Dell adds networking to stack with Force10 buy

Acquisitive Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) has bought networking vendor Force 10 Networks, adding datacentre-centric switching and routing to its growing portfolio. Force 10 focuses exclusively on Ethernet with products centred around 10Gbit/s layer 2 and 3 switches and extending up to 40Gbit/s “carrier class” core switching.

The firm, although not profitable claims around $200m in annual revenues, and will be bought for an undisclosed amount.

The deal adds networking to the purchase of Compellent which bolstered Dell’s storage business earlier this year. The acquisitions provide a more of a “single stack” approach that has proven popular with rivals such as Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) and HP (NYSE:HPQ).

Force10 sells primarily through UK distributors Avnet Technology Solutions and Zycko, and Dell has stated that it is: “...committed to maintaining and growing Force10’s channel programme.”

Commenting on the purchase, Brad Anderson, senior vice president for the Enterprise Solutions Group at Dell says, “Dell’s approach of offering customers open, capable and affordable solutions aligns with Force10’s approach to offering customers new levels of flexibility, performance, scale and automation which is fundamental to changing the economics of datacentre networking.”