise to design and maintain their systems.

So, what does Cisco stand for? Computer Information Systems Company or Computer Internet Systems Company? No point in guessing; in fact the name is simply short for San Francisco ?apparently inspired by the sight of the Golden Gate Bridge framed in sunlight, seen by Cisco抯 founders on their trip to Sacramento to register the company.

So how did Cisco networking become such a valuable, globally renowned brand?

Cisco networking success

Well before the first Cisco course ?back in 1984, married couple Len Bosack and Sandy Lerner founded Cisco Systems (then known simply as cisco). They started with the development of a multiple protocol router ?a device for directing computer traffic between two or more networks.

The routers were a huge commercial success and when the company went public in 1990, Bosack and Lerner left the company a staggering $170 million dollars richer.

Throughout the 90s Cisco抯 systems spread around the world and Cisco training really took off. By late March 2000, at the height of the dot-com boom, Cisco was the most valuable company in the world, with a market capitalisation of more than $500 billion.

These days the company is moving into the home user market, working with companies like Skype and Yahoo on the integration of consumer VoIP services with wireless and cordless phones.

The growth of Cisco training

Also renowned for its structured certification programme, Cisco training is now the industry standard for networking courses around the globe.

Wherever you live, you抣l find at least one Cisco course being offered by colleges running IT training. And as demand for Cisco certification continues to rise, so will the need for courses like their CCNA and CCNP courses.

CCNA training leads to the industry recognised qualification, CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate). CCNA training teaches the ability to install, configure and maintain networks. It is a key requirement for anyone wanting to secure a career as a network professional.

CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) builds on what has been learned through the CCNA training, dealing with more complex areas including network configurations, diagnosis, and troubleshooting.

What next for Cisco?

Less than 30 years ago 憌ireless?was an old fashioned word for radio and nobody had heard of POPs, routers or WANs.

Today, it抯 hard to imagine a world without computers and as we become ever more dependent on the internet both at home and at work, IT companies like Cisco will continue to have a vitally important role to play.

Already there are experiments with the feasibility of extending the Internet to orbit and Cisco Systems are right up there with one their routers circling the planet as part of the UK-DMC satellite. So, it looks like Cisco will be making history for decades to come?