IBM, Cisco to deploy networking solutions

NEW DELHI: IBM India and Cisco Systems have announced plans to jointly deploy

networking solutions and conduct joint marketing and promotional activities,

training and set up competency centers. The two firms recently conducted

seminars to highlight joint plans to serve their customers in India.

The announcement is a follow up of the global alliance formed between IBM and

Cisco in 1999, which comprised of a $ 2 billion technology agreement and the

acquisition of portions of IBM's networking intellectual property.

The partnership will deliver a combination of networking solutions,

technologies and services to businesses and service providers worldwide.

IBM Global Services India has trained its engineers in Cisco technologies and

has retrofitted its competency centers with Cisco equipment. Similarly, Cisco

has ramped up the training of its internal staff in SNA-to-IP technologies.

IBM and Cisco will also begin to increase the number of joint sales programs

especially in the area of e-business. As part of the program, IBM India and

Cisco hosted a networking solutions conference for the industry titled

"Take the next step in networks with IBM-Cisco Alliance".

The conference, largely targeted at CIOs and IT managers, gave an insight

into the latest technologies, products and solutions that allows a company to

migrate into next generation networks. The seminars were held in Mumbai,

Bangalore, Delhi and Kolkata.