Data-center and wireless sales led growth at Cisco Systems in its fiscal third quarter, as it saw customers spending more in the U.S. and developing countries but reported continuing weakness in Southern Europe.

Make no mistake: Companies, especially midmarket ones, face a sea change in how they operate when they take up the "Bring Your Own Device" banner. It's not simply letting employees use their personal smartphones, tablets and laptops for work.

Software-defined networking, a set of technologies to help networks better adapt to user needs with less manual effort, may at last be getting the common foundation it has needed for interoperability and efficient development.

Cisco is planning to buy femtocell maker Ubiquisys for US$310 million in cash and retention-based incentives, the company announced on Wednesday.

Alcatel-Lucent is promising more manageable cloud computing through Nuage Networks, an internal startup that is making its formal debut on Tuesday.

There's nothing like face-to-face meetings for really connecting with clients or team members, but with air travel becoming ever more expensive (and ever less pleasant), frequent in-person meetings are becoming less viable for many businesses. That means your best option is usually a videoconference.

Operators and telecom equipment vendors are showing a growing interest in small cells, which aim to give users improved coverage and speeds.

From software defined networking challenges to killing Cius and corporate restricting moves, it was a busy year for Cisco.