Cisco Pays $120m for Pure Networks

Network equipment maker Cisco Systems has agreed to acquire Seattle-based privately held software and services firm Pure Networks for $120m.

Cisco said the acquisition will enable it to provide integrated home networking-management applications for the development of new products.

It said the industry is in transition from “Home Networking 1.0″ where home networks are designed to share a broadband connection, to “Home Networking 2.0″ where the multimedia-enabled home will be comprised of disparate network devices, applications, and services.

Pure Networks already partners with Cisco to provide the software infrastructure and tools for its Linksys Easy Link Advisor, which enables consumers to set up, organize, manage, secure, and use a home network.

Ned Hooper, senior vice president of Cisco’s corporate development and consumer arm, said: “Pure Networks’ network-management innovations will provide Cisco and Linksys with a key underpinning to take home-networking to the next level of ease of use.”