Novell is to buy Managed Objects, a maker of BSM (business service management) software. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The BSM market has become dominated by a handful of large players — IBM, Hewlett-Packard, CA and BMC — but is also populated by a range of smaller ones, such as Compuware and FireScope.
Novell has other software in the IT management arena, but in areas like identity, datacentre and asset management, as opposed to the type of service modelling and analysis tools sold by Managed Objects.
Novell plans to integrate Managed Objects into its Systems and Resource Management business unit.
It plans to retain the majority of Managed Objects' employees.