IBM Expands Data Management Line With Princeton Softech Acquisition

Princeton Softech's data management products are designed to help businesses cope with exploding volumes of data, develop data retention strategies and reduce data storage costs. The vendor's data archiving tools, for example, are used to separate older, infrequently accessed data that can be stored on cheaper media from data that needs to be stored in easily accessible databases. Princeton Softech's product line also includes data classification, data privacy, and test data management tools.

"It's a very complementary portfolio," says Bernie Spang, director of IBM data servers. Princeton Softech's software supports IBM's DB2 and Informix databases and the two vendor's products already work together at a number of customer sites. But further integration with IBM's product line will be necessary and Spang says the company is developing plans and a timetable for doing so.

Princeton Softech's products are sold both directly and through channel partners and Spang says those resellers will be invited to join IBM's PartnerWorld program. "We are in the process of growing our partner ecosystem across our data server products," he says. "Princeton Softech will play a role in that."

Organizationally, Princeton Softech will become part of IBM's data server business unit, which oversees the DB2 and Informix databases and other data management software. That unit is part of IBM's Information Management Software division, which also includes the company's content management products, such as its FileNet system, and its data integration and master data management software.

Princeton, N.J.-based Princeton Softech has 240 employees who will all be offered positions with IBM, Spang says.

Financial terms of the acquisition, which IBM expects to complete later this year, were not disclosed.

The Princeton Softech buyout is the latest of 22 acquisitions in support of IBM's information-on-demand initiative. Just last month IBM spent $161 million to buy DataMirror, a Toronto-based developer of data change-capture software.