VERITAS Automates With Invio Buy


VERITAS Software moved to fill a gap in its utility
computing strategy by acquiring automation software maker Invio Software for
$35 million in cash.

Mountain View, Calif.’s VERITAS expects to retain nearly all 35 Invio employees, including Ranga Rangachari, CEO of the Los Altos, Calif.-based outfit.

Experts in the sector say process automation is a key part of a utility computing platform.

The privately held Invio makes a customizable process
automation engine that automates storage and server provisioning and data
protection services.


Though the purchase is new, Invio’s software has already been rolled into
VERITAS CommandCentral Service 4.0, which became generally available to
customers last week, according to Jeff Hausman, group product marketing
manager at VERITAS.


“This is a wrapper that gives you the ability to define processes across
different areas, or if you want to add a more sophisticated workflow element
to a task within a particular area, such as storage, server or cluster
management,” Hausman told internetnews.com.


Refreshed in May, CommandCentral Service 4.0 provides a window into the use of IT
resources. Within CommandCentral, Invio’s automation engine takes the
repetitive hand-coding and the manual configuration associated with service
delivery out of the equation, offering a simple “point-and-click” interface.


IT managers, who will be able to manage the cost of services while reducing
manual errors, can also choose from an array of process templates and
customize them to manage and automate IT processes for their businesses.


Moreover, workflow capabilities in the Invio software can be used to define
rules for application and infrastructure requirements, such as ensuring that
database provisioning uses a consistent storage configuration.


In true utility or on-demand computing systems, services can be
incrementally fed across the network, according to company policies, and adapted on the fly.


With Invio’s process automation engine CommandCentral Service working in
concert, users can automate IT processes by linking VERITAS’ core software
components, including OpForce, CommandCentral Storage, Storage Foundation
and NetBackup.


The process automation technology is also open and can integrate with
automation and provisioning products from other vendors, as well as help
desk and ticketing systems.


Going forward, Hausman said VERITAS is developing technologies to gauge the
performance of an application, and trigger the infrastructure to adjust
based on certain constraints. This type of trigger could prompt a business
process engine to add new servers or storage.


Process automation vendors have been a hot sell among computing vendors, who
are putting together on-demand or utility computing suites. HP struck twice
earlier this year, acquiring automation providers Novadigm for $121 million and Consera Software for an undisclosed sum.

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