Cisco chases optical networking dominance with Sedona Systems acquisition

Networking vendor Cisco has struck a deal to acquire multilayer network automation and control solution provider Sedonasys Systems, also known as Sedona Systems, for its NetFusion network controller, which it plans to pull into the Cisco Crosswork portfolio. 

Headquartered in California with a research and development office in Israel, Sedona Systems’ NetFusion software provides service-to-fibre visibility based on real-time data from operating network domains, including 5G, converged IP and optical core, access and aggregation.  

The software automatically discovers the packet and transport layers (Layer 0 to Layer 3), stitches all layers and domains together, and performs deep analytics to optimise and automate network control.  

In April, Sedona Systems announced the addition of its NetFusion offering to the Cisco DevNet SolutionsPlus Program.

It was hoped at the time that the the Sedona NetFusion platform would strengthen Cisco’s Crosswork Automation Solution and Routed Optical Networking by extending the reach into multi-layer and multi-vendor IP and optical environments.  

The move means that communication service providers (CSPs) worldwide could purchase Sedona NetFusion solutions directly from Cisco and approved Cisco partners.

From Cisco’s perspective, Sedona’s NetFusion network controller offering turns complex multi-layer and multi-vendor infrastructure into a unified, easily controlled network.  

“We have one simple goal in our network automation strategy – simplification,” said Kevin Wollenweber, vice president of product management in the service provider network systems business at Cisco, in a blog post.  

“With Sedona NetFusion joining the Cisco Crosswork portfolio, we will deliver the most advanced network automation platform for Cisco’s Routed Optical Networking Solution to achieve this goal.  

“Now, CSPs can gain real-time, dynamic, and seamless control of IP and optical multi-vendor networks together.  

“They can quickly move from clunky, manual operations across siloed teams and technologies to a completely automated and assured network that’s easily managed through a single pane of glass,” he added. 

It is anticipated that the combination of Cisco Crosswork and Sedona NetFusion will be able to provide a real-time replica of an organisation’s entire network to predictively manage any changes to the deployment, connectivity, and activation status of all network inventory. 

“Sedona Systems’ NetFusion is a market leader for its hierarchical controller (HCO) that enables multi-vendor, multi-domain automation, and software-defined networking,” Wollenweber said. “HCO is the brain that enables transformation like 5G network slicing, routed optical networking, and disaggregation.  

“The Sedona NetFusion platform is the first to deliver complete network abstraction and control, allowing CSPs to manage their networks across domains, vendors, layers, and a myriad of different technologies, all as one single network,” he added. 

Terms of the deal were not disclosed at the time of writing.