Cisco has completed its $6100m acquisition of software-defined WAN specialist Viptela on Tuesday, accelerating the networking giant’s Network Intuitive strategy.
“The intuitive network is an intelligent, highly secure platform – powered by intent and informed by context and Viptela’s solution is perfectly aligned with that vision,” said Scott Harrell, Senior Vice President of Product Management for Cisco’s Enterprise Networking Group, in a blog post. “The Viptela team will be joining our enterprise networking engineering and sales teams to begin extending Cisco’s vision for intent-based networking across the WAN, campus, and branch.”
In June, Cisco unveiled what CEO Chuck Robbins called “the new network” – an intent-based intuitive networking system that anticipates actions, stops security threats and continues to evolve and learn.
“I really believe we are redefining the network for the next 30 years,” said Robbins during the product launch event in June. “In my 20 years at Cisco, I have never been more excited about our innovation than I am about what we’re delivering today … We truly are building the network of the future.”
The Network Intuitive consists of several new technologies including a line of Catalyst switches, a revamped IOS software for the digital age as well as security and analytics offerings.
Following the close of Viptela, Harrell said the SD-WAN vendor will help Cisco change “the fundamental blueprint for networking with re-imagined hardware and the most advanced software.” Viptela fits into Cisco’s strategic transition towards a software-centric, subscription-led networking model, he added.
