IBM, Cisco Unite On E-Business Agreement, Acquisitions

Noting the omnipresent shift from "traditional business models" to e-business, a Blue Chip company based in New York and a Silicon Valley star company announced an alliance Aug. 31 to better serve customers of both companies. The agreement includes cooperation between IBM's Global Services division and San Jose, Calif.-based Cisco Systems Inc. to provide e-business and networking products and services. It also calls for Cisco to purchase some of IBM's technology and intellectual property over the next five years. The companies released a joint statement outlining the advantages of the alliance, and stating that IBM will continue to support its current routing and switching customers. The companies will offer jointly developed solutions, and Cisco customers will be able to use IBM Global Services to support their Cisco products. "As customers move from traditional business models to become e-businesses, they need assistance and leadership from their technology providers," said James Vanderslice, senior vice president and group executive, IBM Technology Group. "Through this new alliance, we will provide that leadership by combining IBM's strengths in servers, software, services and technology for e-business with Cisco expertise in networking technology."