Cisco Systems is to buy Latigent, a Chicago-based call center software maker, for an undisclosed sum.

Latigent's web-based software specializes in business intelligence and analytics reporting tools, and will be assimilated into Cisco's customer contract business unit.

According to Ciscom Latigent's products are built to take advantage of "Web 2.0" principles — which has been a fascination for the company as of late.

Latigent co-founders CEO Chris Crosby and CTO Jason Kolb will join Cisco after the close of the acquisition, which is still subject to the usual closing conditions.

The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of Cisco's fiscal year 2008. ®