Dell Grows Software Capabilities With SharePlex, Boomi Upgrades

Dell's SharePlex will now replicate data to databases like Netezza and Hadoop, while Boomi AtomSphere gets API management.

Dell officials continue to focus on software as a key part of the company's efforts to evolve into an enterprise IT solutions and services provider. The company has spent billions of dollars over the past few years buying dozens of businesses as it builds out its enterprise technology capabilities. Among the acquisitions have been Quest Software, Gale Technologies and Make Technologies, and Dell officials have promised to invest in and grow the businesses. The company now has a $1.5 billion software business, and in recent weeks has highlighted new software capabilities that are the fruit of such acquisitions. During a conference call with analysts and journalists in February to discuss quarterly financial results, Chief Financial Officer Brian Gladden said the Quest unit—Dell bought the company last year for $2.4 billion—led strong results for the software business, bringing in more revenue than the $180 million to $200 million expected. "We also saw good sequential growth in our security software business, and continued to add customer-centric software solutions to address critical customer needs," Gladden said.