NEW YORK, USA: Cisco Systems Inc introduced new network security products to help protect companies' web-based software and services from attacks on their networks.

Large companies are moving more of their software and services online, trends often called "cloud computing" and "software as a service," to help users communicate and share information.

Such services, delivered through data centres, help companies use less space and computing power. But worries about viruses and external attacks on corporate data and computer systems, due to the open nature of such services, has been an obstacle to greater adoption.

Cisco, known for making routers and switches, has been expanding into a wider range of products including software. It has identified collaborative software and cloud computing as key areas of growth.

The new security products will include software that filters through online traffic as well as services that help companies assess their overall technology security, it said.

Cisco also said tat it was upgrading its WebEx online meeting software by introducing more advanced routing systems that help handle the increase in online traffic.