This weblog is co-authored by means of Gary Steele, President & CEO of Splunk.

So much has took place since we introduced our settlement to mix Cisco and Splunk. We’ve every been at the highway assembly with consumers to be told how in combination we will assist them keep forward of the evolving generation panorama to force results crucial to their organizations.

A not unusual query right through our respective conversations has been: How will the blended corporate higher serve consumers?

We proceed to listen to from organizations world wide that the resilience in their virtual programs issues greater than ever. With the acceleration of AI, increasing risk surfaces, and hybrid, multi-cloud environments, retaining programs securely up and operating has turn out to be exponentially extra advanced – difficult that businesses get right of entry to, analyze and act on their information sooner than ever earlier than.

We each imagine that combining Cisco and Splunk will let us harness the facility of knowledge and AI to ship outstanding buyer results now and one day. And the nice factor is, now we have a cast basis to construct upon.

Over the past 10 years, Cisco and Splunk have partnered to assist hundreds of organizations navigate the demanding situations of the hyperconnected international. Our complementary features have helped offer protection to our consumers and in finding and attach issues by means of powering complete visibility throughout extremely advanced generation stacks. Becoming a member of forces would be the subsequent step in our adventure to deliver transformative innovation to organizations international.

Accelerating innovation throughout safety and observability

Splunk and Cisco were independently innovating at an speeded up tempo to stay alongside of the dynamic generation panorama. Within the closing twelve months, Cisco has offered the Cisco Networking Cloud, Cisco Prolonged Detection and Reaction (XDR), Cisco Protected Get right of entry to (SSE), and Cisco Multicloud Protection, Cisco Complete-Stack Observability Platform, G200 and G202 networking chips for AI workloads, and AI Assistants and features throughout Cisco’s collaboration, safety, and observability portfolios.

Splunk, too, continues to boost up innovation throughout its AI-powered Safety and Observability product portfolio. Take safety for example. At Splunk’s marquee buyer and companion tournament, .conf23, Splunk offered more than one new options for its award-winning Endeavor Safety and SOAR merchandise, and in addition introduced the overall availability of Splunk Assault Analyzer, which integrates the features bought from TwinWave closing yr into Splunk’s unified safety operations enjoy.

We imagine the union of Splunk and Cisco’s applied sciences will boost up the modern safety answers wanted within the trendy SOC. We’re excited about the prospective worth that our complementary answers, Splunk’s SIEM and Cisco’s tough XDR, will supply safety groups at the frontlines of an evolving risk panorama. We’re additionally excited about the super alternatives that exist to force larger reliability and function for organizations in the course of the complementary worth throughout Splunk’s observability portfolio, logging and IT infrastructure tracking answers and Cisco’s observability platform and AppDynamics APM portfolio.

All over this time of transition, consumers can proceed to depend on either one of our organizations to innovate on the speedy tempo they’ve come to be expecting. After we come in combination, we’re excited for the chance to boost up our joint innovation even additional to deliver organizations fantastic breadth and intensity in our answers to force visibility, safety, and reliability throughout their complete tech stack. Becoming a member of forces represents an important funding to double down at the tempo of innovation throughout safety and observability to proceed riding fantastic buyer worth.

Expanded world succeed in and the facility of partnership

Cisco has super world scale, and in combination, we’ll draw upon our collective assets and infrastructure to allow extra organizations globally to advance resilience thru Cisco and Splunk’s expansive services and products.

One instance is the Cisco companion ecosystem that performs an instrumental function in getting tough applied sciences to extra consumers globally. Either one of our organizations proceed to peer wonderful alternatives to forge partnerships and assist our long term joint consumers unencumber incremental worth.

Cisco has been dedicated to its world companion ecosystem and partner-led style for greater than 27 years. 1000’s of companions world-wide assist us cross to marketplace, streamline complexity, and ship measurable trade worth for our consumers, by means of assembly them the place they’re with the generation they want.

Upload to that Splunk’s companion ecosystem, which is composed of greater than 2,600 organizations all devoted to serving to consumers notice the super worth of its AI-powered safety and observability. This community works hand-in-hand with consumers world wide to deliver the best experience and strategic partnership on the proper time to assist force resilience.

Subsequent steps in our adventure in combination

Cisco and Splunk are excited to proceed to do what we like maximum: serving to our consumers succeed in their generation results with cutting edge merchandise and answers. That mentioned, it’s essential to needless to say we’re best at the start of making plans for our long term in combination. Till the transaction closes, which we think to happen by means of the top of the 3rd quarter of calendar yr 2024, Cisco and Splunk stay separate and unbiased corporations.

Between now and shut, Cisco and Splunk be expecting to proceed operating seamlessly with our respective consumers. For every of our respective organizations, there might be no speedy adjustments to the services and products Cisco or Splunk supply or adjustments to how both corporate helps its consumers.

After all, we need to emphasize that neither Splunk nor Cisco could be the place we’re lately with out the loyalty and believe of our respective consumers. You force us to be the most efficient within the business, and we’re thankful in your ongoing believe and partnership. We imagine the longer term is shiny for Cisco and Splunk, and – extra importantly, for our consumers. In combination, we will unencumber many extra alternatives to assist securely attach the entirety all whilst construction a more secure and extra resilient virtual international.

Splunk Cautionary Observation Referring to Ahead-Taking a look Statements

This weblog accommodates “forward-looking statements” throughout the which means of the federal securities regulations, together with Phase 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Phase 21E of the Securities Trade Act of 1934, as amended. Those forward-looking statements are in keeping with Splunk’s present expectancies, estimates and projections concerning the anticipated date of final of the proposed transaction and the prospective advantages thereof, its trade and business, control’s ideals and likely assumptions made by means of Splunk and Cisco, all of which can be matter to switch. On this context, forward-looking statements frequently deal with anticipated long term trade and monetary efficiency and monetary situation, and frequently comprise phrases corresponding to “be expecting,” “watch for,” “intend,” “plan,” “imagine,” “may,” “search,” “see,” “will,” “would possibly,” “would,” “would possibly,” “probably,” “estimate,” “proceed,” “be expecting,” “goal,” equivalent expressions or the negatives of those phrases or different related terminology that put across uncertainty of long term occasions or results. All forward-looking statements by means of their nature deal with issues that contain dangers and uncertainties, lots of which can be past our regulate, and aren’t promises of long term effects, corresponding to statements concerning the consummation of the proposed transaction and the expected advantages thereof. Those and different forward-looking statements, together with the failure to consummate the proposed transaction or to make or take any submitting or different motion required to consummate the transaction on a well timed subject or in any respect, aren’t promises of long term effects and are matter to dangers, uncertainties and assumptions that would motive exact effects to range materially from the ones expressed in any forward-looking statements. Accordingly, there are or might be essential components that would motive exact effects to range materially from the ones indicated in such statements and, subsequently, you must no longer position undue reliance on one of these statements and warning should be exercised in depending on forward-looking statements. Essential possibility components that can motive this kind of distinction come with, however aren’t restricted to: (i) the finishing touch of the proposed transaction on expected phrases and timing, together with acquiring shareholder and regulatory approvals, expected tax remedy, unexpected liabilities, long term capital expenditures, revenues, bills, income, synergies, financial efficiency, indebtedness, monetary situation, losses, long term potentialities, trade and control methods for the control, enlargement and enlargement of Splunk’s trade and different prerequisites to the finishing touch of the transaction; (ii) the have an effect on of the COVID-19 pandemic on Splunk’s trade and normal financial prerequisites; (iii) Splunk’s skill to put into effect its trade technique; (iv) vital transaction prices related to the proposed transaction; (v) possible litigation with regards to the proposed transaction; (vi) the chance that disruptions from the proposed transaction will hurt Splunk’s trade, together with present plans and operations; (vii) the facility of Splunk to retain and rent key body of workers; (viii) possible antagonistic reactions or adjustments to trade relationships because of the announcement or finishing touch of the proposed transaction; (ix) legislative, regulatory and financial traits affecting Splunk’s trade; (x) normal financial and marketplace traits and prerequisites; (xi) the evolving criminal, regulatory and tax regimes beneath which Splunk operates; (xii) possible trade uncertainty, together with adjustments to present trade relationships, right through the pendency of the merger that would have an effect on Splunk’s monetary efficiency; (xiii) restrictions right through the pendency of the proposed transaction that can have an effect on Splunk’s skill to pursue positive trade alternatives or strategic transactions; and (xiv) unpredictability and severity of catastrophic occasions, together with, however no longer restricted to, acts of terrorism or outbreak of struggle or hostilities, in addition to Splunk’s reaction to any of the aforementioned components. Those dangers, in addition to different dangers related to the proposed transaction, are extra totally mentioned within the definitive proxy remark filed with the U.S. Securities and Trade Fee on October 30, 2023 in reference to the proposed transaction. Whilst the listing of things offered here’s, and the listing of things offered within the proxy remark is, regarded as consultant, no such listing must be regarded as to be an entire remark of all possible dangers and uncertainties. Unlisted components would possibly provide vital further hindrances to the conclusion of ahead browsing statements. Penalties of subject material variations in effects as when compared with the ones expected within the forward-looking statements may come with, amongst different issues, trade disruption, operational issues, monetary loss, criminal legal responsibility to 3rd events and equivalent dangers, any of which may have a subject material antagonistic impact on Splunk’s monetary situation, result of operations, or liquidity. Splunk does no longer suppose any legal responsibility to publicly supply revisions or updates to any forward-looking statements, whether or not because of new knowledge, long term traits or another way, must cases exchange, aside from as another way required by means of securities and different appropriate regulations.

Cisco Cautionary Observation Referring to Ahead-Taking a look Statements

This weblog is also deemed to comprise forward-looking statements, which can be matter to the protected harbor provisions of the Personal Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Any statements that aren’t statements of historic reality (together with statements containing the phrases “will,” “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “estimates,” “strives,” “purpose,” “intends,” “would possibly,” “endeavors,” “continues,” “tasks,” “seeks,” or “goals,” or the detrimental of those phrases or different related terminology, in addition to equivalent expressions) must be regarded as to be forward-looking statements, even though no longer all forward-looking statements comprise those figuring out phrases.  Readers must no longer position undue reliance on those forward-looking statements, as those statements are the control’s ideals and assumptions, lots of which, by means of their nature, are inherently unsure, and outdoor of the control’s regulate.  Ahead-looking statements would possibly come with statements in regards to the anticipated advantages to Cisco, Splunk and their respective consumers from finishing the transaction, the combination of Splunk’s and Cisco’s complementary features to create an end-to-end platform designed to unencumber larger virtual resilience for purchasers, plans for long term funding and capital allocation, the anticipated monetary efficiency of Cisco following the anticipated finishing touch of the transaction, and the anticipated finishing touch of the transaction.  Statements relating to long term occasions are in keeping with the events’ present expectancies, estimates and projections and are essentially matter to related dangers associated with, amongst different issues, (i) the finishing touch of the proposed transaction on expected phrases and timing, together with acquiring stockholder and regulatory approvals and different prerequisites to the finishing touch of the transaction, (ii) the impact of the announcement or pendency of the proposed transaction on Splunk’s trade, running effects, and relationships with consumers, providers, competition and others, (iii) dangers that the proposed transaction would possibly disrupt Splunk’s present plans and trade operations, (iv) dangers associated with the diverting of control’s consideration from Splunk’s ongoing trade operations, (v) the prevalence of any tournament, exchange or different cases that would give upward thrust to the termination of the definitive settlement, (vi) the result of any criminal lawsuits associated with the transaction, (vii) the prospective results at the accounting of the proposed transaction, (viii) legislative, regulatory and financial traits, (ix) normal financial prerequisites, (x) restrictions right through the pendency of the proposed transaction that can have an effect on Splunk’s skill to pursue positive trade alternatives or strategic transactions, (xi) the retention of key body of workers, and (xii) the facility of Cisco to effectively combine Splunk’s marketplace alternatives, generation, body of workers and operations and to succeed in anticipated advantages. Subsequently, exact effects would possibly range materially and adversely from the expected effects or results indicated in any forward-looking statements. For info relating to different comparable dangers, see the “Possibility Components” phase of Cisco’s most up-to-date document on Shape 10-Ok filed on September 7, 2023, the “Possibility Components” phase of Splunk’s most up-to-date experiences on Shape 10-Q and Shape 10-Ok filed with the SEC on August 24, 2023 and March 23, 2023, respectively, and dangers described within the definitive proxy remark with regards to the transaction filed with the SEC by means of Splunk on October 30, 2023. The events adopt no legal responsibility to revise or replace any forward-looking statements for any explanation why, aside from as required by means of regulation.

Further Knowledge and The place to In finding It

In reference to the proposed transaction and required stockholder approval, Splunk filed with the SEC a definitive proxy remark on October 30, 2023. The proxy remark has been mailed to the stockholders of Splunk. This file isn’t an alternative choice to the proxy remark or some other file which Splunk would possibly report with the SEC. Splunk’s stockholders are instructed to rigorously learn the proxy remark (together with all amendments, dietary supplements and any paperwork integrated by means of reference therein) and different related fabrics filed or to be filed with the SEC and of their entirety as a result of they comprise essential details about the proposed transaction and the events to the transaction. Traders would possibly download loose copies of those paperwork and different paperwork filed with the SEC at its web page at www.sec.gov. As well as, buyers would possibly download loose copies of the paperwork filed with the SEC by means of Splunk by means of going to Splunk’s Investor Family members web page on its company web page at https://buyers.splunk.com or by means of contacting Splunk Investor Family members at ir@splunk.com.

Individuals within the Solicitation

Splunk and its government officials and administrators is also deemed to be members within the solicitation of proxies from Splunk’s stockholders with appreciate to the transaction. Details about Splunk’s administrators and government officials, together with their possession of Splunk securities, is ready forth within the definitive proxy remark associated with the transaction, which was once filed with the SEC on October 30, 2023, proxy remark for Splunk’s 2023 Annual Assembly of Stockholders, which was once filed with the SEC on Might 9, 2023, Shape 8-Ok filed with the SEC on September 21, 2023, and Splunk’s different filings with the SEC. Traders would possibly download extra detailed knowledge in regards to the direct and oblique pursuits of Splunk and its respective government officials and administrators within the transaction, that may be other than the ones of Splunk stockholders most often, by means of studying the definitive proxy remark in regards to the transaction, which was once filed with the SEC.

As well as, Cisco and its government officials and administrators is also deemed to have participated within the solicitation of proxies from Splunk’s stockholders in desire of the approval of the transaction. Knowledge regarding Cisco’s administrators and government officials is ready forth in Cisco’s proxy remark for its 2023 Annual Assembly of Stockholders, which was once filed with the SEC on October 17, 2023, the 2023 annual document furnished to safety holders on October 17, 2023, annual document on Shape 10-Ok filed with the SEC on September 7, 2023, Shape 8-Ok filed with the SEC on September 21, 2023 and Cisco’s different filings with the SEC. Those paperwork are to be had without cost on the SEC’s web page at www.sec.gov or by means of going to Cisco’s Investor Family members web page at https://investor.cisco.com.

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