EMC gets itself some SMARTS

Going rate: $260m

By Ashlee Vance in Chicago • Get more from this author

Posted in Financial News, 22nd December 2004 21:26 GMT

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EMC has picked up System Management Arts Inc. (SMARTS) for $260m in a move that builds out the storage giant's ever-swelling software portfolio.

SMARTS is best known for its InCharge software suite that collects performance data from a wide range of hardware in networks. Its software can tell administrators about the health of a device and make predictions about possible failures to come. SMARTS has been around for 11 years and expects 2004 revenue of $60m.

As EMC puts it, "SMARTS’ InCharge software products automatically pinpoint root cause problems, calculate their impacts across technology domains, and present the logical action plan required to keep business services up and running. . . . Over time, SMARTS will enable EMC storage management software to intelligently correlate, determine root cause problems and present a plan of action for critical problems across the storage network."

EMC's penchant for acquisitions is well known. Over the past couple of years, it has picked up Allocity, Dantz, VMware, Documentum and Legato. All of these buys were designed to strengthen EMC's software attack.

EMC expects the all-cash SMARTS deal to close in the first quarter of 2005, pending standard approvals. ®