Almost every conversation with co-workers starts with "how much longer will you stay?" This has been one of the most jarring and sudden changes in the post-acquisition phase.
If you're interested in a job at Duo, make sure to get the biggest compensation package you can. Once you're in, it's virtually impossible to get a raise of any significance. Cisco is a company that is desperately fighting for single digit revenue growth and is very focused on cost reduction. There are high-performing people at Duo that haven't gotten a raise in 2+ years.
Duo had a great exit for a small number of people and investors. Unfortunately, there's no real sense of excitement for this next phase and not a lot to look forward to. Cisco is pushing down all the worst parts of a big company. The tools and software are terrible. The processes are painfully slow. Promotions and raises are difficult to come by. Many of us spend a good amount of our time wading through bureaucracy, jumping through hoops, and sitting in meeting after meeting just to accomplish the most simple of things.