INFORMIX CHANGES NAME TO ASCENTIAL SOFTWARE.IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, www.ibm.com) The world's largest computer company. IBM's product lines include the S/390 mainframes (zSeries), AS/400 midrange business systems (iSeries), RS/6000 workstations and servers (pSeries), Intel-based servers (xSeries) (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :IBM) and Informix(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: IFMX IFMX Informix Corporation ) have entered into a definitive agreement for IBM to acquire the assets of Informix Software--Informix's database business--in a cash transaction valued at $1 billion. The acquisition strengthens IBM in the fast-growing distributed database A database physically stored in two or more computer systems. Although geographically dispersed, a distributed database system manages and controls the entire database as a single collection of data. business, a key strategic priority for IBM. IBM's distributed database revenues grew 36% year-to-year in the first quarter of 2001. "Customers are aggressively investing in data management software because data collection, storage and use are at the core of a successful e-business," said Sam Palmisano, president and chief operating officer Chief Operating Officer (COO) The officer of a firm responsible for day-to-day management, usually the president or an executive vice-president. of IBM. "This acquisition of Informix allows IBM to bring the benefits of leadership database technologies to more customers faster." Informix Software is a leading provider of database management systems for data warehousing See data warehouse. data warehousing - data warehouse , business intelligence and transaction processing Updating the appropriate database records as soon as a transaction (order, payment, etc.) is entered into the computer. It may also imply that confirmations are sent at the same time. Transaction processing systems are the backbone of an organization because they update constantly. . With an installed base of more than 100,000 customers worldwide, Informix delivers high-performance database systems to customers in retail, financial services The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. , government, healthcare, manufacturing, media and publishing, telecommunications and other businesses. Key Informix customers include Verizon, Deutsche Telekom Deutsche Telekom AG (ISIN: DE0005557508, FWB: DTE, NYSE: DT, LSE: DEU, TYO: 9496 ) (abbreviated DTAG) is a telecommunications company headquartered in Bonn, Germany. It is the largest telecommunications company in Germany and in the EU. , Sears and Sabre. Once the acquisition is completed, IBM will do the following: -- Integrate Informix database business operations Business operations are those activities involved in the running of a business for the purpose of producing value for the stakeholders. Compare business processes. The outcome of business operations is the harvesting of value from assets and personnel into the existing IBM Software data management division led by General Manager Janet Perna. -- Market and sell Informix's database products worldwide through an integrated IBM and Informix sales force. -- Maintain existing relationships with Informix customers and business partners, including support for and updating of current Informix products. "The acquisition by IBM is good news for Informix Software's database customers, partners, employees and stockholders," said Peter Gyenes, chairman and chief executive officer, Informix Corp. "IBM offers the global resources, investment protection, support and technology leadership our customers and partners need for the future, as well as exciting opportunities for our employees. This acquisition also extends the reach and relevance of key Informix technologies as they are evolved and integrated into future versions of IBM data management offerings." Informix customers will also benefit from IBM's open platform strategy and broad array of alliances with leading application developers such as SAP, Siebel Systems, PeopleSoft, Retek and many others worldwide. IBM intends to integrate selected Informix technology into future versions of DB2 Universal Database, which will remain IBM's flagship database product. "Informix customers can be confident that their investments in existing Informix products are secure," said Steve Mills, senior vice president and group executive, IBM Software. "These customers will now have a long-term growth path that enables them to achieve the full potential of e-business." Following the sale of the database business to IBM, Informix Corporation will be totally focused on its other independent operating business - Ascentiala Software. With annualized annualized Of or relating to a variable that has been mathematically converted to a yearly rate. Inflation and interest rates are generally annualized since it is on this basis that these two variables are ordinarily stated and compared. revenue in excess of $130 million, Ascential is a leading provider of information asset management solutions to the Global 2000. The company intends to apply the proceeds from the transaction to fund the growth of Ascential as well as to return a substantial portion of the proceeds to stockholders through a stock-reduction program, details of which are expected to be announced To be announced (TBA) A contract for the purchase or sale of an MBS to be delivered at an agreed-upon future date but does not include a specified pool number and number of pools or precise amount to be delivered. at or shortly after closing. Upon the closing of the transaction, Informix Corporation will be renamed Ascential Software. Also, IBM and Ascential Software have announced a global strategic alliance to jointly develop and market information asset management solutions based on Ascential's DataStageO, DataStage 390 and Media360a products as well as IBM's DB2 and related product platforms. The acquisition is subject to Informix shareholder and regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2001. About IBM IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. For more information about IBM, visit http://www.ibm.com. About Informix Corporation Informix Corp. is the parent company of Informix Software, the database company, a leading provider of database management systems for data warehousing, transaction processing and e-business applications, and Ascential Software, the leading provider of Information Asset Management solutions to the Global 2000. For more information, visit the Informix web site http://www.informix.com Informix Software, headquartered in Menlo Park, California Menlo Park is a city in San Mateo County, California in the United States of America. It is located at latitude 37°29' North, longitude 122°9' East. Menlo Park had 30,785 inhabitants as of the 2000 U.S. Census. , has 2,500 employees worldwide in offices in North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, and is a leader in data management technology. Founded in 1980, Informix Software has consistently strived to optimize performance, scalability, and total cost of ownership in its data management offerings. For more information, call 914-766-1779. |
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