Cisco makes the networking hardware and software that powers the internet - routers, switches, and security appliances in virtually every enterprise data center and campus network. Its Webex collaboration platform and Meraki cloud networking are growing. 85%+ of internet traffic traverses Cisco equipment at some point. Its security portfolio (Duo, Umbrella) is accelerating.
Key relationships in depth
Cisco and Microsoft have a deep enterprise security and networking partnership. Cisco's security products integrate with Microsoft Sentinel (SIEM), Microsoft Defender XDR, and Microsoft Entra ID (identity) to provide unified security operations. Cisco's networking hardware is deeply integrated with Azure Virtual WAN, Azure Private Link, and Microsoft Teams for enterprise SD-WAN and hybrid cloud connectivity. Cisco's Splunk acquisition (completed 2024) created a major SIEM competitor to Microsoft Sentinel, adding competitive tension to the partnership.
Why it matters: Enterprise customers running Microsoft 365 and Azure want their Cisco network infrastructure to feed security telemetry into Microsoft's security operations platforms. Cisco's acquisition of Splunk for $28B in 2024 gave it the largest enterprise security data analytics platform, complementing Microsoft's Sentinel SIEM. The two companies co-sell to mutual enterprise customers where Cisco owns the network layer and Microsoft owns the identity and cloud layer, requiring constant integration to prevent security visibility gaps.
Cisco and NVIDIA partnered to build the Cisco Secure AI Factory with NVIDIA, a validated enterprise AI infrastructure platform combining Cisco networking (Silicon One ASICs, Nexus switches, Hyperfabric AI) with NVIDIA GPU compute and Spectrum-X Ethernet networking. Cisco pulled in $2.1B in AI infrastructure orders from hyperscalers including AWS, Microsoft, and Google in fiscal Q2 2026, up from $1.3B the previous quarter. Cisco expects approximately $3B in AI networking revenue for fiscal 2026.
Why it matters: AI training and inference clusters require ultra-low latency, high-bandwidth networking to prevent GPU idle time from bottlenecking compute efficiency. Cisco's Nexus Hyperfabric AI with NVIDIA Spectrum-X delivers 400G-800G connectivity optimized for east-west AI traffic patterns inside data centers. Hyperscalers purchasing NVIDIA H100/H200 Blackwell clusters need networking infrastructure that matches GPU throughput, making Cisco a critical co-sell partner for NVIDIA's enterprise AI infrastructure sales.
Cisco and Google Cloud have a network security and hybrid cloud partnership that integrates Cisco's enterprise networking infrastructure with Google Cloud's compute and AI services. Cisco's SASE platform and SD-WAN solutions connect enterprise networks to Google Cloud workloads, and Cisco's Security Cloud integrates with Google's BeyondCorp and Chronicle SIEM products for unified threat detection. Cisco and Google also partnered on Webex-Google Workspace integration for enterprise collaboration.
Why it matters: Google Cloud customers running distributed enterprise applications need Cisco's networking expertise to connect branch offices and data centers to GCP with enterprise-grade security, and Cisco's SD-WAN and firewall products provide the last-mile connectivity that Google's own infrastructure cannot reach. Cisco benefits from Google Cloud's growing enterprise market share, as new GCP migrations create networking infrastructure requirements that Cisco is positioned to fulfill.
Cisco and Amazon Web Services have a partnership focused on hybrid cloud networking and enterprise security. Cisco SD-WAN integrates with AWS Transit Gateway and AWS Cloud WAN to enable enterprises to connect branch offices, data centers, and AWS workloads through a unified networking fabric. Cisco's security products including Duo (identity), Umbrella (DNS security), and Secure Firewall are available on AWS Marketplace. Cisco's AI infrastructure networking has been validated for AWS AI cluster deployments, with AWS among the hyperscalers ordering $2.1B+ in Cisco AI networking in fiscal Q2 2026.
Why it matters: Enterprise customers adopting AWS for cloud workloads need their existing Cisco network infrastructure to connect seamlessly with AWS services. Cisco SD-WAN's AWS integration allows enterprise IT teams to use familiar Cisco management tools while routing traffic intelligently to AWS workloads, reducing the need to rearchitect network operations. Cisco's AWS Marketplace presence enables enterprises to purchase Cisco security software against their AWS committed spend commitments, accelerating sales cycles.
Relationships are compiled by VexMap from company filings, announcements and reporting, and last reviewed September 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us. Not investment advice.