IBM makes SMB buy

IBM has boosted its software portfolio for small and medium-size businesses with plans to acquire Canadia's Net Integration Technologies.

Net Integration, which offers business management tools, will be become part of IBM's Lotus division when the deal closes, which is expected later this year. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

"We plan to use the technology to go after Microsoft in the small business server market," says Michael Rhodin, general manager at IBM's Lotus Software division. IBM could use the technology to compete with Microsoft's Windows Small Business Server, which provides collaboration, email and communication tools.

Founded in 1997, Net Integration Technologies' tools include NitixBlue server software, which the company offers bundled with IBM Lotus Notes client software. The company also builds custom hardware and the Nitix Operating System, which is based on Linux and bundles system management, networking, security and storage services.