Cisco today announced a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held SightPath for $800 million. SightPath of Waltham, Mass., provides appliances for creating Web content delivery networks.
Cisco is acquiring SightPath to give its customers the ability to create so-called content delivery networks using existing Internet and intranet infrastructure. Content delivery networks enable enterprise customers to quickly deploy data-intensive applications such as real-time video and online training to employees throughout an organization, Cisco says.
SightPath's products will also enable service providers to offer content delivery services to their customers.
SightPath's appliances continually collect data on Web traffic, congestion and server load in order to route a user's request to the most optimal server. SightPath's appliances also distribute content closer to the edge of the network. These capabilities help ensure that Web content and other content-rich applications are delivered to the user in the most efficient way possible, Cisco says.
Cisco expects the acquisition to close in the fourth quarter of Cisco's fiscal year 2000.
SightPath was founded in 1998. Its 76 employees will continue to be managed by SightPath CEO Jim Ricotta and will join Cisco's Content Services business unit in the Enterprise line of business. Ricotta will report to Cisco Senior Vice President James Richardson.
Cisco, in San Jose, is at 408-526-4000, or at www.cisco.com/. SightPath, in Waltham, Mass., can be reached at 781-663-8200.
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