Cisco Systems will add switch-silicon vendor Greenfield Networks to its arsenal for metro Ethernet, a technology many service providers are now rolling out for business customers.Privately held Greenfield, founded in 2000, makes processors that can handle advanced functions in Ethernet switches and are positioned for carrier Ethernet networks. It is headed by Bill Rossi, former head of Cisco’s wireless networking unit, and several other ex-Cisco executives. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.Metro Ethernet extends the familiar LAN technology out to a regionwide scale. Service providers are using it to offer high-speed business services with flexible bandwidth and an interface that enterprise network staffs already understand. Ethernet also generally costs less than traditional carrier network technologies, proponents say.Cisco is already a major player in metro Ethernet. Greenfield’s technology is complementary and will be integrated with Cisco’s own, helping the company bring out new carrier-class features more quickly, Cisco said. Greenfield’s products support features such as packet prioritization, guaranteed bandwidth, multiprotocol label switching and IP Version 6. Greenfield is based in Sunnyvale, Calif., and has 60 employees there and in Bangalore, India. With regulatory approvals, the deal should close in the second quarter of Cisco’s 2007 fiscal year, which ends in January. The employees and products will be integrated into Cisco’s Ethernet and wireless technology group.-Stephen Lawson, IDG News Service (San Francisco Bureau) Related Links: Cisco Q1 Profit, Revenue Surge Cisco CEO Preaches Networks, Collaboration Cisco Gets Into Enterprise Video Publishing Cisco Enables Widescreen MeetingsCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content BrandPost Leadership superpower: Succeeding sustainably As today's great leaders recognize, true success is not solely measured by the bottom line but also by the impact a business has on its stakeholders, including employees, partners, and the environment. By Marie Kalliney, Practice Leader, Digital Transformation Services, Broadcom Mar 28, 2023 5 mins IT Leadership BrandPost Helping the C-suite leverage their network as a business-boosting asset By Tanya O'Hara Mar 28, 2023 3 mins IT Leadership Opinion 5 hard questions every IT leader must answer Strong leadership is vital to IT success — and shouldn’t be taken for granted. Continual self-reflection is essential for knowing whether it’s time to restructure your approach to leading IT. By Thornton May Mar 28, 2023 5 mins Business IT Alignment IT Leadership Feature CIOs address the impact of hybrid work Assessing how some of the most progressive CIOs strive to provide both technological and emotional support for a dispersed workforce. By Pat Brans Mar 28, 2023 8 mins CIO Remote Work Employee Experience 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