7. AT&T Buying Brocade's Vyatta Business

Purchase Price: Not disclosed

As part of Broadcom's $5.9 billion acquisition of Brocade, the vendor will sell off Brocade's Vyatta Software Platform to AT&T, which solution providers said signals a significant shift in how service providers will deliver networking in the future. 

"This is groundbreaking," said Ed Fox, vice president of network services for MetTel, a New York-based communications solution provider and AT&T Platinum Elite partner. "It's a monumental shift in the whole supply chain."

AT&T, Dallas, will be able to use Vyatta's software within its white-box switches and sell as a Platform as a Service offering through its partners or directly to business customers.