-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 aj2aQcqgY7F555k3quTrsQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001199683-03-000057.txt : 20030904
<SEC-HEADER>0001199683-03-000057.hdr.sgml : 20030904
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030904181600
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001199683-03-000057
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030902
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030904

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			POWELL DENNIS D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001231878

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-18225
		FILM NUMBER:		03882304

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		170 WEST TASMAN DR
		CITY:			SAN JOSE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95134
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4085264000

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CISCO SYSTEMS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000858877
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	COMPUTER COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT [3576]
		IRS NUMBER:				770059951
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			CA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0731

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		170 WEST TASMAN DR
		CITY:			SAN JOSE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95134-1706
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4085264000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		225 WEST TASMAN DR
		CITY:			SAN JOSE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95134-1706
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgardoc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-09-02</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000858877</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CISCO SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CSCO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001231878</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>POWELL DENNIS D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP,CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>19.59</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-09-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>450000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-09-02</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>450000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>450000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The option shall vest as to twenty percent (20%) of the shares on the one (1) year anniversary of the date of grant, and as to the remaining eighty percent (80%) of the shares thereafter in forty eight (48) successive equal monthly installments.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Mark Chandler, Attorney-in-fact  For: Dennis D. Powell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-09-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>poa_powell.txt
<DESCRIPTION>EDGAR SUPPORTING DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
POWER OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby
constitutes and appoints Mark Chandler, David Holland and Betsy Rafael,
and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

	(1)	execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the
undersigned's capacity as an officer and/or director of Cisco Systems, Inc.
(the "Company"), any and all Form 4  reports required to be filed by the
undersigned in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder with respect to transactions in Cisco
securities;

	(2)	do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute
any such Form 4 report and timely file such report with the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or
similar authority; and

	(3)	take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection
with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be
of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by, the
undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such
attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned, pursuant to this Power
of Attorney, shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in his discretion.

	The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact
full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
whatsoever requisite, necessary, and proper to be done in the exercise
of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents
and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if personally present,
with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or his or her substitute
or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of
this Power of Attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.
The undersigned acknowledges that no such attorney-in-fact, in
serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, is
hereby assuming, nor is the Company hereby assuming, any of the
undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

	This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect
until the undersigned is no longer required to file Form 4 reports with
respect to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities
issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a
signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

	IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power
of Attorney to be executed as of this 18th day of May, 2003.


            			Signature:	s/ Dennis D. Powell
            			Printed Name:	Dennis D. Powell









</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
