Network equipment maker Brocade Communications Systems Inc is strengthening its partnership with IBM, in a sign it may be gaining market share from industry leader Cisco Systems Inc.

International Business Machines Corp will rebrand ethernet switching and routing products made by Brocade as IBM products and sell them to mutual corporate customers, the companies said yesterday.

"I think what you're going to see is an expansion of revenue because of the sheer reach that IBM has and their ability to include it in their own branded products and solutions that they develop," said Brocade Chief Executive Michael Klayko.