The International Trade Commission (ITC) issued an initial determination in a patent infringement case brought by Cisco against Arista Networks.
The ruling found that Arista violated three of Cisco’s patents: U.S. Patent 7,162,537 (“[E]xternally Managing Router Configuration Data … With A Centralized Database”) (Sysdb) and U.S. Patent Nos. 6,741,592 and 7,200,145 (Private VLANs).
Cisco said the ruling foreshadows an exclusion order banning imports of all Arista switches (implemented after confirmation by the full Commission).
Arista Networks noted that the ruling found that it did not infringe two of five patents being asserted in this case, thus clearing two of the four accused features in its EOS.
Arista said it also intends to fully address the infringement allegations with a new release of EOS available for software download in Q2 2016.
“Our primary focus is the continued supply of products to our customers. We respect the administrative process and the tireless work of the ALJ in this preliminary decision. We strongly believe that we have not infringed any of the patents in the investigation and look forward to the final determination of the full commission in June 2016,” said Marc Taxay, Vice President, General Counsel of Arista Networks.
Cisco filed the ITC complaint against Arista on December 19, 2014.
http://blogs.cisco.com/news/protecting-innovation-itc-initial-determination
