MENLO PARK, Calif., Jan. 24, 1994 -- Cisco Systems, Inc., is the first major supplier of multiprotocol internetworking products to be awarded full ISO 9001 certification, an internationally recognized endorsement for quality management and quality assurance.

Registration was granted on November 24, 1993 by Bureau Veritas Quality International (BVQI). BVQI is an independent, third-party registrar accredited in the U.S., England, Germany and the Netherlands.

This certification provides assurance to Cisco's global customer base that the processes involved in the design and development; the manufacture; and the service and support of Cisco products adhere to the ISO 9001 quality management standard, the most stringent and comprehensive of the ISO 9000 quality management standards.

Cisco President and CEO John Morgridge said, "Cisco products are found at the heart of the largest and most sophisticated networks in the world -- networks that serve as the backbone for mission-critical applications as well as what is now being referred to as the "data superhighway." Our customers demand that we not only maintain a high level of quality, but that we put systems in place to continuously improve that quality. ISO 9001 certification emphasizes that our total solution is based on quality.

"ISO 9001 certification is a critical part of our commitment to being a major player in the global marketplace," Morgridge added. "It is a requirement for doing business with domestic telecommunications suppliers, with the Australian government, and across the board in Europe."

Certification is valid for three years subject to periodic auditing by the third-party registrar.

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