Turin and Force10 marry for network products

Turin Networks Inc., which specializes in wireless backhaul, carrier Ethernet and converged access products, announced it will merge with Force10 Networks Inc., which builds networks. With the deal, the companies will serve 1,300 customers worldwide. Customers include top-tier service providers and enterprise data centers.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed but the two organizations will do business under the name of Force10 Networks Inc. and will focus on enterprise data center and service provider markets.
Henry Wasik, Turin CEO, has been named president and CEO of the new company. James Hanley, Force10 CEO, will be in charge of field operations, which include sales, marketing, services and business development.
Hanley said in a statement that the companies will strengthen their position in the two markets by leveraging existing joint distribution, integration and technology alliance partners.
“This merger creates both operational efficiencies and market focus in two high growth high performance networking segments,” Hanley said. “The new company will also be positioned over time to deliver innovative new product solutions through the integration of Turin Networks’ wireless backhaul, metro service edge and converged access products and Force10 Networks ‘ access switches.”
“Delivering both innovative data center solutions for virtualization and 10 Gigabit Ethernet, as well as a broad range of solutions that enable diverse service providers’ to migrate to carrier Ethernet-based converged networks are the basis for our continued growth,” Wasik said.
According to the research firm IDC, the number of 10 GbE ports that will be deployed next year is expected to reach 2 million and revenue for Ethernet switching is expected to reach $6.4 billion in 2012.
Revenue for pseudowire and Ethernet backhaul transport equipment is expected to reach more than $5 billion by 2012, according to research by Ovum RHK.
The new organization will be based in San Jose, Calif., with sales offices worldwide and research centers in India and China. The merger is expected to be finalized by March.