Dell Buys Business Software Company Scalent

Computer maker Dell (DELL) has signed an agreement to purchase privately-held software firm Scalent for an undisclosed price, the company announced Thursday. Scalent's virtualization software solutions provide "dynamic IT infrastructure that quickly adjusts to the changing needs of business," according to the company's website.

In its announcement of the acquisition, Dell said that it "will integrate Scalent technology into its Advanced Infrastructure Manager (AIM) solution. Subject to customary closing conditions, Dell expects to complete the acquisition in its second fiscal quarter."

AIM makes it easier for data centers to manage computer, storage, and network infrastructure without physical changes to servers or electronic storage. They systems also works with virtualization software that balances tasks among large numbers of servers while lessening hardware demands. Dell added that "AIM works with industry-standard servers, Ethernet switches and Fibre Channel switches, allowing customers to transition quickly to a highly-dynamic data center using existing infrastructure investments."

The Scalent purchase fits neatly into Dell's ongoing plan to increase the size of its enterprise IT footprint, part of its longer-term strategy of diversifying away from its core PC and server hardware businesses. Rival Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) did this to some extent by purchasing IT consulting firm EDS and data center management company Opsware, while IBM (IBM) has been a significant player in the IT sector for some time.