Acquisitions

Q: Why did Cisco choose SamKnows?

A: The advent of hybrid work has dramatically expanded the role of broadband networks, with customers now relying on them to reach both business and consumer services and content. Ensuring end-to-end connectivity from homes to a range of business and consumer applications is essential for enterprises, digital service providers, and broadband network operators to ensure user experience and remain competitive. 

SamKnows offers vast visibility into consumer broadband networks and last-mile performance through its millions of vantage points on home routers, mobile devices, and other appliances connected to internet service providers around the globe. Its solutions deliver powerful insights through measurement tests that provide immediate answers on the state of end-to-end network connectivity and service reachability. 

Q: Why is now the right time to acquire SamKnows?
A: Network assurance is a key priority for Cisco to enable customers to deliver great digital experiences. As Cisco expands its network assurance capabilities, adding last-mile coverage to ThousandEyes’ already expansive Internet view becomes an important step to strengthen support of hybrid work and other user cases that will only grow in importance to customers over time. 

Q: What product gaps is Cisco trying to address with this acquisition?

A: ThousandEyes was built to provide visibility into Internet centric environments, resulting in robust coverage of internet backbone and cloud network connectivity.  SamKnows' millions of vantage points, gained through years of partnership with ISP customers and their end users, will dramatically expand Cisco's support for consumer digital experiences and hybrid workforce connectivity. 

In addition to increasing ThousandEyes' already robust view of internet networks, SamKnows will extend ThousandEyes' offerings beyond enterprise and digital service providers to consumers and broadband service providers. While enterprises and organizations offering digital services play a crucial role in ensuring workforce and consumer experience, users and ISPs are also critical stakeholders, not only because they have direct control over the environments and infrastructure impacting experience but also because they have a vested interest in maintaining stable and performant connections to apps and services. Bringing together SamKnows and ThousandEyes will enable Cisco to streamline network visibility across users, enterprises, and service providers, driving a common language for each to see, understand and improve digital experiences over any network.