IBM Buys Data Integration Firm for $1.1B

IBM this week announced that it is buying Ascential data integration software company strengthened about 1.1 billion US dollars in cash.

Officials of the Armonk, New York-based IBM said the acquisition will strengthen the companys already thriving development of the data integration business unit.

"Global customers use the companys data integration software to build enterprise data warehouse, business intelligence systems, consolidate enterprise applications, create and manage master repositories of critical business information Library to achieve supply and demand data access, "IBM said in a statement the deal.

Ascentials software, customers can quickly gather, move and upgrade the quality of the people a large amount of data, which will complement IBMs WebSphere Information Integrator product portfolio, IBM said. Ascential combination of software and WebSphere Information Integrator software "enables customers to centrally manage and access data stored across a variety of structured and unstructured sources, from IBM and non-IBM vendors, in real-time. . . This combination will help customers solve many integration problems, "the statement said.

IBM plans to make the company into a business Ascential units, its information management software division led by the general manager of Dame Janet emeralds, and Ascentials technology and products will be integrated into IBMs Information Management Software Group products.

Ascential Software Corporation is about 272 million US dollars of revenue, in 2004, and has established a base of about 3,000 customers and partners.

The acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter this year, the company said.