10. A New Cisco Will Emerge

With CEO Chuck Robbins (pictured) at the helm, 2016 was a transition year at the networking giant as the company underwent an internal restructuring that included 5,500 layoffs, the reorganization of its 25,000-member engineering unit and the departure of many of its longtime top executives. The need to shakeup the global networking leader was a necessity in order for Cisco to become nimbler, faster and shift its focus to the markets that will drive the digital economy.

To that end, Cisco has been revamping its certifications to emphasize skillsets in software-defined networking, IoT and cloud.

Cisco will find its footing as a digital company this year, with Cisco Meraki potentially taking center stage. You can also expect a drop in executive churn as Robbins has established his leadership team, including Rowan Trollope and David Goeckeler. This year will give us a clearer picture of who the networking giant (and potential cybersecurity giant) will be in the digital age.