Chambers: Cisco and Microsoft have been working together for nearly a decade. Our alliance includes having open discussions about where we can deliver interoperable technology that meets our customer needs. Because both companies have many of the same customers, they are requesting that we work together much more than in the past. Nearly every customer that we serve has a combination of Cisco and Microsoft technologies as critical components of their information infrastructure. Because the intersection of networking and software is so essential to business success today, we recognize how important it is that we work together to make sure that our products interoperate as seamlessly and as smoothly as possible. Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO (left) and Cisco Chairman and CEO John Chambers.