Aruba Networks, a global leader in user-centric networks and secure mobility solutions, today announced the execution of a definitive agreement to purchase AirWave Wireless, Inc. for a total consideration of 37 million dollars in stock and cash.
AirWave, a San Mateo, California-based company, provides specialized tools to centrally manage large, multi- vendor wireless LAN, mesh, and WiMax networks.
AirWave’s management software is used by hundreds of IT organizations, including many Fortune 500 companies spanning education, finance, government, healthcare, hospitality, technology, manufacturing, and retail markets.
The agreement is said to provide Aruba with best-in-class multi-vendor mobility management tools, as well as a vehicle for better supporting its expanding technology partner eco-system.
AirWave will operate as a business unit of Aruba, chartered to enhance the AirWave Wireless Management Suite software and maintain its position as one of the industry’s leading multi-vendor management solutions.
“Customers have a vision of how they want to architect and deploy their networks, and those networks often include multiple vendors,” said Dominic Orr, Aruba’s president and CEO.
“We believe it is important to respect customers’ choices in these matters, and this acquisition positions us as the first mobility vendor to move beyond simple interoperability and offer crossvendor network management, too.”
“This acquisition gives us a chance to do so as part of a larger company that is committed to open, interoperable solutions. Aruba has a tradition of working on a variety of legacy networks, and interoperating with numerous security solutions. Aruba also promotes the interests of the broader user community through initiatives such as Open SEA and the Wireless Vulnerabilities & Exploits security alert program,” said Greg Murphy, AirWave’s chief operating officer.
The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of Aruba’s 2008 fiscal year and is subject to standard closing conditions. |
