Why do Gartner and Cisco appear to contradict each other?

I mean, how exactly have Cisco's overlapping, conflicting architectures and confusing choices that lead to suboptimal product selection along with overengineered solutions (at least according to Gartner), gotten Cisco to a point of architectural vision alignment with its customers?

Tallahassee, Florida:   Mon, 8/31/15 - 10:55pm    View comments
 

Today I compared Gartner's most recent Magic Quadrant for Data Center Networking with Cisco's Q4'FY15 earnings conference call, and in my opinion they appear to contradict each other.

How so?

Well for example, Gartner states:

"Cisco has a deep and broad portfolio of solutions... but with several overlapping and conflicting architectures.

"Gartner clients have complained about confusing choices that can lead to suboptimal product selection."

Yet Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins totally contradicts Gartner:

"We have really gotten to a point of what I'd say architectural vision alignment with most of our customers."

Additionally, Gartner continued to contradict Robbins:

"We often observe Cisco or its channel proposing overengineered solutions."

I mean, how exactly have Cisco's overlapping, conflicting architectures and confusing choices that lead to suboptimal product selection along with overengineered solutions (at least according to Gartner), gotten Cisco to a point of architectural vision alignment with its customers?

Gartner then states:

"Although Cisco ACI is now generally available, we have observed very limited market adoption and estimate that there are fewer than 25 large-scale enterprise production ACI installations as of late March 2015. Enterprise clients continue to report that Cisco has difficulty producing production references for ACI deployments."

Yet Cisco CFO Kelly Kramer contradicts Gartner too:

"Switching grew 2%, with very strong 200%-plus growth of ACI."

So what's your opinion, why do you think Gartner and Cisco appear to contradict each other?

Related documents:

Cisco's Q4'FY15 earnings conference call

Gartner Magic Quadrant for Data Center Networking
 

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