Cisco To Resell Opsware Network Automation Software

Cisco Systems on Monday said it will begin selling rebranded technology from IT automation software vendor Opsware.

Under the multiyear deal, Cisco will rebrand and resell Opsware's Network Automation System (NAS), said Ben Horowitz, CEO of Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Opsware, which makes data center automation software designed to handle sprawling, complex networks with tens of thousands of devices. Financial terms of the agreement, which also calls for the development of new products between Opsware and Cisco’s Network Management Technology Group, are not being disclosed, he said.

The Cisco-branded NAS products will be sold through the San Jose, Calif., networking vendor's channel and direct sales force, according to Horowitz. Potential customers for the NAS offerings will be fair game for Opsware VARs and Cisco’s direct and indirect salespeople, he said.

"[The Cisco deal] is the most strategic partnership we have signed and represents a major expansion of Opsware's sales channel and market reach," Horowitz said.

Opsware has been adding channel partners over the last year or so, targeting VARs with enterprise experience in deploying products like IBM Tivoli and HP OpenView.Horowitz noted that the Cisco deal gives Opsware an opportunity to upsell its flagship product, the Opsware Server Automation System (SAS), to Cisco customers running newly deployed NAS technology. SAS combines provisioning, change management, policy management and compliance. Ideally, Opsware sales staff will follow with SAS sales after NAS has been sold by Cisco, he said.

Opsware already has relationships with Cisco competitors Juniper Networks, Nortel Networks and others. Horowitz said the Cisco deal further validates Opsware’s products, which in turn should improve Opsware’s relationships with Juniper and Nortel.