Juniper Networks to acquire Trapeze Networks to take on Cisco

Network equipment maker Juniper Networks Inc yesterday said that it will acquire Trapeze Networks, the enterprise wireless local area network (WLAN) systems and management software unit of Belden Inc, for about $152 million in cash.

The acquisition of Trapeze is seen by analysts as a part of Juniper's plan to confront its larger rival Cisco Systems in the networking equipment market.

Founded in 2002, Pleasanton, California-based Trapeze provides wireless LAN (WLAN) solutions that enables users to connect to the internet through various wireless devises. 

Trapeze has developed an innovative architecture called Smart Mobile WLAN solution combining the advantages of both centralised and distributed approaches to networking or "intelligent switching."

This architecture allows users to adopt high-performance 802.11n networks to deliver high-quality voice to multiple users, and scale their WLANs across the enterprise,k whether indoors or outdoors without compromising on security or manageability.

Trapeze Networks WLANs have been deployed in leading corporations and organisations worldwide, and include some of the largest WLAN deployments to date. It has more than 6,000 customers using its mobility infrastructure based on its Smart Mobile WLAN solution.