Cisco To Acquire Composite Software

With yet another software purchase, Cisco (CSCO) announced its intent to acquire privately held Composite Software, a market leader in data virtualization software and services for $180 million.

Privately held Composite pioneered data virtualization, which connects many types of data from across the network and makes it appear as if it's in one place. Expanding Cisco's portfolio of Smart Services Composite will extend the services platform by connecting data and infrastructure. As with the transition from physical servers to server virtualization and from physical networks to network virtualization, together Cisco and Composite will accelerate the shift from physical data integration to data virtualization for customers and partners.

"Cisco's strategy is to create a next generation IT model that provides highly differentiated solutions to help solve our customers' most challenging business problems," said Gary Moore, Cisco president and chief operating officer. "By combining our network expertise with the performance of Cisco's Unified Computing System and Composite's software, we will provide customers with instant access to data analysis for greater business intelligence."

Last March Cisco acquired SolveDirect, an Austrian company that provides cloud-delivered services management integration software and services. Together with Composite, the two companies will help provide cross-domain data and workflow integration capabilities to enable real time business insights and operations. Upon completion of the acquisition, Composite employees will join the Cisco services team, under the leadership of Mala Anand, senior vice president, Cisco Services Platforms Group and Mike Flannagan, senior director and general manager of the Integration Brokerage Technology Group.