News

Dell To Buy Managed Services Provider

Dell, which has been expanding its distribution channels and offerings over the last several years, broadened its reach even further with the announcement that it's buying SilverBack Technologies.

Billerica, Mass.-based SilverBack is a managed services provider (MSP) of remote technology infrastructure management. According to a press release, "Dell plans to leverage SilverBack Technologies, Inc. into its operations as part of its ongoing strategy of IT simplification."

Diversifying its offerings is a key part of Dell's strategy to return to the kind of profitability the Austin, Texas-based OEM enjoyed several years ago. Once king of the sales hill, Dell has been replaced at the top by HP, and recently announced that it was laying off 8,000 employees in a massive restructuring.

To regain its edge, Dell recently departed from its online-only sales channel and began expanding into the retail arena, offering its desktop and notebook PCs through Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. It also offers computers with Linux preinstalled, to capture some of the non-Windows OS crowd.

Terms of the sale were not disclosed, nor information about how the purchase will affect employees of either company.

About the Author

Keith Ward is the editor in chief of Virtualization & Cloud Review. Follow him on Twitter @VirtReviewKeith.

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