Buyout gives Foundry chance to branch out

Brocade wants partners ecosystems to benefit

Brocade and Foundry hope to work in the storage sector

After acquiring switching specialist Foundry Networks in a $3bn (£1.5bn) deal, storage vendor Brocade has claimed both firms’ partner ecosystems could now benefit from broadening their horizons.

The two firms announced a definitive agreement last month and the deal is now subject to the approval of Foundry stockholders. Brocade’s EMEA director of marketing Mike Murphy told CRN that Foundry would eventually come under the Brocade brand name, but that no major changes to either company’s business model or channel strategy are planned.

“This deal should give Foundry and its partners opportunities to branch out in different directions,” he said. “For Brocade, there is a chance to look at both channel programmes and cherry-pick the best aspects of each.”

Murphy told CRN that the move would see his company’s total available market expand from $2bn to $20bn, and that he would not rule out further acquisitions in the networking space.

Alex Raistrick, director for northern Europe at rival switching vendor ConSentry, said: “With Brocade’s channel, there will be some cross-pollination, but is the Foundry channel ready to work in the highly specialised storage market? They will possibly start looking around at alternative vendors.”