US-BASED Avocent Corporation, which employs 93 people at Shannon, will acquire Equinox Systems for $57 million (€66.29 million).

Avocent is a leading provider of technologies which help data-centre operators manage their server farms. Equinox, which is also based in the US, makes software and hardware products that manage network connections and provide remote control capabilities to computer network operators.

Avocent has annual turnover in excess of $280 million and currently services all international business outside North and South America from its facility in Shannon. The company said it saw an expanding role for its Irish operations.