CISCO HAS ANNOUNCED a US$100mn global strategic initiative focused on small business networking and communications solutions for companies with fewer than 100 employees. Cisco aims to help small businesses gain greater agility and efficiency in working with customers who are increasingly expecting to do business on the move, on the Internet and via video. According to research firm IDC, the SMB market in the Middle East will account for more than a third of all IT spending by 2011 and comprises 70 to 80 per cent of businesses in this region.