IBM Acquires Cloud Software Developer Gravitant

IBM has acquired cloud-based software developer Gravitant to add brokerage software that ease the purchase and management of software and computing services across hybrid cloud environments. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

Privately-held Austin, Texas-based Gravitant develops cloud-based software that allows companies to easily plan, acquire, manage or broker software and computing services from multiple providers across hybrid clouds. 

IBM was likely attracted to Gravitant’s single management console, which allows multi- cloud IT environments to be integrated and digitally managed as one. IBM plans to integrate Gravitant’s technology into the company’s global technologies services division. It also plans to integrate Gravitant’s technology into the company’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings, extending IBM’s hybrid cloud solutions.

Martin Jetter, Senior  Vice President of Global Technology Services for IBM, said in a statement: "The reality of enterprise IT is that it is many clouds with many characteristics, whether they be economic, capacity or security”,  "Gravitant provides an innovative approach to add choice and simplicity to how enterprises can now manage their environments. It will be a key component as we broaden our hybrid cloud services." 

Richard Patterson, General Manager of Infrastructure Services at IBM, said in a statement: “The combination of Gravitant and IBM’s portfolio basically creates the default enterprise platform for hybrid IT.” 

IBM has been busy beefing up its software and cloud capabilities. In September, IBM acquired Meteorix, which specializes in providing services around the Workday finance and HR platform. And last October, IBM snapped up hybrid cloud storage provider Cleversafe to provide its customers with data flexibility, simplified management and consistency with on-premises, cloud and hybrid cloud deployments.

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