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Topspin's particular forte is InfiniBand-based server fabric switches that connect servers together into a grid, and provide the server grid with network and storage connectivity. Its range of products are aimed at data centres within enterprises, service providers, research institutions, and universities, with mission critical applications that are computational and data intensive and require high availability.

Topspin already has a number of partnerships with leading IT companies including Dell, HP, IBM, NEC and Sun, all of whom offer Topspin InfiniBand-based server fabric switching

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to their customers.

Luca Cafiero, Cisco's Senior Vice President, Data Centre, Switching and Wireless Technology Group said 'The widespread adoption of server architectures such as blades, grid computing, and clustered applications is driving an emerging market opportunity within the data centre. As our customers build out these new computing environments, it is important that we deliver server networking technologies to fit their needs.'

The deals means that Cisco will be able to offer its customers the flexibility to build their networks based on grid designs. The acquisition will also allow Cisco to complement its existing network switching and storage switching systems. These include the Ethernet-based Catalyst switching platform for Internet/intranet infrastructure and its multiprotocol MDS switches for storage area networks (SANs).

'By adding Topspin's server fabric switches and virtualisation software, alongside our industry leading portfolio of Ethernet and SAN switches we are able to offer our customers compelling end-to-end data centre switching capabilities' said Cafiero.

The deal is expected to close at the end of July this year.