content: <PAGE>
  
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                              Washington, D.C.  20549
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
                                   CURRENT REPORT
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                        Securities and Exchange Act of 1934
  
                          Date of Report: August 10, 2000
  
                  Date of Earliest Event Reported: August 10, 2000
  
                                CLARENT CORPORATION
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  <TABLE>
  <S>                              <C>                             <C>
        Delaware                         000-26441                         77-0433687
  (State of jurisdiction)           (Commission File No.)         (IRS Employer Identification No.)
  </TABLE>
  
                                700 Chesapeake Drive
                           Redwood City, California 94063
               (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)
  
        Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (650) 306-7511
  
                                         1.
  <PAGE>
  
  Item 2.  Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.
  
       On August 10, 2000, Clarent Corporation ("Clarent") completed an
  acquisition in which it acquired ACT Networks, Inc. ("ACT") in a stock-for-stock
  transaction.  ACT was acquired pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger and
  Reorganization, dated as of May 1, 2000 (the "Merger Agreement"), by and among
  Clarent, ACT and Copper Acquisition Sub, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of
  Clarent ("Merger Sub").  Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub was merged
  with and into ACT, with ACT being the surviving corporation (the "Merger").  As
  a result of the Merger, ACT became a wholly owned subsidiary of Clarent.  In
  connection with the Merger: (a) each outstanding share of ACT common stock will
  be exchanged for 0.4198 of a share of Clarent common stock, resulting in the
  issuance of an aggregate of 4,430,356 shares of Clarent common stock for all
  outstanding shares of ACT common stock, and (b) all options to purchase shares
  of ACT common stock outstanding immediately prior to the consummation of the
  Merger were converted into options to purchase shares of Clarent common stock.
  
       The Merger was intended to qualify as a tax-free reorganization and to be
  accounted for as a "purchase."  Clarent's press release, dated August 10, 2000,
  titled "Clarent Corporation Completes Acquisition of ACT Networks" is attached
  hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
  
  Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits
  
           a.  The required financial statements will be filed by amendment as so
               on as practicable.
  
           b.  The required pro forma financial information will be filed by
               amendment as soon as practicable.
  
           c.  Exhibits
  
                2.1   Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization, dated as of
                      May 1, 2000, among Clarent Corporation, Copper Acquisition
                      Sub, Inc. and ACT Networks, Inc., as amended (incorporated
                      by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Clarent Corporation's
                      Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No. 333-38216) filed May
                      31, 2000, as amended).
  
                99.1  Press Release titled "Clarent Corporation Completes
                      Acquisition of ACT Networks" dated August 10, 2000.
  
                                         2.
  <PAGE>
  
                                    SIGNATURES
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                           CLARENT CORPORATION
  
  Dated:  August 10, 2000                  By:  /s/ Richard J. Heaps
                                                --------------------
                                                Richard J. Heaps
                                                Chief Operating Officer and
                                                Chief Financial Officer
  
                                         3.
  <PAGE>
  
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  Exhibit
  Number             Description
  ------             -----------
  
  2.1                Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization, dated as of
                     May 1, 2000, among Clarent Corporation, Copper Acquisition
                     Sub, Inc. and ACT Networks, Inc. (incorporated by reference
                     to Exhibit 2.1 to Clarent Corporation's Registration
                     Statement on Form S-4 (No. 333-38216) filed May 31, 2000, as
                     amended).
  
  99.1               Press Release titled "Clarent Corporation Completes
                     Acquisition of ACT Networks" dated August 10, 2000.
  
                                         4.
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metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CLARENT CORP/CA", "cik": "0001068292", "assigned-sic": "7372", "irs-number": "770433687", "state-of-incorporation": "CA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-26441", "film-number": "691989"}, "business-address": {"street1": "700 CHESAPEAKE DRIVE", "street2": "650-306-7511", "city": "REDWOOD CITY", "state": "CA", "zip": "94063", "phone": "6503067511"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "700 CHESAPEAKE DRIVE", "city": "REDWOOD CITY", "state": "CA", "zip": "94063"}}
text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                              Washington, D.C.  20549
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
                                   CURRENT REPORT
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                        Securities and Exchange Act of 1934
  
                          Date of Report: August 10, 2000
  
                  Date of Earliest Event Reported: August 10, 2000
  
                                CLARENT CORPORATION
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  Delaware                         000-26441                         77-0433687
  (State of jurisdiction)           (Commission File No.)         (IRS Employer Identification No.)
  700 Chesapeake Drive
                           Redwood City, California 94063
               (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)
  
        Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (650) 306-7511
  
                                         1.
  Item 2.  Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.
  
       On August 10, 2000, Clarent Corporation ("Clarent") completed an
  acquisition in which it acquired ACT Networks, Inc. ("ACT") in a stock-for-stock
  transaction.  ACT was acquired pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger and
  Reorganization, dated as of May 1, 2000 (the "Merger Agreement"), by and among
  Clarent, ACT and Copper Acquisition Sub, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of
  Clarent ("Merger Sub").  Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub was merged
  with and into ACT, with ACT being the surviving corporation (the "Merger").  As
  a result of the Merger, ACT became a wholly owned subsidiary of Clarent.  In
  connection with the Merger: (a) each outstanding share of ACT common stock will
  be exchanged for 0.4198 of a share of Clarent common stock, resulting in the
  issuance of an aggregate of 4,430,356 shares of Clarent common stock for all
  outstanding shares of ACT common stock, and (b) all options to purchase shares
  of ACT common stock outstanding immediately prior to the consummation of the
  Merger were converted into options to purchase shares of Clarent common stock.
  
       The Merger was intended to qualify as a tax-free reorganization and to be
  accounted for as a "purchase."  Clarent's press release, dated August 10, 2000,
  titled "Clarent Corporation Completes Acquisition of ACT Networks" is attached
  hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
  
  Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits
  
           a.  The required financial statements will be filed by amendment as so
               on as practicable.
  
           b.  The required pro forma financial information will be filed by
               amendment as soon as practicable.
  
           c.  Exhibits
  
                2.1   Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization, dated as of
                      May 1, 2000, among Clarent Corporation, Copper Acquisition
                      Sub, Inc. and ACT Networks, Inc., as amended (incorporated
                      by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Clarent Corporation's
                      Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No. 333-38216) filed May
                      31, 2000, as amended).
  
                99.1  Press Release titled "Clarent Corporation Completes
                      Acquisition of ACT Networks" dated August 10, 2000.
  
                                         2.
  SIGNATURES
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                           CLARENT CORPORATION
  
  Dated:  August 10, 2000                  By:  /s/ Richard J. Heaps
                                                --------------------
                                                Richard J. Heaps
                                                Chief Operating Officer and
                                                Chief Financial Officer
  
                                         3.
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  Exhibit
  Number             Description
  ------             -----------
  
  2.1                Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization, dated as of
                     May 1, 2000, among Clarent Corporation, Copper Acquisition
                     Sub, Inc. and ACT Networks, Inc. (incorporated by reference
                     to Exhibit 2.1 to Clarent Corporation's Registration
                     Statement on Form S-4 (No. 333-38216) filed May 31, 2000, as
                     amended).
  
  99.1               Press Release titled "Clarent Corporation Completes
                     Acquisition of ACT Networks" dated August 10, 2000.
  
                                         4.