IBM, as agreed to buy Blade Network Technologies to gain products that connect server computers in company data centers.

Blade Network makes switches that connect servers, storage and networks in data centers.  The purchase puts IBM in competition with Cisco Systems, HP and even Oracle after its purchase of SUN Microsystems.

This is IBM’s sixth purchase in recent months. Last week it acquired Netezza to further business analytics into the enterprise and previously OpenPages, an enterprise risk management software maker.