Mallikarjuna Rao is a seasoned Leader in Technical Marketing Engineering within Cisco’s Data Center Networking (DCN) group, bringing over 15 years of industry experience. A specialist in switching and packet-level visibility, he helps customers gain critical insights into their networks. His deep expertise in Nexus OS and hardware/software security allows him to advocate for robust, multi-layered protection across the data center Throughout his career, Mallikarjuna has held hands-on roles across the software development lifecycle—including development and quality assurance—within both startups and large-scale organizations. This background, combined with his customer-facing experience, gives him a unique understanding of the real-world pain points faced by network and security teams. Consequently, he excels at developing scalable, practical solutions for packet visibility and data center security. Mallikarjuna bridges the gap between technical innovation and business strategy, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and an MBA from Purdue University. He also maintains multiple certifications from Cisco and leading cloud vendors to stay at the forefront of technological advancements. At Cisco, he is responsible for steering the evolution of data center products and security solutions, focusing on building planet-scale networks using advanced infrastructure. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Mallikarjuna enjoys spending quality time with his family, watching movies, and mentoring his young sons. His passion for solving complex customer problems, paired with his blend of technical mastery and business vision, continues to shape the future of data center networking.