Dell has acquired data storage solutions provider EqualLogic for $1.4 billion.
New Hampshire based EqualLogic makes internet focused data-storage network systems that use proprietary software “designed to simplify how businesses store and manage data.” EqualLogic offers virtualization solutions and is a minor partner in VMWare.
Dell said that they would use the acquisition to increase their market share in the rapidly growing internet storage market.
Privately held EqualLogic took seed funding from Charles River Ventures before going on to take approx $50 million in funding over several rounds. Prior to today’s acquisition the company had been preparing for an IPO.
Dell expects to complete the acquisition no later than early 2008.
(in part via Reuters)
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That’s a lot of money for a hosing company
This is fantastic news for sysadmins, and horrible news for emc, which is also fantastic news for sysadmins, so two-fer!
Interesting acquisition. I wonder what they are really up to?
http://fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com
Congrats to the folks at EqualLogic.
Charles River Ventures ftw!
Looks like they want to set up .dell accounts for everyone so they can be like Apple with .Mac. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I suppose. Now PC users can have the Back to My PC functionality from Leopard as well.
Good move.
Duncan - Your post is misleading, as evident from the above comments. You should clarify by noting that EqualLogic makes iSCSI SAN storage arrays. They aren’t providing a hosted service, rather they are an innovative company that offers alternatives to the high-end fibre channel SANs. EqualLogic’s proprietary software handles much of the intelligence automatically to handle array allocation and peformance optimization - e.g. spreading data across all available data spindles. I’m not sure what you mean by “internet focused.” It could just as well be used for an internal only storage system, though most storage systems these days are externally, internet focused.