Cisco announced layoffs. The California-based networking equipment company said it will let go of about 7% of its workforce,roughly 5,500 people, as it shifts its focus to software. It’s the second major tech layoff this year, after Intel in April announced plans (pdf) to lay off 12,000 people. The business of selling routers and switches makes no sense for Cisco in this age of Chinese rivals where margins have dropped heavily.