Opsware buys into networking

Automation software company Opsware on Thursday said it intends to acquire Rendition Networks, a small networking software company, in a deal valued at $33 million.

Opsware sells software for automatically updating and verifying server configurations. Rendition sells automation software for administering networking gear such as routers and load balancers. By the middle of next year, Opsware plans to integrate the two products, allowing a systems administrator to manage configurations on servers and networking hardware at once. The combined products also will provide common reports, such as whether both server and network hardware meet a company's security compliance guidelines. Rendition, which employs about 25 people, will continue to operate in its Redmond, Wash. offices. Opsware will continue to sell Rendition's network product separately. Both companies support the Data Center Markup Language specification, which will make it simple to integrate their products, said Ben Horowitz, CEO of Opsware.