<a href="http://www.networkworld.com/subnets/cisco/">Cisco</a> this week said it intends to acquire privately held Lightwire, a developer of <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/020612-researchers-layer-an-electronic-junction-255759.html">optical interconnect technology</a> for high-speed networking <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/topics/applications.html">applications</a>, for $271 million.
Juniper said this week it has acquired <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/podcasts/panorama/2011/042811pan-web-app-hacks.html">Mykonos Software</a>, a provider of website and web application security software, for $80 million.
Reports have resurfaced that <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/subnets/cisco/">Cisco</a> is looking to sell its Scientific Atlanta set-top box business after six years, $7 billion and razor thin profit margins, but the company says it remains committed to set-top boxes.
Juniper Networks this week has unveiled access routers designed to provide an on-ramp to the service provider network from residential, business and mobile networks.
One of the most anticipated debuts of a startup company happens today when <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/021010-nicira.html">Nicira</a>, a maker of network <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/102510-burning-questions-virtualization-storage.html">virtualization</a> software, comes out of stealth mode.
Brocade this week released new software for its <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/110111-application-delivery-controllers-252600.html">application delivery controllers</a> that gives users greater visibility into performance, and enhances <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/073009-ipv6-guide.html">IPv6</a> communications.
Cisco this week unveiled significant extensions to both of its major switching lines with the addition of 40/100G Ethernet capabilities.
Juniper Networks' challenges are due to timing with new product rollouts and shifts in investments from customers and channel partners.
IBM and NEC have partnered to offer <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/101911-openflow-summit-252150.html">OpenFlow</a>-based networking products to joint customers.
Juniper Networks has acquired technology and personnel from <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/podcasts/demo/2008/050208-sixminutes-perrywu.html">BitGravity</a>, the <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2002/0114specialfocus.html">content delivery networking (CDN)</a> subsidiary of Tata Communications.
Cisco this week expanded its <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/41106">smart grid</a> portfolio for utilities with a reference architecture, products and services intended to modernize the electric grid.
In an effort to accommodate enterprise users looking to implement private and hybrid Clouds, Cisco - in the coming months - will unveil an "integrated" WAN routing system of existing, but enhanced, products.
Cisco's Umi consumer TelePresence product really is dead - a fact the company had to reiterate to a disbelieving public this week even though it had <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/041211-cisco-shutter-flip.html">telegraphed the move back in April. </a>
There was a considerable amount of activity in the <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/122011-outlook-cloud-254208.html?hpg1=bn">data center/cloud switching fabric</a> arena in 2011. That is expected to continue in 2012, along with real world implementations of the next-generation IT technologies.
Alcatel-Lucent this week rolled out 40G Ethernet modules for its top-of-rack data center switches to help further its data center fabric strategy.