Cisco to Acquire UK Networking Software Specialist

Cisco has agreed to acquire British networking software specialist Ensoft for an undisclosed sum.

The deal, which is due to close within the next couple of months, was announced in a company blog by Rob Salvagno, head of Cisco's M&A and venture investment team.

Harpenden, UK-based Ensoft develops software that supports service provider packet networking functionality, including routing, switching, carrier Ethernet, IMS functionality (such as session border control), network security and more, and appear to have done much of its work as a development partner to Cisco. It has about 70 engineering staff, revenues of about £10 million (US$12.8 million) and has been operational for more than 20 years.

Salvagno's blog says Ensoft's software will help Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) in its quest to make service provider IP networks more programmable and automated, suggesting that the specialist's software will play a role in the further development of its IOS XR operating system for service provider routers.

In fact, it seems it already does: Ensoft's CTO and board director Simon Chatterjee has been a consultant to Cisco for almost 20 years and, according to his LinkedIn profile, was a co-architect of IOS XR.

Ensoft will become part of Cisco's Service Provider Networking Group, which is headed up by Senior Vice President and General Manager Sumeet Arora.

— Ray Le Maistre, Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading