Cisco acquires Arch Rock to facilitate smart grid development

Cisco has announced the completion of its acquisition of the privately held Arch Rock Corporation, a company that creates Internet Protocol-based wireless network technology.

Cisco, a provider of networking solutions, hopes that acquiring the smaller company will accelerate its ability to facilitate the utility industry's transition to an open and interoperable smart grid.

Smart grids, which can adjust themselves to work around power outages and downed power equipment and allow companies and individuals to monitor and change their energy usage, are growing in popularity around the world. Cisco, whose equipment often requires significant energy usage, wants to offset the impact of its video conferencing and other networking technology by working to create smart grid solutions that will make its products both energy-efficient and extremely useful to businesses across the globe.

With the close of the acquisition, the Arch Rock team has become a part of Cisco's smart grid business unit and brings with it expertise in the field of smart grid research and development.