Cisco acquires IronPort Systems

  Today, Cisco announced is acquiring IronPort Systems, Inc. of San Bruno, Calif, for 830 mln usd in cash and stock. IronPort is a leading provider of messaging security appliances, focusing on enterprise spam and spyware protection.

  Securing email, messaging and other sorts of content is of primary concern to enterprises and other organizations. As email and messaging are leading applications for use over the Internet, the acquisition of IronPort's industry-leading messaging and Web security solutions is a natural extension to Cisco's security portfolio. The security products and technology from IronPort add a rich and complementary suite of messaging solutions to Cisco's industry-leading threat mitigation, confidential communications, policy control, and management solutions.

  Richard Palmer, senior vice president of Cisco's Security Technology Group said
"We feel there is enormous potential for enhanced email and message protection solutions to be integrated into the existing Cisco Self-Defending Network framework."
"Using the network as a flexible platform to integrate IronPort's technologies, Cisco will be able to build new security applications as customers' demands evolve."

  "Integrating IronPort's messaging security technology with Cisco's Self-Defending Network will enable a new level of defense for our customers," said Scott Weiss, CEO of IronPort Systems.

  Under the terms of the agreement, Cisco will pay approximately $830 million in cash and stock. The acquisition is subject to various standard closing conditions and is expected to close in the third quarter of Cisco's fiscal year 2007. Cisco anticipates this transaction will be neutral to its fiscal year 2007 non-GAAP earnings.

  Richard Palmer said that most of IronPort's 408 employees will stay and keep its headquarters in San Bruno, California.

Source : Cisco