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Cisco Acquires Meraki
$1.2 Billion All-Cash Deal
Cisco has acquired cloud infrastructure startup Meraki in an all-cash deal rumored to be around $1.2 billion. The Cisco press release insists the deal "complements and expands Cisco's strategy to offer more software-centric solutions to simplify network management, help customers empower mobile workforces, and generate new revenue opportunities for partners." Meraki, which began as an MIT project back in 2006 dubbed Roofnet, originally popped up on our radar as a low-cost last mile Wi-Fi solution. A letter to employees insists the company originally planned an IPO and had rejected Cisco's advances, though the price and promises ultimately were too alluring to reject. The Meraki acquisition FAQ has more detail on the acquisition.
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Vchat20
Landing is the REAL challenge
Premium Member
join:2003-09-16
Columbus, OH

Vchat20

Premium Member

Just more Cisco assimilation to kill their competition

^ This

Or at the very least both enter a new market and kill their competition in that market with one go.

TelecomEng
@rr.com

TelecomEng

Anon

Don't know what to think about this...

I just installed Meraki for a contract gig and was very impressed with their product. Hopefully Cisco doesn't kill the product line because in some ways they blew away Cisco in features when we looked at them, not to mention the cost was a fraction of what Cisco's setup was and it more than met the client's needs.

PapaMidnight
join:2009-01-13
Baltimore, MD

PapaMidnight

Member

Re: Don't know what to think about this...

They use Meraki products at my day job as well. Excellent performance and configuration is pretty darn easy.

davoice
join:2000-08-12
Saxapahaw, NC

davoice

Member

I had issues w/ Meraki, switched to OpenMesh

I had one of the original commercial installations of Meraki. We had lots of challenges with it. The final straw was when they doubled the unit pricing (and then doubled it again) and then started charging for cloud controller functionality we had been using. Finally we gave up and installed units from OpenMesh. »www.open-mesh.com/

Never looked back after switching to OpenMesh. We've installed it at 12 different hotels, 3 businesses and an meeting/expo facility.

Hazy Arc
join:2006-04-10
Greenwood, SC

Hazy Arc

Member

Not Surprising

It appears Cisco has gotten large enough that they no longer have to be innovative - just rich enough to buy those that are.
buckweet1980
join:2011-12-31
Saint Petersburg, FL

buckweet1980

Member

Re: Not Surprising

I work in the networking sales field.. Most customers I've run into like Meraki until it hits them that after they buy the hardware to use it you much pay a subscription fee, year after year.

You never truly own the gear. Once you stop paying the subscription fee you can't manage it any longer.