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Anatomy of the Deal: EMC Buys Interlink, May 11, 2006

The Partner
EMC Corp. is a leader in information management and storage. This year, the Hopkinton, Mass.-based company has been bulking up EMC Technology Solutions, its professional services organization. In January, EMC bought services firm Internosis Inc., of Greenbelt, Md., and created the EMC Microsoft Practice within the Technology Solutions division.

The Deal
In May, EMC further boosted its Microsoft Practice with the acquisition of privately held services firm Interlink Group Inc., of Englewood, Colo., a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.

Interlink will add about 180 employees to a Microsoft practice that now boasts more than 400 services professionals, says Todd Pavone, vice president of global solutions at EMC. EMC did not disclose financial terms of the deal.

The Strategy
EMC covered services on the East Coast with its acquisition of Internosis and now has established an operation on the West Coast with the Interlink purchase, Pavone said, adding that this will likely not be the company's last acquisition in the Microsoft services space.

Interlink's services will be marketed and sold through Interlink's existing team as well as through EMC's North American sales channels and business partners. Pavone says that he doesn't expect the acquisition to negatively affect relationships with other existing services partners.

The Organization
Interlink becomes part of EMC's Microsoft Practice. Bart Hammond, former Interlink CEO, becomes senior director for EMC's Microsoft Practice for the West. Hammond says he expects EMC's purchase to allow his organization to get into markets more quickly.

About the Author

Lee Pender is Redmond Channel Partner magazine's senior editor. You can reach him at [email protected].

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