IBM Expands Virtualization Push With Transitive Acquisition

IBM Expands Virtualization Push With Transitive Acquisition

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By Rick Whiting, ChannelWeb

10:17 AM EST Wed. Nov. 19, 2008

IBM is acquiring Transitive Corp., a developer of cross-platform virtualization technology that allows applications written for one type of microprocessor and operating system to run on multiple platforms.

Terms of the deal weren't disclosed. Transitive is a privately held company headquartered in Los Gatos, Calif., with research and development operations in Manchester, U.K. IBM expects to complete the acquisition in December, a spokesman said.

IBM said Transitive's technology, for which the company holds 48 patents, will allow customers to consolidate their Linux-based applications from under-utilized servers onto IBM systems. IBM said the technology gives businesses a quicker, easier means of consolidating servers to reduce operating costs.

IBM has had a technology relationship with Transitive since January, selling the company's technology as part of its PowerVM Lx86 solution for running Linux/x86 applications without modification on IBM's System p servers.