Cisco has disclosed its intent to acquire data virtualisation firm Composite Software to bolster its next-generation IT services strategy. The move is intended to help customers get a coherent view of data from disparate sources in the era of cloud computing and big data, according to Cisco.

Composite Software specialises in technology that pulls together multiple data sources and presents them in a simplified consolidated view. The deal is planned to expand Cisco’s portfolio of Smart Services and extend its next-generation services platform by connecting data and infrastructure, the firm said.

The acquisition is due to close in the first quarter of Cisco’s fiscal year 2014, which ends in October, and Cisco is expected to pay $180m for Composite. Upon completion, Composite employees will join the Cisco services team.

Writing on Cisco’s blog, head of business development Hilton Romanski claimed that a proliferation of new and traditional data sources plus movement of data to the cloud is making it difficult for organisations to access all of their data assets.

“Composite’s technology connects and optimises many types of data from across the network and makes it appear as if it’s in one place, allowing companies to make better business decisions. Together, Cisco and Composite will help to accelerate the shift from physical data integration to data virtualisation,” he said.

This acquisition is set to build on Cisco’s plans for a unified platform and software services strategy and ties in with the recent acquisition of cloud integration firm SolveDirect.

Cisco’s vision is that Composite’s data virtualisation tools combined with SolveDirect’s process integration platform will provide cross-domain data and workflow integration capabilities to enable real-time business insights and operations, the firm said.