When Cisco Systems Inc decided years ago to drop a network-security project known internally as “Apollo,” little did it know it had paved the way for a startup to blossom into a formidable competitor.
That company, Palo Alto Networks, is one of the leaders today in the multibillion-dollar market for corporate Internet firewalls. Founded in 2005, Palo Alto Networks debuts next week in an initial public offering that could value the firm at more than $2-billion.