Cisco Systems has agreed to acquire privately held Meetinghouse Data Communications for $43.7m in cash. The transaction is expected to close in October. 

Meetinghouse provides 802.1x security technology that allows enterprises to control access to network resources through wired and wireless media.

802.1x promises to cut network management costs by providing a single control point for multiple devices and operating systems.

Cisco plans to add the Meetinghouse technology to its Network Admission Control and Cisco Compatible Extensions programmes. It will become part of Cisco's Wireless Networking Business unit.

Meetinghouse was founded in 1998 and has 77 employees. The company claims that its authentication products have shipped with over 200 million devices including network appliances and PCs.