Cisco grabs for 'No. 1 IT company' crown

(AP) Cisco isn't content to be the world's largest maker of computer networking gear. It says it wants to become the No. 1 supplier of information technology to big businesses by broadening its offerings of services and software.

But when Cisco Systems Inc. says No. 1 IT company, it doesn't mean that it's going to be the biggest-selling company. That goal is out of reach, since IBM Corp. outsells Cisco 2-to-1. Rather, Cisco CEO John Chambers wants Cisco to looms largest in the minds of its customers.

The strategy statement, articulated Friday at a presentation for Wall Street analysts, follows some lean years that have seen Cisco retrench from even broader goals. Those goals included trying to establish itself as a consumer brand and buying a maker of camcorders.