IBM targets cluster and grid specialist

Stephen Withers
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 10:55

IT Industry - Listed Tech

 

IBM has agreed to acquire of Platform Computing, a Canadian company that specialises in management software for clusters and grids. IBM officials describe the acquisition as "strategic".

 

Applications involving massive amounts of data - such as those in science, engineering, finance and digital media - are typically processed in distributed environments. Such clusters and grids need to be managed efficiently, and that's where Platform COmputing's software comes in.

 

The company has more than 2000 customers, including some big names such as CERN, Citigroup, Pratt & Whitney, and Red Bull Racing.

"This acquisition will enable Platform Computing to better serve our customers by leveraging the IBM solution portfolio and extend the reach of our pioneering distributed computing software for broader enterprise adoption," said Songnian Zhou, CEO of Platform Computing.

Helene Armitage, general manager, IBM Systems Software, said "IBM considers the acquisition of Platform Computing to be a strategic element for the transformation of HPC into the high growth segment of technical computing and an important part of our smarter computing strategy."

The transaction is expected to close before the end of thus year, after which Platform Computing's operations will be integrated into the IBM systems and technology group.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.