Cisco kicks shrivelling video software unit back to Dr Martens owner Cisco has kicked its video software business back to Permira, the owner of iconic Brit boot brand Dr Martens, having originally bought it off the private equity fund in 2012 for $5bn (£3.6bn). Neither parties disclosed how much Cisco's Service Provider Video Software Solutions unit went for, but reports suggest the deal was …
History repeats.
When NDS was absorbed into Cisco they gave out mini usb picture frames as a welcome gift to all the employees. A few days later they asked for them all back as the plug sockets were a fire hazard (cheap chinese boards with no real insulation in them). They promised us that they would be replaced but that never happened.
At least Permira get to keep the other $4 billion with this returned, though the remains of NDS may be a bit scorched from the yearly employee layoffs.
" They promised us that they would be replaced but that never happened."
I come from the other bit of Cisco's video world - telepresence.
When we got moved to the hallowed halls of Bedfont Lakes (I used to work at Green Park and much preferred to move there, but no) they gave us all USB sticks with Cisco and construction company branding and our names on it.
Not quite a fire risk but surely an infosec liability given that it had some sort of photo slideshow app on it (not that it would run on the company issued Macs).
Of course, less than a year later, it was time for the Chambers Hunger Games and lots of people, myself included, got the chop. Yay Cisco. The hilarious thing is that lots of people were walking before being pushed - and they formed Acano (which Cisco then bought).
In today's accompanying stock photograph, it should be noted that neither of the people in question are actually wearing Doc Martens.
On the upside, the guy on the right doesn't appear to be wearing glassless spectacle frames, which is a nice change for Shutterstock!
I'm another ex Cisco / NDSer.
I remember reading the article on El Reg back in 2012 about the acquisition and thinking it was a good thing and a great opportunity. Sadly it didn't work out that way and a lack of real investment plus years upon years of cuts (I got cut as did most of my team one year).
The new company if they can adapt and get some good products out, with solid customers in theory should be good. Abe Peled more or less knows what he's doing. Vaguely exciting times (maybe), although it's a difficult market and some of the old cash cows are perhaps not as profitable as they once were (the OTT players have really changed things in only a few years!).
I wish them luck.
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