Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) has its eye on Surgient Networks, a clear sign that the convergence of storage devices, networking gear, and content delivery technology is gaining momentum.
Neither Surgient nor Cisco would say how much Cisco has contributed to Surgient's funding so far, but Surgient spokespeople say it was "significant."
Austin, Texas-based Surgient has just closed its second round of $18 million, securing some $85 million in funding to date, raising its valuation to approximately $200 million, according to company officials.
Other investors in the startup include Austin Ventures, Jafco Ventures, and Sternhill Ventures. Bill Joy, founder of Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW), is also an investor.
Surgient is building a beast of a box thats part server, part router, part storage network controller, and part traffic load balancer. Surgient says it aims to collapse the functionality of all these devices into one platform in order to create a more cost-efficient system that is easier to manage than existing content delivery networking products.