Cisco Systems Inc. today said it has agreed to buy IronPort Systems Inc., a developer of e-mail and Web security products, for $830 million.
IronPort offers a range of appliances that companies use to protect their networks from Internet threats, such as spam and spyware. Its appliances also help secure e-mail services for Internet service providers.
The acquisition will help Cisco address its customers' concerns about securing e-mail, messaging and other content as Internet threats grow more sophisticated, Cisco said. The networking company plans to integrate IronPort's e-mail and message protection technologies into its Self-Defending Network framework.
In addition to messaging security products, IronPort also sells a security management appliance that offers enterprises a single location to manage, store and monitor corporate policies.
IronPort, founded in 2000 and based in San Bruno, Calif., has 408 employees. Those employees will work as a business unit in Cisco's security and technology group. The deal is expected to close by July.
The acquisition comes after several smaller purchases by Cisco in 2006, including Tivella Inc., an IP video company, and Meetinghouse Data Communications Inc., a wireless security vendor.