News

Then There was N-1

Legato Systems Inc. (www.legato.com) is continuing to drive consolidation in the Windows NT system clustering market. Less than two months after finally completing a protracted acquisition of FullTime Software, Legato announced the signing of an agreement to acquire FullTime competitor Vinca Corp. (www.vinca.com).

While FullTime and Vinca competed with their server-to-server data replication and service failover products in the Windows NT space, each company also had unique markets that differentiated them. FullTime Software, which was the conglomeration of the former Qualix Group and Octopus Technologies, offered clustering, replication and failover capabilities that supports Windows NT and several flavors of Unix. Vinca’s products include Standby Server for NetWare and CoStandby Server for Windows NT 4.0.

With both Vinca and FullTime becoming part of Legato, the number of independent data replication and clustering technology vendors is quickly diminishing. Last fall, Microsoft acquired Valence Research Inc., whose IP load-balancing product, Convoy Cluster, has reemerged as the Windows Load Balancing Service (WLBS). The WLBS product can be used with or independent of Microsoft’s Cluster Server product. One of the only remaining independent vendors in the market is NSI Software (www.nsisw.com) with its Double-Take product.

Legato, which has been on an acquisition spree, also closed a deal on Intelliguard Software Inc. earlier this year. The Intelligard acquisition brought serverless SAN backup capabilities into Legato’s backup and storage management product family. – Al Gillen

About the Author

Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

Featured

  • Microsoft Offers Support Extensions for Exchange 2016 and 2019

    Microsoft has introduced a paid Extended Security Update (ESU) program for on-premises Exchange Server 2016 and 2019, offering a crucial safety cushion as both versions near their Oct. 14, 2025 end-of-support date.

  • An image of planes flying around a globe

    2025 Microsoft Conference Calendar: For Partners, IT Pros and Developers

    Here's your guide to all the IT training sessions, partner meet-ups and annual Microsoft conferences you won't want to miss.

  • Notebook

    Microsoft Centers AI, Security and Partner Dogfooding at MCAPS

    Microsoft's second annual MCAPS for Partners event took place Tuesday, delivering a volley of updates and directives for its partners for fiscal 2026.

  • Microsoft Layoffs: AI Is the Obvious Elephant in the Room

    As Microsoft doubles down on an $80 billion bet on AI this fiscal year, its workforce reductions are drawing scrutiny over whether AI's ascent is quietly reshaping its human capital strategy, even as official messaging avoids drawing a direct line.

Most   Popular