EMC Acquires Parts Of Open-Source Developer SourceLabs

SourceLabs is a developer of technology that makes it easier for systems administrators, developers and quality assurance managers to solve issues related to Linux and open-source Java, according to the SourceLabs Web site.

The company's SourceLabs Support Suite leverages open sourcing to help customers discover, identify and solve Linux and Java issues related to faults, crashes, defects and other systems.

SourceLabs also runs SWiK.net, a community-driven resource for open-source software with information and news about thousands of open-source projects.

Spokespeople from both EMC and SourceLabs confirmed the acquisition.

An EMC spokesperson said only that the storage vendor has acquired some of SourceLabs' assets and hired a number of its people, and that the acquired assets and personnel will become part of EMC's cloud infrastructure business.

However, the spokesperson said, the move is not material to EMC's financial reporting, so the company is not offering further details, including which assets were acquired. SourceLabs continues to operate as a stand-alone business, the spokesperson said.

A SourceLabs spokesperson, in an e-mailed response, confirmed the acquisition, and said that Byron Sebastian, SourceLabs' CEO, and Will Pugh, SourceLabs' chief architect, will be joining EMC. The personnel moving to EMC have cloud computing experience, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson, while not confirming which assets were acquired by EMC, said that SourceLabs will focus its business on SWiK.net going forward.

EMC has been focusing on building its cloud computing business with a number of recent acquisitions.

It acquired Berkeley Data Systems and its Mozy online storage technology in October of 2007, and has turned that technology into the base of its cloud computing plans.

EMC last February acquired Pi, a privately held developer of software and provider of services for personal information management.

The Pi acquisition also brought former Microsoft executive Paul Maritz, Pi founder and CEO, to EMC. Maritz in July replaced Diane Greene as president and CEO of VMware after Greene was ousted from the company co-founded by her and her husband. EMC is a majority stakeholder in VMware.