Extreme Networks announced its intent to acquire Ipanematech SAS, or Ipanema, the SD-WAN division of Infovista for approximately $73 million. The acquisition will expand Extreme’s R&D footprint in Europe, where Ipanema has established partnerships with managed services providers and systems integrators. The purchase will also bolster the ExtremeCloud portfolio, which offers cloud-managed SD-WAN and security solutions required for the “Infinite Enterprise”, the company’s vision of a future in which an organization extends anywhere and everywhere.
Ipanema’s solutions, currently deployed in over 100,000 sites and serve more than 400 customers, automatically and dynamically adjust application traffic flows based on real-time network conditions, Extreme said. It added that they provide increased performance and improved quality of experience, even under diverse conditions across various types of cloud-managed WAN connectivity.
“By acquiring Ipanema, Extreme extends its market leadership position in cloud with features that will help to reduce complexity for customers when it comes to operating and managing their increasingly distributed networks,” commented Ed Meyercord, president and CEO at Extreme Networks. “Tapping into the fast-growing and developing market segments of cloud-managed SD-WAN, and, in the future SASE, accelerates our topline growth potential and expands our opportunity to grow recurring revenue with additional SaaS applications.”
Extreme Networks plans to use Ipanema’s solutions to establish an “infinitely distributed and secure” solution within the ExtremeCloud portfolio, adding additionally flexibility, capability and security when connecting locations, applications and devices. This, according to Extreme’sChief Technology Officer Nabil Bukhari, will accelerate the company’s “ability to meet the needs created by the Infinite Enterprise.”
“In isolation, SD-WAN technology barely scratches the surface of its potential, and we believe Ipanema’s technology will play a critical role in helping us continue to provide fast, secure, and superior consumer experiences,” Bukhari continued.
According to IDC, the SD-WAN market grew 18.5% in 2020 to $3 billion worldwide, with the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region accounting for 27% of the market. IDC forecasts the SD-WAN market to grow 18.9% per year through 2025, with a similar growth outlook for the EMEA region.
IDC’s Senior Research Analyst for Network Infrastructure Brandon Butler explained that as we enter a post-Covid-19 world, organizations are “increasingly realizing the importance of connectivity, especially in the wide area network.”
“Enterprises are looking for ways to assure end-user and application experiences in these distributed environments,” he continued. “SD-WAN technology helps enterprises achieve next-generation edge network architectures, particularly as it relates to security natively integrated with their WAN management tools and enabling optimized access to cloud-based applications. IDC believes SD-WAN technology will be a key technology for enterprises as they look to build out their digital transformation journeys in 2021 and beyond.”
Extreme Networks finalized its acquisition of Aerohive Networks, a cloud-management networking company, in 2019 after discovering that one of its biggest gaps was in cloud and cloud management. This latest acquisition is expected to close in October 2021.
