F5 buys LineRate Systems to beef up SDN efforts

F5 Networks on Monday said it acquired LineRate Systems, a company that develops software defined networking software and services.

Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

The acquisition highlights how networking companies are gathering software defined networking (SDN) intellectual property, talent and products. VMware's acquisition of Nicira last year sparked a run on everything SDN.

For F5, the LineRate deal gives it access to so-called layer 7+ networking technology. LineRate features programmable networking software, but its products are early stage. LineRate is based in Boulder, Colo.

In a blog post, F5 noted:

Programmability is required for reducing operational costs through automation and centralized control, but it is also needed to enable customers to develop innovative, application-specific services that work in concert with SDN architectures.

Here's the overview of F5's architecture plans. 

More:

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• HP joins software-defined networking fray with new controller, switches
• Citrix outlines its SDN play; Teams up with Palo Alto Networks
• Brocade bolsters its SDN game, buys Vyatta
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• Cisco makes its software defined network case: Do you buy it?
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• SDN: Experimental networking tech gets a commercial boost
• VMware buys Nicira for $1.05 billion | VMware, Nicira and a holistic view of virtualization | EMC, VMware: Setting stage for unification