Netsation deal boosts Bay range

Bay Networks has bought system management startup Netsation, broadening its range to keep up with Cisco and 3Com.

Networking specialist Bay has signed a definitive agreement worth $11.6 million to acquire network management specialist Netsation, a privately held company. The acquisition will provide Bay with access to Netsation's Network Configurator product - an independent Java client/server application for enterprise and service provider network management.

It will be combined with Bay's existing management product line, Optivity, to make it easier for administrators to configure multi-platform devices and services.

Bay CEO Dave House said the deal will allow Bay to reduce the cost of ownership for its customers. 'The two companies' common vision makes this acquisition an excellent strategic investment focused on enabling customers to reduce total cost of ownership through innovation,' he said.

Commenting on the deal, Netsation CEO Sean Harrison said: 'In its relatively short existence, Netsation has established itself as a technology and market leader in network configuration management. The combination of Network Configurator and Bay Networks' Optivity management system sets the stage for significant value-added configuration systems for both service providers and enterprise customers.'

Harrison will report to Clive Foreman, VP and general manager of Bay's network management division. Netsation staff will continue to work at their existing premises.