Cloud computing continues to lead M&A activity
This blog has previously discussed how technology mergers and acquisitions have lately been centered around cloud computing. With more businesses relying more on digital storage, they want to ensure that the options they choose are reliable and secure.
Last month, two more technology acquisitions followed that trend. First, EarthLink Inc. announced that it would acquire CenterBeam, which is a technology managed service provider that specializes in cloud computing and hosted IT services. EarthLink is an IT services and communications provider, and according to a company press release, the acquisition will bring a robust set of remote managed IT services and collaboration services to market.
Additionally, EarthLink can accelerate its product capabilities for hosted collaboration services and unified end point management services. The transaction is expected to close at the end of the third quarter of 2013 and is valued at $22 million.
A similar acquisition was announced by Nippon Telegraph And Telephone Corp. (NTT). According to NTT, it will purchase Solutionary, which is a pure-play Managed Security Services Provider. NTT​, a global IT and telecommunications services company, explained in a press release that the acquisition will help its global growth and enhance its security capabilities, helping it to become one of the world's largest security integrators.
NTT president and CEO Hiroo Unoura said that with a quickly evolving business world, companies must stay competitive in order to gain customers' trust.
"This acquisition will further strengthen the NTT Group in becoming a trusted leader in the global ICT and security industry," Unoura said.
Solutionary CEO Steve Idelman agreed, and said that NTT's global presence and immense resources "will strongly complement Solutionary's well established, leading edge capability in providing security services."