Cisco has changed in last 5 years, they are more sale focus, their organic growth culture died, with the result they have too much competition from new startup, and their new approach to survive strategy is buy out these startup and assimilate into their own culture, which they are very good at.
Also, they are getting rid of lot experienced and aging tech folks, growth for these tech folks has been limited because of non-existent organic growth culture, Cicso also have to manage their wall street balance sheet. so they layoff at one hand and Out-source Jobs at the other hand, has become their management mantra, and they have fully mastered this art. When I was lay off after 15 years of service @50 I was given retirement package of 5 month salary, half of income was taken by Uncle SAM and there after never got permanent Job offer, still struggling to survive as contractor with absolute cisco skill set that were limited to the the silos of their Tac setup. I hope govt. lower the retirement age for lay off employee, so I can call off my last 4-5 year of Job search and take a permanent sabbatical from tech world for ever.