With its latest acquisition, Cisco aims to bring its customers IP-enabled physical security. The company announced an agreement to acquire privately-held SyPixx Networks, a company founded in 2002 to deliver video surveillance systems. Cisco said it will pay approximately $51 million in cash and options for SyPixx. Cisco expects the deal to close by April 28, 2006.

Sypixx Networks' video surveillance software and hardware enable existing analog video surveillance systems to operate as part of an open IP network. The company offers analog-to-digital (AtoD) video camera encoders and digital-to-analog (DtoA) video monitor decoders, analog video transmission equipment, video recording and management software and servers. The AtoD and DtoA technology effectively allows data to be transmitted over IP-based networks.

"Cisco has already shown that an IP network can be a platform for helping to protect a company's information and digital assets," said Marthin De Beer, vice president of Cisco's Emerging Market Technologies Group. "Through the acquisition of SyPixx, Cisco will begin to show how the network can also be a platform for enhancing the safety of people and the protection of physical assets."