Cisco Systems Inc. is stepping up its network management efforts with two recent acquisitions and a newly created business unit called the Service Provider Software and Applications Group (SWAG).

The group, created about three months ago and headed up by VP and General Manager Shailesh Shukla, will be the corporate home for Cisco's latest acquisitions of Cariden Technologies Inc. and BroadHop Inc., as well as its existing assets related to "software-based monetization and optimization," according to the company.

The move suggests Cisco wants to strut its Service Provider Information Technology (SPIT) stuff.

Here's how Cisco describes the new group: "Within our Service Provider Networking business, we are consolidating all the assets related to software-based monetization and optimization into the SP SWAG group, which will have software products related to services infrastructure, orchestration and applications that relate to monetization and optimization."

The new division is part of Cisco's Service Provider Mobility Group within the broader Service Provider Networking Group, but it will serve wireline as well as wireless networking customers.

Cisco says the creation of the new unit is in line with its broader strategic goal of closing the loop between the network, analytics and policy that involves having the software tools needed to harvest network intelligence, do network orchestration and program for an optimized experience.

According to Shukla, a couple of specific examples of what his unit will be working on include "ensuring linkages between Layer 1 and Layer 3" networking, as well as "driving subscriber- and session-based services across Wi-Fi and small cells."

So will Cisco be making further acquisitions to build up the new business unit? "We don't comment on anything like that," said Shukla.

But one thing is for sure, there's a SWAG(ger) in Cisco's service provider step. (Sorry.)

— Michelle Donegan, European Editor, Light Reading Mobile