Cisco Secures #1 Spot Again in Industrial Networking Market Share

Omdia—the leading technology research firm that now includes the former IHS Markit Technology—has once again named Cisco the market‑share leader for industrial networking components. According to the Industrial Edge Networking Components Report, 2020, Cisco dominated the 2019 calendar year with a 50% share of wireless access points, 45% of industrial routers, 33% of managed Layer 3 switches, and 22% of managed Layer 2 switches.

The report highlights that Cisco is enjoying the highest growth among the leading companies in this space.

Beyond the accolade, we want to explain the factors driving Cisco’s sustained dominance. Three core differentiators underpin our market leadership:

1. Integrated Hardware and Software Excellence
   • IoT deployments multiply device count, expanding both threat surface and management complexity. Cisco’s portfolio marries robust security, scalability, and simplicity, ensuring IoT projects succeed.
   • For over three decades, Cisco has been the trusted benchmark in networking and the largest enterprise security vendor worldwide. Our IoT suite blends industry‑leading networking and security, delivering comprehensive solutions for any location, need, or deployment scenario.
   • Hardware spans switches, routers, gateways, and access points with best‑in‑class features, industrial protocol interoperability, and deployment‑optimized form factors. Complementary software supports configuration, security, and data management across the entire IoT stack.
2. Programmability & Automation Through Industrial NetDevOps
   • Industrial NetDevOps empowers customers to scale Cisco’s IoT portfolio with programmable, automated solutions that blend IT and OT workflows.
   • Automation reduces time‑to‑value, cuts costs, and delivers real‑time visibility into network health and device performance.
3. Proven, Reference Architectures
   • We develop industry‑specific reference architectures that are rigorously tested and validated, eliminating guesswork and accelerating deployment.
   • These proven designs enable industrial networks to deliver value faster and more reliably.

Cisco is proud of this latest recognition, as well as other accolades such as the Global Leadership Award from Frost & Sullivan, Interop’s Best in Show, and the IoT Breakthrough Award. Yet we remain committed to continuous innovation and new solutions that meet our customers’ evolving industrial networking needs. Contact us to discover how Cisco can elevate your IoT strategy.