Cisco plans to acquire Linsider for its engineers, rapid provisioning tools Muscling up on cloud technologies, Cisco Systems is in the process of acquiring network management software vendor LineSider Technologies, the company announced Wednesday. Cisco is interested in the LineSider technology for rapid network provisioning software, as well as for its workforce of engineers. Both will help in Cisco’s pursuit of the fledgling cloud market, according to the company. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.“With the acquisition of LineSider, Cisco will gain a key component to helping customers make [the] shift” to cloud computing, said Jesper Andersen, senior vice president of Cisco’s Network Management Technology Group, in a statement. “LineSider’s advanced network management software integrates both physical and virtual network services with a policy-based approach and makes networks more flexible and responsive to change,” he said.LineSider’s flagship OverDrive software provides an abstraction layer that allows users to easily organize and reorganize network components. Using the software’s policy-based approach, organizations can craft a set of rules that can reconfigure virtual networks, depending on demand. In 2008, Cisco competitor 3Com partnered with LineSider to offer a version of OverDrive software that would work with 3Com’s routers, which would allow customers to more easily virtualize their networks.Based in Danvers, Massachusetts, and founded in 2005, LineSider has also partnered with VMware, EMC and Cisco itself. Barring unforeseen circumstances, Cisco expects to close the deal by April 2011. LineSider employees will join Cisco Network Management Technology Group. Joab Jackson covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Joab on Twitter at @Joab_Jackson. Joab’s e-mail address is Joab_Jackson@idg.com Related content news Okta launches Cybersecurity Workforce Development Initiative New philanthropic and educational grants aim to advance inclusive pathways into cybersecurity and technology careers. By Michael Hill Oct 04, 2023 3 mins IT Skills Careers Security news New critical AI vulnerabilities in TorchServe put thousands of AI models at risk The vulnerabilities can completely compromise the AI infrastructure of the world’s biggest businesses, Oligo Security said. By Shweta Sharma Oct 04, 2023 4 mins Vulnerabilities news ChatGPT “not a reliable” tool for detecting vulnerabilities in developed code NCC Group report claims machine learning models show strong promise in detecting novel zero-day attacks. By Michael Hill Oct 04, 2023 3 mins DevSecOps Generative AI Vulnerabilities news Google Chrome zero-day jumps onto CISA's known vulnerability list A serious security flaw in Google Chrome, which was discovered under active exploitation in the wild, is a new addition to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency’s Known Exploited vulnerabilities catalog. By Jon Gold Oct 03, 2023 3 mins Zero-day vulnerability Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe