Cisco was founded in 1984 by Leonard Bosack and Sandy Lerner.
Bosack and Lerner were computer scientists at Stanford University who worked on connecting networks across the campus. Their work helped inspire the development of commercial networking equipment and the company that became Cisco Systems.
Cisco’s name refers to San Francisco, and its early logo featured the Golden Gate Bridge. The company became especially important in the expansion of the internet because its routers and switches helped networks communicate and move data.
Cisco is sometimes confused with software-focused technology companies, but its historical identity is rooted in computer networking hardware and infrastructure. The founders’ Stanford work predates Cisco’s incorporation and formed the technical background for the business.